Interesting argument here but LeBron being mentioned with the top 5 of all time? That's absurd. The Eastern Conference was so much tougher back in Jordan's prime and let's not forget a travel was actually called once in awhile.
His performance last night was great and should be talked about but it was the conference finals not the championship series. Here's a list of 10 performances in the championship series which really mean something. Let's not jump the gun and call it the greatest this and that just because you watched it on T.V. last night and it's fresh in your memory. Magic's performance in game six as a rookie was the greatest of all time.
1. 1980: Magic Johnson - 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists in series-clinching Game 6, in place of injured Kareem. In one game, a 20-year-old rookie named Magic Johnson went from precocious to prodigious. With six-time NBA MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out with a severe ankle sprain, Magic started at center and turned in the best performance ever in an NBA Finals game -- 42 points, 15 boards, seven assists -- on the road, no less -- as the Lakers won their first of five NBA titles in the '80s.
2. 1997: Michael Jordan - 38 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists with the flu in decisive Game 5 in Utah. Bitten hard by the flu bug, Michael Jordan was so ill some speculated that he wouldn't be able to play in Game 5 against the Jazz in Utah with the series tied at 2-2. Jordan fought the Jazz, dehydration and exhaustion (he could barely walk to the bench during timeouts) -- and won. Jordan turned in another masterful performance with 38 points and seven rebounds, sending the series back to Chicago with the Bulls up 3-2 in the series. Two days later, the Bulls won their fifth title in six years.
3. 1962: Bill Russell - 30 points and 40 rebounds in Game 7 overtime win
Game 7 in the '62 Finals went to overtime and, thanks to Bill Russell, the Celtics added another notch to their championship belt. The Celtics had already forced a Game 7 with a Game 6 win in L.A. two days before. In the final contest, Russell scored 30 points and grabbed an incredible 40 rebounds as the Celtics won their fourth of eight consecutive titles.
4. 1962: Elgin Baylor - 61 points, 22 rebounds to lead Lakers to Game 5 win
The Los Angeles Lakers were making their first Finals appearance and it looked as if they were going to make it a success thanks to Elgin Baylor. The forward poured in a Finals record (and then-playoffs record) 61 points against the Celtics in the Boston Garden, giving the Lakers a 3-2 series lead.
5. 1970: Walt Frazier - 36 points and 19 assists to lead Knicks in Game 7 after Reed's emotional entrance
Willis Reed may have opened the door, but it was Walt "Clyde" Frazier who closed it on the Lakers in Game 7. Reed, suffering from a torn thigh, made a brief but inspiring appearance in the first quarter to give the Knicks a psychological lift. Frazier took over after that, scoring 36 points and dishing 19 assists, as the Knicks clobbered the Lakers 113-99 for New York's first NBA title.
6. 1958: Bob Pettit - 50 points, including 19 of St. Louis' last 21, in series-clinching Game 6. If there were one team in the NBA that could challenge Bill Russell's Celtics for the championship, it was Bob Pettit's St. Louis Hawks. After losing a heartbreaker of a Game 7 in The Finals the year before, Pettit made sure the Hawks got their NBA title in Game 6. Pettit notched 50 points, including 19 of the Hawks' final 21 as St. Louis eked out a 110-109 win to close out the Hawks' only NBA title to date.
7. 1986: Larry Bird - 29 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists in dominating Game 6 performance. In 1986, Larry Bird was the NBA's best player and the Boston Celtics the league's best team. And in Game 6 of the 1986 Finals, Bird and the Celtics showed why. Bird helped Boston clinch its 16th NBA title with a triple-double performance of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.
8. 1969: Jerry West - 42 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists in Game 7; only player to be named MVP in losing effort. Jerry West was making his sixth trip to the NBA Finals in 1969. The previous five had ended in defeat, each by the Boston Celtics' hand. Trip No. 6 appeared to be different as the Lakers took a 3-2 series lead, but a Game 6 loss sent the series back to L.A. West had a triple-double with 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, but the Celtics prevailed again, winning Game 7, 108-106. West's performance earned him the Finals MVP, the only player from a losing team ever to do so.
9. 1977: Bill Walton - 20 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists, 8 blocks in series-clinching Game 6. The Portland Trail Blazers were appearing in their first-ever postseason, let alone their first Finals. And after the Philadelphia 76ers won the first two games, the outlook appeared bleak for the Blazers. But Portland won the next three games and center Bill Walton applied the coup de grace with a 20-point, 23-rebound performance in Game 6. He was named Finals MVP.
10. 1998: Michael Jordan - 45 points in Game 6, including steal that led to game-winner. It may have been the best-ever ending to a career steeped in excellence. The Jazz held a one-point lead and Utah's All-Star power forward Karl Malone held the ball. But Jordan faked like he was going to follow his man weakside, but stopped and stripped Malone. The ball then never left Jordan's hands until he launched a game-winning 20-footer over Bryon Russell. Jordan finished with 45 points, his sixth title and his sixth NBA Finals MVP award.<!-- / message -->