10 best performances in the NBA Playoffs from the last 40 years

7. Allen Iverson, 2001 NBA Finals Game 1

Allen Iverson is one of the most memorable players in the history of basketball. Though small in stature, his game loomed large. Iverson’s swaggering image was polarizing among fans and sponsors, but his immense talent was undeniable. His crossover was lethal and the way he dressed appalled league executives. Both things eventually prompted rule changes. And during the 2000-01 season, the defiant 6-foot guard took center stage in the basketball world.

The man who had been labeled a ball hog flipped the script. Iverson led a barely above-average Philadelphia 76ers team to a record of 56-26, good for first in the Eastern Conference. If their lineup was the Jackson Five, Iverson was Michael. Allen Iverson averaged 31.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.5 steals per game en route to being named MVP of the league.

The Philadelphia 76ers were carried all the way to the NBA Finals by their smallest player. During their postseason run, Iverson averaged 32.9 points, 6.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 steals in 46.2 minutes per game. His team would face a blossoming Lakers’ dynasty who had swept the Western Conference playoffs. The 76ers did not have the firepower to compete with the Lakers who were winning playoff games by an average margin of 15.5 points.

Allen Iverson wasn’t having any of that chatter in Game 1. He was assertive on both ends and knocked the Lakers back on their heels. Iverson posted 48 points, 6 assists, and 5 steals. He sealed the win for the 76ers with a step back jumper over Tyronn Lue. But the subsequent disrespectful step over is what we all remember.

The Lakers won the next four games to capture the title, but Iverson provided the lasting memory.