Kyrie Irving: 30.0 PPG last 3 games of finals.

[Inferno]

He embarassed Curry the entire series. Steph didn't try taking him off the dribble even once while Kyrie was continuously going at him and scoring.

[feyki]

New Kobe

[Mr Feeny]

New Kobe

Kobe is a 40% finals shooter
This is better than any version of Kobe in finals, scoring wise

[Dragonyeuw]

More to basketball than numbers. Need to factor in fit, context and some actual logic. Pippen wasn't asked to score at an elite level. Could he score like Irving? No. Could have scored more without Jordan tho.

He scored exactly one extra point above his prior career high( 21ppg in 92, 22ppg in 94) when Jordan was out the year. He wasn't asked to score at an elite level because that wasn't the strength of his game. And as shown previously, he was putrid offensively in the 2nd 3peat playoffs as a second option. What he provided was GOAT perimeter D, ballhandling/playmaking, and acted as the glue guy. He was never a player that was going to score 25+ points per game, with or without MJ.

[NuggetsFan]

He scored exactly one extra point above his prior career high( 21ppg in 92, 22ppg in 94) when Jordan was out the year. He wasn't asked to score at an elite level because that wasn't the strength of his game. And as shown previously, he was putrid offensively in the 2nd 3peat playoffs as a second option. What he provided was GOAT perimeter D, ballhandling/playmaking, and acted as the glue guy. He was never a player that was going to score 25+ points per game, with or without MJ.

While I agree scoring wasn't the main strength of his game there are certain situations where he could have flourished more as a scorer. Without Jordan, without the Bulls and Phil Jackson and that system. Pippen averaged 18.6 points his last season before Jordan left. 22 points the very next season at 28 years old. His entire career was spent playing with Jordan at that point. He didn't have the experience of being the 1st scoring option on a team and everything that comes with it.

Jordan averaged 32.5 points on 23.5 shots from Pippen's rookie season until Jordan's first break from the NBA. Pippen wasn't develop nor needed or ever really asked to be an elite scorer first and foremost until he was 28 years old. Which is obvious and makes perfect sense because when you have MJ and you draft a rookie Pippen what would you want him to be? Exactly what he was.

Development, opportunity are crazy underrated. How a guys developed depends on what's around him, coaching, team etc. You don't think Pippen averages 25+ points on last years Sixers? Does so on awful efficiency and without winning many games but it's not like the capabilities weren't there. Just like without Jordan does Pippen become the GOAT perimeter defender? Maybe not. Maybe he goes to an average team that needs offense far more than defense so he coasts on defense a little more to focus on offense.

[warriorfan]

Everyone talks about LeBron (and rightfully so) but Kyrie Irving provided GOAT level 2nd fiddle scoring by putting up these numbers in the last 3 games of the finals including the series clinching 3:

30.0 PPG, .523% FG, .529% 3 PT FG (on 5.7 attempts per game)

And the Cavs needed almost every one of those points. Fact is, if Kyrie doesn't go off, Cavs don't win. So let's so some respect to Uncle Drew.

It isn't very surprising considering Golden State's 3 best defensive players (Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut, and Andre Iguodala) were all out either due to suspension or injury

[SouBeachTalents]

It isn't very surprising considering Golden State's 3 best defensive players (Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut, and Andre Iguodala) were all out either due to suspension or injury

It's even less surprising considering he was guarded by Curry

[GrapeApe]

Irving was amazing. Imo his finals performance and overall playoff run propelled him to superstar status. Hitting the game-winner in game 7 of the finals is as big-time as it gets. The scary thing is he's just 24 years old. I admit I had my doubts about him, but it's pretty clear that he's an elite player.

[warriorfan]

It's even less surprising considering he was guarded by Curry

Steph Curry is a top 5 defender at the point guard position

[branslowski]

Yo honestly right after the Finals my initial feeling was the Kyries scoring in close games truly led that comeback.. If Bron didn't have Irving, 2/7 would have def happened. Sh!t da game 5 they talk about for Bron, Kyrie had 40+ aswell, and led the team in scoring in the 4th.

[JT123]

Yo honestly right after the Finals my initial feeling was the Kyries scoring in close games truly led that comeback.. If Bron didn't have Irving, 2/7 would have def happened. Sh!t da game 5 they talk about for Bron, Kyrie had 40+ aswell, and led the team in scoring in the 4th.

There were ZERO close games until game 7 you imbecile

These Kobe stans couldn't be more retarded if they tried

[Mr Feeny]

Yo honestly right after the Finals my initial feeling was the Kyries scoring in close games truly led that comeback.. If Bron didn't have Irving, 2/7 would have def happened. Sh!t da game 5 they talk about for Bron, Kyrie had 40+ aswell, and led the team in scoring in the 4th.

Lebron = 3rd all-time
Kobe = 9 spots behind = 12th all time
Deal with it

[RedBlackAttack]

Yo honestly right after the Finals my initial feeling was the Kyries scoring in close games truly led that comeback.. If Bron didn't have Irving, 2/7 would have def happened. Sh!t da game 5 they talk about for Bron, Kyrie had 40+ aswell, and led the team in scoring in the 4th.

Also in that Game 5, he became only the second player in NBA history to have a 40+ point game on better than 70% shooting from the floor (17-of-24). The other guy is Wilt Chamberlain and you can imagine the difference in degree of difficulty for Kyrie's makes. He only shot something like 4 FTs in the game too.

I thought it was one of the single best performances I have ever seen in The Finals.

[AintNoSunshine]

Everyone acknowledges Kyrie destroyed Cuckry. So stop making sht up.

[RedBlackAttack]

Everyone acknowledges Kyrie destroyed Cuckry. So stop making sht up.

Who?