{"id":77587,"date":"2023-06-09T14:53:57","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T14:53:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/articles.runyourpool.com\/?p=77587"},"modified":"2023-06-09T14:53:59","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T14:53:59","slug":"all-time-nba-finals-mvp-award-winners-ranked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.runyourpool.com\/articles\/2023\/06\/09\/all-time-nba-finals-mvp-award-winners-ranked\/","title":{"rendered":"All-Time NBA Finals MVP Award Winners, Ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re currently in the midst of the 2023 NBA Finals, and one of the Denver Nuggets or Miami Heat will come away with an indelible identity as this year\u2019s champions. One player will also forever join the names of others who have been recognized as an NBA Finals MVP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though the first NBA Finals was played in 1947, the league didn\u2019t award its first Finals MVP until 1969. Thirty-three different players have won the award in its 54 iterations, with No. 55 incoming this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every performance worthy of winning the NBA Finals MVP was a great one, but even great things come in different degrees. In this article, we\u2019ll rank the 10 best performances from NBA Finals MVP winners in the award\u2019s 54 years of life, plus answer some of the most common questions that surround one of the Association\u2019s most notable individual accolades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who Gets the MVP?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The NBA Finals MVP is awarded to the player deemed to have been the most valuable in the Association\u2019s ultimate series. Since 2009, the award has been named the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award to honor one of the game\u2019s greatest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A panel of 11 media members determines the winner each summer. They vote as soon as the last game of the NBA Finals ends. The player with the most votes wins this prestigious postseason prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10 Best NBA Finals MVP Performances Ever<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10: Larry Bird | 1984 | Boston Celtics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Larry Bird famously called out his teammates for<a href=\"https:\/\/fadeawayworld.net\/nba-media\/larry-bird-was-furious-and-called-out-his-teammates-after-lakers-destroyed-celtics-in-game-3-of-the-1984-nba-finals-we-played-like-sissies\"> playing like \u201csissies\u201d<\/a> after a Game 3 defeat that saw the Celtics trail the Lakers, 2-1, in the series. He backed up that talk in Game 4 with 29 points and 21 rebounds, bolstering Boston to even the series. Bird posted game highs in scoring and rebounding in Game 5 (34 and 17). In all, he averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per contest as the Celtics defeated the Lakers in seven to win the franchise\u2019s 15th NBA championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qCNlrOu2Zu8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9: Bill Walton | 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was the first appearance in the playoffs for Portland, but you wouldn\u2019t have known it with its six-game success in the 1977 NBA Finals. The Trail Blazers beat the Philadelphia 76ers after going down 0-2 to start the series, winning four in a row to claim the franchise\u2019s first championship, in large part thanks to Bill Walton. The big man was too much of a load for Philadelphia to handle as he averaging 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.7 blocks per game in the series. In each of the contests, Walton held the game-high on the glass and notched a points-rebounds double-double.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RmxRIEyBiXo\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8: Tim Duncan | 2003 | San Antonio Spurs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a low-scoring, defensive series between the Spurs and Nets, Tim Duncan was the dominant force. His 5.3 blocks per game is the most among NBA Finals MVP winners, and he swatted approximately 8.6 percent of the Nets\u2019 two-point attempts while he was on the floor. Not only did the center protect the rim impeccably, but he also accumulated some other gaudy numbers: 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. In my opinion, this is the crown jewel of an incredibly impressive NBA Finals career for San Antonio\u2019s star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HvXjKtLpbZA\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7: LeBron James | 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Playing for his local team, down 3-1, and aiming to end Cleveland\u2019s championship drought, LeBron James delivered an all-time performance in the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. To earn his MVP, James put up 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game in the series, but his performance is best remembered for individual plays; \u201cOh, blocked by James!\u201d is one of the most iconic moments in NBA Finals history in perhaps the greatest single game in NBA Finals history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wgVOgGLtPtc\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6: Michael Jordan | 1992 | Chicago Bulls<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michael Jordan has won six NBA Finals MVP awards, earning the recognition with every championship he won with the Chicago Bulls. When you\u2019re that great, it\u2019s tough to narrow down the best performances, but I felt that 1992 had to be included. His numbers were fantastic \u2013 35.8 points, 6.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field, better than 89 percent from the charity stripe, and achieving a true shooting percentage of .617 \u2013 but it wasn\u2019t just that. The famous shrug came in Game 1 of this series after Jordan hit his sixth-straight triple in an eventual 122-89 rout in favor of Chicago. The Bulls defeated the Trail Blazers in six, and Jordan posted game-high point totals in five of those contests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hynjpv8y1pA\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5: Magic Johnson | 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the 1987 NBA Finals, Magic Johnson recorded one of two times in which the series MVP averaged a double-double on points and assists. Johnson scorched the Celtics with 26.2 points, 13.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game while connecting on 54.1 percent of his field-goal attempts and 96 percent of his free throws. The defining play of this series came at the end of Game 4 when Johnson shocked Boston with a hook shot to give the Lakers a one-point lead with seconds to go. The shot capped off a 12-2 run that solidified LA\u2019s advantage in the series and was ultimately key to adding the 12th title to the franchise\u2019s trophy cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ABC66DY_e8o\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4: Giannis Antetokounmpo | 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn\u2019t recency bias, Giannis Antetokounmpo really had that amazing of a series in the 2021 NBA Finals. En route to becoming the third international player to ever win NBA Finals MVP, Antetokounmpo averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.2 steals per night while shooting 61.8 percent from the field \u2013 the best mark ever for an NBA Finals MVP \u2013 and achieved a game score of 31.9. The Greek Freek had multiple 40-plus point performances in the series, but no showing outshined what he dd in Game 6 to secure Milwaukee\u2019s first NBA championship in 50 years: 50 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks, a true shooting percentage of .749, and a 94 defensive rating. If Giannis wasn\u2019t destined for the Hall of Fame before this series, he sure is now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kWYLkBD6rh8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3: Shaquille O\u2019Neal | 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Lakers swept the Nets in the 2002 NBA Finals, and Shaquille O\u2019Neal was no passenger. The Big Aristotle is known for his playoff performances, and he delivered in a big way in 2002 to the tune of 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 blocks per contest. O\u2019Neal ran the glass and paint for Los Angeles, and New Jersey had no answer. The championship marked the third triumph in a row for the Lakers and the third-straight acknowledgment of Shaq being the best player on the court during the biggest series of the season. It concluded one of the best individual NBA Finals runs in the league\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pDLKNT5njb0\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2: Shaquille O\u2019Neal | 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If 2002 wasn\u2019t good enough for you, try 2000 on for size. O\u2019Neal produced something even more remarkable two years prior, leading the Lakers with 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks per night, one of the most impressive stat lines ever seen in the NBA Finals. His points average is second among NBA Finals MVPs, his 61.1 percent connectivity from the field ranks third, and his rebounds and blocks both stand at sixth. In all six showdowns of the 2000 NBA Finals, Shaq led the game in scoring or rebounding, and he topped all players in both categories in five of them. The Lakers outlasted the Pacers to win their 12th NBA championship and start what would become a three-peat for the ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zP6-IXh2wRo\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong style=\"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-transform: none; white-space: normal;\">1: Michael Jordan | 1993 | Chicago Bulls<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No player has scored more points per game in the NBA Finals than Michael Jordan did in 1991. In his debut in the ultimate series, his Airness registered a whopping 41.0 points per outing, tearing Phoenix apart every time he stepped out onto the court. That Phoenix Suns team was no slouch \u2013 Charles Barkley, Dan Majerle, Danny Ainge, and Kevin Johnson rounded out a few of the names on that squad. But that didn\u2019t bother Michael, who also amassed 8.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest while shooting better than 50 percent from the field in the six games of the series. In a three-overtime thriller in Game 3, Jordan nearly had a triple-double. He scored 55 in Game 4, which is still tied for<a href=\"https:\/\/theanalyst.com\/na\/2023\/05\/the-most-points-in-an-nba-finals-game\/\"> the second-most points<\/a> in a single NBA Finals game. Jordan had four 40-point performances in this series alone \u2013 barely anyone else has had that many in their entire careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-INC7JOQ9mY\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>NBA Finals MVP FAQs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1: Who Has Won the Most NBA Finals MVP Awards?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Michael Jordan has won the most NBA Finals MVP awards with six (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2: Can You Get Finals MVP If You Lose?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, you can still win the award even if your team fails the series. This has happened one time in NBA history \u2013 in 1969, the year the Finals MVP debuted, Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers claimed it in a losing effort to the Boston Celtics. In seven games, West scored 37.9 points per contest, the third-highest all-time among NBA Finals MVP winners. He also dished out 7.4 assists and hauled in 4.7 rebounds per night, but the Lakers lost Game 7 by two, and West had to settle for MVP as his consolation prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This could theoretically happen again, but given the 53-year precedent set against it, it\u2019s not likely something we will see a second time. It would take an unbelievable performance from an incredibly unlucky player for history to repeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3: How Many NBA Players Have Won Multiple Finals MVP Awards?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Twelve players have been named NBA Finals MVP more than once in the history of the award: Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls &#8211; 6), LeBron James (Miami Heat\/Cleveland Cavaliers\/Los Angeles Lakers &#8211; 4), Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs &#8211; 3), Shaquille O\u2019Neal (Los Angeles Lakers &#8211; 3), Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers &#8211; 3), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs\/Toronto Raptors &#8211; 2), Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors &#8211; 2), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers &#8211; 2), Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets &#8211; 2), Larry Bird (Boston Celtics &#8211; 2), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Milwaukee Bucks\/Los Angeles Lakers &#8211; 2), and Willis Reed (New York Knicks &#8211; 2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Twenty-one players have won the award once: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks), Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics), Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs), Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat), Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons), Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons), Joe Dumars (Detroit Pistons), James Worthy (Los Angeles Lakers), Moses Malone (Philadelphia 76ers), Cedric Maxwell (Boston Celtics), Dennis Johnson (Seattle SuperSonics), Wes Unseld (Washington Bullets), Bill Walton (Portland Trail Blazers), Jo Jo White (Boston Celtics), Rick Barry (Golden State Warriors), John Havlicek (Boston Celtics), Wilt Chamberlain (Los Angeles Lakers), and Jerry West (Los Angeles Lakers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4: Who Won the Last NBA Finals MVP?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Steph Curry was named the 2022 NBA Finals MVP after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics, 4-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Think You Know Hoops?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you think your basketball knowledge is up for it, then prove it with one of Run Your Pool\u2019s many NBA pools that separates the pretenders from the contenders.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.articles.runyourpool.com\/nba-basketball-pools.cfm\"> You can play<\/a> in a pick \u2018em pool, survivor pool, or NBA Playoff bracket pool, with easy setup, full customization, private message boards, and so much more. Need help making your picks? Don\u2019t worry, RYP has you covered there, too. With<a href=\"https:\/\/articles.runyourpool.com\/2023\/06\/07\/nba-free-picks\/\"> free NBA picks<\/a> updated regularly, you can always keep tabs on the facts and figures that matter most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, what are you waiting for? Start or join a pool and set yourself apart from the rest!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the long, storied history of the NBA, these guys have made their mark on the game&#8217;s biggest stage: The NBA Finals.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":77588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba-basketball"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>All-Time NBA Finals MVP Award Winners, Ranked | The Poolside Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the long, storied history of the NBA, these guys have made their mark on the game&#039;s biggest stage: The NBA Finals.\" \/>\n<meta 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