The NBA Finals and a player’s record on the game’s most important stage have been at the center of debate for quite some time now. One end of the argument is that an individual player’s Finals record absolutely matters toward their ranking on an all-time list. Of course, context matters as does a player’s role on those Finals teams when we talk about their legacy and if they contributed significantly towards an NBA championship. The other end of the argument is that if a player performs at an elite level and is the best player on the court, winning or losing doesn’t matter despite winning championships being the ultimate goal in the NBA.
I happen to be on the former side of the argument. In my personal opinion, you cannot be the greatest at any sport if you have lost more championships than you won. You could not be considered among the greatest players if you didn’t perform well in the NBA Finals. There are many in today’s NBA and its media who would like to downplay the significance of leading a team to an NBA championship and would like to celebrate the fact that they just made it to that point in the season. Not today. Today will be about the 20 greatest players of all time and their performances in the NBA Finals. We will dissect their overall records and add context to their wins and losses in order to identify why they sit in the places they do in our rankings.
These are the 20 greatest NBA players of all time and their records in the NBA Finals.
20. Julius Erving
Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 1-3
NBA Finals Stats: 25.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.8 BPG
Julius Erving, or Dr. J as he was dubbed, was a champion before he ever stepped foot in the NBA. He won two ABA championships as a member of the New York Nets including in the final year of the ABA’s existence in 1976. In his very first season with the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, Erving led the 76ers to 50 wins and a trip to the NBA Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. Erving would average 30.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.7 SPG, and 1.2 BPG in the loss.
Erving would once again lead the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 1980 and 1982. In both Finals series, the Sixers would match up with the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers, and on both Finals, Erving and the Sixers would lose. It looked like Erving was headed for a titleless NBA career until the Sixers went out and acquired Moses Malone for the 1983 season. Philadelphia would go out and head back to their third Finals in four years, with Malone and Erving leading the way. This time, it would be Philadelphia who emerged victorious and Erving an NBA champion finally.
19. Kevin Garnett
Credit: Joe Robbins-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 1-1
NBA Finals Stats: 16.6 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.2 BPG
Kevin Garnett spent the better part of the beginning of his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He became the greatest player in franchise history and would also be named the 2004 MVP as a member of the Timberwolves. He would lead them all the way to the Western Conference Finals that season until running into the Shaq and Kobe-led Lakers in that series. It would be the closest that Garnett ever got to the Finals in Minnesota, and that wouldn’t change until a career-saving deal in 2007 with the Boston Celtics.
Garnett arrived in Boston and was immediately embraced by the city for his energy and trash-talking antics on the court. Garnett would win the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year award, and the Celtics would be headed for an NBA Finals matchup with their longtime rival, the Lakers. Garnett and the Celtics would defeat the Lakers in six games, with Paul Pierce earning Finals MVP honors. Garnett averaged 18.2 PPG, 13.0 RPG, and 1.7 SPG and could have easily been the MVP himself. In 2010, Boston would face the Lakers in the NBA Finals again. This time, Boston fell in seven games, and Garnett struggled on both ends of the court. It brought his career Finals record to 1-1, and it would be the final time we saw him on that stage in the NBA.
18. Dwyane Wade
Credit: Frank Victores- USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 3-2
NBA Finals Stats: 23.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG
It wouldn’t take long from the time that Dwyane Wade was drafted into the NBA to the time he would be making a name for himself in the NBA Finals. With the addition of Shaq and what was left of his prime to the Miami lineup in 2005, the Heat looked prime to make a run at the NBA Finals in Wade’s third season in 2006. That is exactly what they would do in 2006 as they faced off against the powerhouse Dallas Mavericks. After falling down 2-0 in the series, Wade would lead a four-game comeback for the Heat to deliver their first NBA championship in franchise history. Wade claimed Finals MVP with 34.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 2.7 SPG. This is still one of the best Finals MVP performances of all time.
After the 2006 title run, it took a few seasons and the additions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh in order to get back there. Wade and the Heat would make four straight NBA Finals from 2011 thru 2014 and capture two more NBA championships. Wade was the best player on the court for Miami in 2011, but Miami fell to Dallas in six games. They would defeat the Thunder in 2012 in five games and the Spurs in 2013 in seven games. In 2014, they would lose to the Spurs, putting an end to Wade’s Finals career.
17. Moses Malone
Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 1-1
NBA Finals Stats: 23.7 PPG, 16.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.9 BPG
Moses Malone is easily one of the most underrated players in NBA history. Malone is one of the game’s greatest rebounders, especially on the offensive end as well as a three-time MVP with the Rockets and 76ers. In 1981, Malone and the Rockets became one of the NBA’s earliest Cinderella stories when they finished the season at 40-42 but went crazy in the playoffs and advanced to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. The incredible run would end there as Boston took down Houston in six games to capture the championship despite 22.3 PPG and 15.7 RPG from Malone.
It would be just two years before Moses Malone would find himself back in the NBA Finals but this time, in a different city. Prior to the 1983 season, Malone would be traded from Houston to the 76ers, where his impact would be felt right away. Malone would win the MVP award in 1983, and the 76ers were ready to bulldoze their way to an NBA championship. Malone would make sure that happened in a four-game sweep of Los Angeles in the Finals for their first NBA championship since the days of Wilt Chamberlain. Malone would be named Finals MVP, making him one of the few players ever to win MVP, championship, and Finals MVP in the same season.
16. Karl Malone
Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 0-3
NBA Finals Stats: 19.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG
As one of the greatest power forwards in league history, Karl Malone’s legacy after the NBA has been tarnished by serious off-the-court infractions and the fact that he was never successful in winning an NBA championship. During his career, Malone was one of the most consistent stars in the game, averaging 20.0 PPG or better for 17 straight seasons from 1987 thru 2003. Malone would claim two MVP awards in his career, including during a two-year stretch in 1997 and 1998 when he led the Jazz to the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons.
Malone and the Jazz would, unfortunately, fall to the Chicago Bulls in both years, making Malone, and teammate John Stockton, even more Hall of Famers who were kept ringless because of Michael Jordan. In 2004, Malone would take one last chance at an NBA championship, joining the Lakers led by Kobe and Shaq in one last effort to become an NBA champion. However, Malone would suffer an injury and miss 40 games that season as well as most of the 2004 NBA Finals against the Pistons. Malone’s team fell all three times they advanced to the NBA Finals in his career, and he is considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history to never win a ring.
15. Jerry West
Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 1-8
NBA Finals Stats: 30.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.6 APG
Jerry West’s legacy is one that will be remembered for years to come, whether or not you choose to focus on his abysmal record in the NBA Finals. The man they chose to make the NBA logo was as elite as it gets on the offensive side of the ball, more specifically as a scorer and shooter with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 60s and 70s. West would lead the Lakers to a total of nine NBA Finals appearances in his career but, unfortunately, was able to capture just one championship.
West’s poor record in the Finals has a lot to do with the competition he and the Lakers faced once they got there. They suffered six losses to the Boston Celtics alone and two others to the New York Knicks led by Walt Frazier and Willis Reed. It wasn’t all bad, though. West was named the 1969 Finals MVP despite a loss in the series and is still the only player to ever do so. He would also capture his first and only championship in 1972 thanks to the play of he and his teammate Wilt Chamberlain.
14. Oscar Robertson
Credit: Malcolm Emmons – USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 1-1
NBA Finals Stats: 16.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 8.7 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Oscar Robertson is one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. He was a true do-it-all point guard who could control the game as a scorer, playmaker, or defender. Robertson became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season early in his career with the Cincinnati Royals as well as an MVP of the league and perennial All-Star and All-NBA Team member. However, his greatest accomplishments would not be until he joined forces with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970.
It was clear when Robertson joined the Bucks for the 1970-71 season that he was well past his peak playing days. However, he was exactly what the Bucks were missing next to Kareem to become a championship contender. Robertson and Kareem would lead the Bucks to the 1971 NBA Finals in their first year together, with Kareem grabbing an MVP as well. The Bucks would defeat the Bullets in a four-game sweep to capture their first championship and the only one of Robertson’s career. The Bucks would make it back to the Finals in 1974 but fall to the Celtics in seven games.
13. Kevin Durant
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 2-2
NBA Finals Stats: 30.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG
The journey of Kevin Durant throughout his NBA career has been a rollercoaster. Once a beloved member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, even taking them to the NBA Finals in 2012, Durant saw the world turn on him when he announced he was joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Whether it was the fact that Durant and the Thunder had just blown a 3-1 lead to Golden State in the playoffs or the fact that Durant’s addition made them unbeatable, there was a new public enemy number one in the NBA.
This didn’t phase Durant one bit as he and the Warriors embarked on a dominant two-year run in 2017 and 2018. Durant and the Warriors would go to back-to-back Finals in these seasons and lose just one game between the two years in the Finals. Durant was named Finals MVP of each series, doing it all on both offense and defense. The Warriors would go back to the Finals in 2019, but Durant would play just a few mins before tearing his Achilles tendon and watching their chances at a three-peat go up in flames.
12. Hakeem Olajuwon
Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 2-1
NBA Finals Stats: 27.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.9 SPG, 3.2 BPG
Hakeem Olajuwon is one of the greatest defensive players and overall big men in NBA history. Olajuwon was as smooth as one can be standing at nearly seven feet tall on offense with his signature dream shake and the best footwork that NBA players today still seek out his advice on. Olajuwon was even more dominant on the defensive end, disrupting offenses as a rim protector and even as a perimeter presence. Olajuwon’s first berth in the NBA Finals came in just his third year in the NBA and didn’t go as planned for him and the Houston Rockets. His next two trips would make him an NBA legend forever.
In 1994, Hakeem Olajuwon had a nearly perfect season winning MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and leading the Rockets to the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. Olajuwon and Houston would battle in the seven-game series, claiming victory narrowly in a knockdown, drag-out series. Olajuwon would be named Finals MVP with 26.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 3.9 BPG. In 1995, Olajuwon and the Rockets struggled out of the gates and found themselves in jeopardy of not being able to defend their championship at all. Behind Olajuwon, the Rockets found the magic again and advanced to their second straight NBA Finals against Orlando. The Rockets would dominate the Magic in a sweep, with Hakeem grabbing his second Finals MVP award with 32.8 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 5.5 APG, and 2.0 BPG.
11. Wilt Chamberlain
Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 2-4
NBA Finals Stats: 18.6 PPG, 24.6 RPG, 3.8 APG
As far as statistical dominance goes, Wilt Chamberlain holds more records than any other player in basketball history. Chamberlain was ahead of his time with athleticism that staggered audiences as well as opponents and a stature that struck fear into most opponents. The biggest critique of his game was that his scoring and rebounding numbers were fantastic, but they did not lead to wins or championships. Then, he got it and almost immediately became an NBA champion.
Chamberlain would capture his first NBA championship in 1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers would win on the backs of three 20.0 PPG scorers in the series, none of which were Chamberlain with his 17.7 PPG, but his rebounding and playmaking took center stage as he averaged 28.5 RPG and led the team with 6.8 APG in the series. Wilt would capture his second championship and only Finals MVP in 1972 with the Lakers against the Knicks. The Knicks had been a sore on the backs of the Lakers, but L.A. would finally break through this time. Chamberlain and the Lakers would win the series in five games, with Wilt averaging 19.4 PPG and 23.2 RPG in the series.
10. Stephen Curry
NBA Finals Record: 4-2
NBA Finals Stats: 27.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
It is no coincidence that all of the Golden State Warriors’ Finals success and team success began as Stephen Curry developed into one of the best point guards in the NBA. With his never before seen three-point shooting skills and MVP seasons, Curry led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975 in 2015 over the Cavaliers. The following season, Curry became the NBA’s first and only unanimous MVP leading Golden State to a 73-9 record. They would advance to the NBA Finals but lose in seven games to the Cavaliers.
Over the next three seasons, the Warriors went to three straight NBA Finals and accumulated a 2-1 record in those series. They defeated the Cavaliers twice, but injuries crippled their chances at a three-peat in 2019. Curry would save his best Finals performance for 2022 against the Boston Celtics. Curry would lead the Warriors to their fourth NBA title and capture the first Finals MVP of his career with 31.2 PPG on 43.7% shooting from three. Curry would finally claim the Finals MVP that had eluded him for the entirety of his career up until that point.
9. Tim Duncan
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 5-1
NBA Finals Stats: 20.8 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.4 BPG
Over the last 20 seasons, at least, perhaps no young player has had a faster or bigger impact on his team than Tim Duncan did. After a Rookie of the Year campaign in 1998, Duncan took advantage of a lockout-shortened season in 1999. He would lead the Spurs to the NBA Finals and their first franchise championship in a dominant series win over the Knicks. Duncan would claim Finals MVP honors with 27.4 PPG, 14.0 RPG, and 2.2 BPG.
Over the next 15 years, Duncan would lead the Spurs into rare territory as a dynasty winning four championships during that time. He claimed Finals MVP honors once again in 2003 and 2005 when he led the Spurs to wins over the Nets and Pistons. Duncan would retire with five NBA championships in six tries on the NBA Finals and is widely considered to be the greatest power forward in NBA history.
8. Shaquille O’Neal
Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 4-2
NBA Finals Stats: 28.8 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.1 BPG
Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most dominant players in NBA history at his peak in the early 2000s with the Los Angeles Lakers. Before he reached those heights as a player, Shaq’s first NBA Finals came way back in 1995 when he was still with the Orlando Magic. Up against Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets, O’Neal’s first Finals ended with him and the Magic being swept in four games.
Then came his peak and rule over the NBA for three straight seasons. In 2000, O’Neal would win the MVP award, an NBA championship, and the Finals MVP award as he led the Lakers to their first title since 1988. Over the next two seasons, Shaq would add two more championships and two more Finals MVP awards to his resume. In 2006, O’Neal was in his second season with the Miami Heat after nearly winning MVP with them in 2005. He and Dwyane Wade would lead the Heat to their first NBA championship in franchise history, giving Shaq four championships for his career.
7. Larry Bird
Credit: Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 3-2
NBA Finals Stats: 23.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Larry Bird burst onto the scene in the 1979-80 season, which saw him take home the Rookie of the Year award averaging 21.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, and 1.7 SPG. In 1981, Bird and the Celtics would advance to Bird’s first NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets. It would only take six games for Boston to take down Houston, with Bird having an amazing series and nearly winning Finals MVP with 15.3 PPG, 15.3 RPG, 7.0 APG, and 2.3 SPG. Instead, the award went to Cedric Maxwell, and Bird would have to wait for his honor to come.
By 1984, Larry Bird was the best player in basketball and would take home his first of three straight MVP awards. Not only that, but he would lead the Celtics to three straight Finals appearances over that same stretch. Bird and the Celtics would win the 1984 NBA championship over the Lakers, with Bird averaging 27.4 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 2.1 SPG, and 1.1 BPG for his first Finals MVP. After a loss to the Lakers in 1985, the Celtics would make their way back to the Finals in 1986 for another matchup with the Rockets. Again, Boston would take six games to get rid of the Rockets, with Bird earning his second Finals MVP award with 24.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 9.5 APG, and 2.7 SPG.
6. Bill Russell
Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY SPORTS
NBA Finals Record: 11-1
NBA Finals Stats: 16.4 PPG, 24.5 RPG
When it comes to the NBA Finals, no one man has had more success than Bill Russell. In just 13 seasons in the NBA as a whole, Russell and his Boston Celtics advanced to a total of 12 NBA Finals and were victorious in 11 of them. His lone loss came in 1958 to the St. Louis Hawks and a team that included Bob Pettit and Cliff Hagan.
Russell only participated in one NBA Finals in which the Finals MVP was awarded, a win in 1969 over the Lakers with Jerry West earning the award. Instead, thanks to his winning legacy and the mark he left on the NBA Finals, the NBA decided to name the Finals MVP trophy after Russell. It is the only way to honor a man who would possibly have 10 of his own sitting at home if they had given them out.
5. Magic Johnson
Credit: MPS-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 5-4
NBA Finals Stats: 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 11.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG
It did not take much time at all for Magic Johnson to begin building his legacy as one of the greatest NBA Finals performers in NBA history. In his rookie season, Magic was pretty much handed the keys to the Los Angeles Lakers and thus, the Showtime era was born. Not only were they one of the most beloved teams in basketball, but they were also the best team in basketball with Magic at the helm and ended up becoming known as the team of the 80s.
In his first NBA Finals, Johnson became one of the youngest Finals MVPs in NBA history when he led the Lakers to a six-game series win over the 76ers. In Game Six, Magic filled in for Kareem at the center position and led the Lakers to a championship with 42 points and 15 rebounds. Magic would help the Lakers win a total of five NBA championships during the 80s and claim three Finals MVP awards in the process.
4. Kobe Bryant
Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 5-2
NBA Finals Stats: 25.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Kobe Bryant is a global icon when it comes to the game of basketball. During his 20 seasons with the Lakers, kids from all over the world were inspired by Kobe and what he could do on the court as well as his mentality off of it. However, during his younger days with the team, Bryant struggled to find a spot at first, and when he finally did, it was still Shaq’s team. Bryant came under scrutiny as someone who couldn’t lead as the Lakers won three championships in a row from 2000 thru 2002 and struggled after the departure of O’Neal in 2004-05.
These doubts about Bryant and what he could do with his own team were shattered from 2008 thru 2010. Bryant would lead the Lakers to three straight NBA Finals appearances over this time and deliver some of the best moments in franchise history. After a loss to Boston in 2008, Bryant and the Lakers defeated the Magic in 2009 behind a Finals MVP performance from Kobe. In 2010, the Lakers would do it once more and avenge their loss from two years earlier over the Celtics. Bryant would earn both Finals MVP awards and finally shed the monkey off his back as far as a championship without Shaq.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Credit: MPS-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 6-4
NBA Finals Stats: 23.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.2 BPG
As we move onto the consensus top three players in NBA history, we get things started with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who was an MVP, champion, and Finals MVP by the end of just his second season in the NBA. In 1971, with the Bucks, Kareem led them to their first title in franchise history with a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Bullets. It would be his first and last championship while with Milwaukee amid a loss in the 1974 Finals to the Celtics.
When Kareem moved on to the Lakers in 1975, it took five seasons for him and his teammates to make the NBA Finals. They would go on to win championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Kareem’s second Finals MVP award wouldn’t come until 1985 in the NBA Finals against the Celtics. Kareem would average 25.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 1.5 BPG to help Los Angeles take the title. Overall, Kareem was a six-time NBA champion and two-time Finals MVP in his 20 seasons in the NBA.
2. LeBron James
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 4-6
NBA Finals Stats: 28.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG
There haven’t been many things that one player can accomplish in the game of basketball that LeBron James has not accomplished. James has led three different franchises to the NBA Finals and to the end as NBA champions, something no other player can lay claim to throughout the history of the game. James faced similar challenges that other greats had faced before him, as he was known as a tremendous player who couldn’t win. That is until he left the Cavaliers and joined the Miami Heat in 2010. James would deliver two titles to Miami while also suffering two losses in the NBA Finals as well.
James’ most iconic Finals performance would come in 2016 when he went back to Cleveland to fulfill his promise of delivering them a championship. In 2016, he and the Cavs were set to take on the 73-9 Warriors in the Finals. They quickly fell down 3-1 in the series and were on the brink of elimination. LeBron James and his teammate Kyrie Irving helped them storm back for the greatest playoff upset in NBA history. James would win his fourth championship and Finals MVP award in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers.
1. Michael Jordan
Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Finals Record: 6-0
NBA Finals Stats: 33.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Say whatever you want about Michael Jordan being unable to win during the 80s going up against the Celtics, Pistons, and Lakers. Once he and the Chicago Bulls reached the mountaintop, they didn’t fall off until Michael Jordan left. From 1991 thru 1993, the Chicago Bulls three-peated as NBA champions thanks to three iconic Finals performances from Jordan. The 1993 Finals is the greatest performance ever by a Finals MVP, with Jordan averaging 41.0 PPG and leading Chicago to the first three-peat since the Celtics of the 60s.
After nearly a two-year hiatus from the game of basketball, Jordan returned for 17 games in the 1995 season and the playoffs. After an unceremonious loss that season, Jordan and the Bulls would win a then-NBA record 72 games and cruise to their fourth NBA championship. Following that season, the Bulls, led by Jordan, would go for their second three-peat as NBA champions, with Jordan claiming all three Finals MVPs for a record six in his career. There is no doubt who the greatest Finals performer and the greatest player in NBA history have been and forever will be.
Source: fadeawayworld
