Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players ever. If you watch the game of basketball and pay attention to what he's done in his career, then you know very well that Kobe is easily a top 10 all time player, possibly top 5 depending on your criteria (social media would say otherwise, but we've established they know nothing). However, what about his performances in the NBA playoffs? For all of his greatness, does Kobe have great performances in the playoffs? Of course he does. Today, we look at the 8 greatest Kobe performances. Let's get into it.
*2002 NBA Finals (Game 3 vs New Jersey Nets)
-There are some great Kobe performances in the playoffs alongside Shaq and this is probably one of my favorites. Kobe stepped up in the Finals when his number was called upon, shooting an efficient 14 for 23 from the field, finishing with 36 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Lakers would end up sweeping the Nets and of course Kobe was a huge part of that. Don't ever believe that Shaq carried Kobe. Ever.
*2001 NBA Western Conference Finals (Game 3 vs San Antonio Spurs)
-With the Lakers up 2-0, they came in on a mission to take out the Spurs and put the finishing touches on their domination of the Western Conference. It should come as no surprise that the Lakers had a great performance from Shaq, who put up 35 points and 17 rebounds, but Kobe stepped up with a near triple double, shooting 14 for 27 from the field and finishing with 36 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Kobe was growing into his own and the 2001 playoffs were the beginning of his excellence in the playoffs.
*2006 NBA First Round (Game 6 vs Phoenix Suns)
-The Lakers would end up blowing a 3-1 series lead against the much better Suns team, but there's nothing bad about Kobe's performance in this game. With an efficient 20 for 35 from the field, 5 for 8 from three point range, and a 50 point finish alongside 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, one could only wonder what Kobe could have done if he had more help than just Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, and Smush Parker. There was nothing more that Kobe could do, and this performance was definitely one of his best, even in a loss.
*2001 NBA Western Conference Finals (Game 1 vs San Antonio Spurs)
-Kobe was really coming into his own as a player and this was the game that really showed me he was the next one up. With an efficient 19 for 35 shooting on the night, Kobe finished with 45 points on the night alongside 10 rebounds for one of his best performances in the playoffs for sure. The Spurs would end up being swept in this series and Kobe was a huge reason for that.
*2008 NBA Finals (Game 3 vs Boston Celtics)
-While the 2008 Finals didn't go the way Kobe and the Lakers might have wanted it to, Kobe still put in one of his best playoff performances, and his best game during this Finals. With a very efficient 12 for 20 from the field, he finished with 36 points alongside 7 rebounds. Though the Lakers wouldn't end up winning the title this year, Kobe has nothing to be ashamed of in this performance. He was vital for the Lakers.
*2001 NBA Western Conference Semifinals (Game 4 vs Sacramento Kings)
-The Kings were really on the cusp of greatness, but could never get beyond the Lakers in the playoffs. In 2001, the Lakers were up 3-0 and looked to close the Kings out in the 2nd round. When the Lakers came in, they were set to do work, and while Shaq was solid with a 25 points and 10 rebounds night, but Kobe was amazing with 48 points and 16 rebounds, which helped the Lakers close out the Kings for the sweep in a clutch 119-113 victory.
*2008 NBA Western Conference First Round (Game 2 vs Denver Nuggets)
-For me, in the Western Conference, I was waiting for the Kobe vs Melo battle to turn into a great rivalry. It never really did, but I was still interested whenever their two respective teams went at it. In this case, we witnessed Kobe show that his era was still in full effect, and that he could be extremely efficient when need be. He finished the game with 49 points, knocking down 5 three pointers on the way to a very solid 18 for 27 shooting night and pulling down 10 rebounds. Kobe showed up and did what he does best.
*2009 NBA Finals (Game 1 vs Orlando Magic)
-This might be the greatest performance of his in the playoffs. It might be. Dominating the Orlando Magic through the game, the Lakers set the tone for their gentlemen's sweep that took place, as Kobe set the stage for his first Finals MVP victory. Kobe would finish game 1 with a near triple double, as he put up 40 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in one of the most electric performances of his playoff career. This is my personal favorite Kobe playoff performance because you could see he was on a mission to win and push his team to the promised land for the title.
Make no mistake about it, Stephen Curry is one of the best NBA players in the world. In this era, he's honestly the most popular currently (in terms of jersey sales he's led the league in for the last two years) and had the most impact by changing the way the game is played. Let's be honest: for those of you who hate the Warriors or Steph, which is fine, you cannot deny the impact that Steph has had on the game. Sure, the game has always had a bit of an emphasis on the three point shot, but over the last few seasons, the three has become one of the most important elements of the game, and the success of Steph as the greatest three point shooter ever, and a two time MVP is the reason for it. He's been criticized for his lack of perfomance in the Finals the last two years (I don't think his 2015 performance was bad at all), but in the playoffs, Steph has definitely showed up. Today, we continue our series of great players and their best performances with a look at Steph and his best playoff performances. Let's get into it.
*2013 NBA Western Conference First Round (Game 2 vs Denver Nuggets)
-When Steph was coming into his own, he was able to help lead the Warriors to the playoffs. When the 2013 playoffs rolled around, Steph was in prime position. Going against the Denver Nuggets, the defense would swamp Steph to stop him to no avail. Registering 30 points on mostly contested shots, along with 13 assists, this was the first true glimpse of greatness we got to witness of Playoff Steph, but it would not be the last.
*2013 NBA Western Conference Semifinals (Game 1 vs San Antonio Spurs)
-This is one of the losing efforts from Steph, but when you're talking about the juggernaut Spurs team, the eventual NBA Champions, I think there's much to be said about the effort from Steph. Playing basically most of the entire game which went into Double OT, the 6th seeded Warriors were looking to take the first game in San Antonio. Early on, it looked like the Warriors had their number, and this was essentially a game where Steph just outplayed everyone, including the rival point guard, Tony Parker. Shooting almost 52% from the field and 43% from three, Steph would finish with 44 points and 11 assists. The Spurs would win 129-127, but make no mistake about it, Steph put the world on notice: I'm coming.
*2015 NBA Western Conference First Round (Game 3 vs New Orleans Pelicans)
-The Warriors tend to play badly in game 3 of the playoffs (and while they've had some issues so far this playoffs, they've managed to figure it out), and this game was no different. Through the first 3 quarters, the Pelicans seemed to have the Warriors right where they wanted them. Going into the 4th quarter with an 89-69 lead, it looked as if the Warriors were going to have to go at least 5 games to win this series. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, Steph caught fire and would end up hitting a number of shots to bring the game close. The Pelicans got too lackadaisical on the defensive end and with the game score being 108-105 with minimal seconds left, one of Steph's biggest playoff moments comes when he hits a game tying three (which he was fouled on) to send the game into OT. The biggest significance of this shot is that Steph took a contested three and missed the first, before Mo Speights pulled down an offensive rebound and gave Steph another shot at tying the game with an even more contested three, and Steph hit it. The fact that Steph made an impossible shot after missing an easier one is really a testament to his ability to be clutch. It's probably one of his most clutch moments in the playoffs, as the Warriors managed to control the OT and win 123-119 to take a 3-0 lead. They would go on to sweep the Pelicans to move onto the 2nd round and eventually win the NBA title.
*2015 NBA Western Conference Finals (Game 3 vs Houston Rockets)
-It's not often that we see a thirty point blowout in a Conference Finals game (especially not for the home team), but with the growth of the Golden State Warriors team, it seemed like something that could be possible. This Warriors team managed to go out in Houston and do what they do best, which is shoot and score. They played some great defense and held to Rockets to only 80 points over 4 quarters, but the truly special perfomance of the night goes to Steph, as he finishes with 40 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals on 63% shooting from the field and an amazing 78% from three (7 for 9). This is probably the most efficient performance in his entire playoff career. This is Steph at his most deadly.
*2015 NBA Finals (Game 5 vs Cleveland Cavaliers)
-Make no mistake about it. Despite the talk of Steph being lackluster in the Finals, he's had his share of good performances. While his best performance last season in the 7 game losing effort was the game 4 victory in which put the Warriors up 3-1, it would be his game 5 performance in 2015 that saw him turn the fortune of the Warriors in that series to gold. Putting the Warriors up 3-2 in the Finals, Steph found his "human torch" mode, after having some trouble in the first few games off and on. He was very efficient in this game, pulling in 37 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals on 57% shooting from the field and 54% from three. If there was a game that one could point to for making a case for Steph as Finals MVP this series, this would be the one. He took over the game and would be a big reason why the energy shifted from Cleveland and their momentum, and eventually win the title.
*2016 NBA Western Conference Semifinals (Game 4 vs Portland Trailblazers)
-This is likely the most iconic playoff game that Steph has had. It would be no. 1 if I had to make a choice. After dealing with an injury that essentially rendered him out for a week and some change in the playoff season, the Blazers were seemingly easy work for the Warriors as usual. However, the Blazers were fighting for their lives and pulled out a game 3 win to bring the series to a 2-1 lead for the Warriors. Steph would make his return in game 4, seemingly not 100%. He entered the game and struggled a bit from three (he only shot 32% from three), and this game in general wasn't his most efficient early on, but Steph would find his rhythm and the Warriors and Blazers would end up in OT. With the score tied 111-111, what we saw next was the most infamous thing in the entire playoffs besides the Finals in reality. Steph took over scoring 17 of the 21 points that the Warriors scored in OT, finishing with 40 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists on 50% shooting and as he hit a big game winning shot, he uttered four words that signaled his return: "I'm here, I'm back". Simple. The mark of a great player.
*2017 NBA Western Conference First Round (Game 3 vs Portland Trailblazers)
-The truth be told, this wasn't his most efficient performance and one could argue that his game 4 performance was a bit more efficient, but this one showed his tenacity and toughness as a player. Without Kevin Durant on the court and with Nurkic on the court for the Blazers (which gave the Blazers a bit of an advantage), Steph took to the court to showcase his greatness. After a very slow start in game 3, the Warriors regrouped as Klay Thompson began to heat up, but it would be Steph would took the game under his control when it mattered most. Finishing with 34 points in a standard shooting % night, Steph would finish the Blazers in a scene reminiscent to his work the year before, as he hit a dagger three pointer to put the Warriors ahead with less than a minute left and then one more midrange shot to clinch the game and a 3-0 lead in the series. The Warriors would go on to sweep the series, and this was the game that 100% killed the spirit of the Blazers.
The NBA semifinals are set and none of the teams here should be a surprise. Sure, the Bulls nearly knocked off the Celtics, but all of the teams we expected to see here are here. The Clippers are gone. The Thunder and Russell Westbrook are unfortunately gone. The Grizzlies fought hard, but are also gone. The Pacers are gone. The Hawks are gone. Only 8 teams remain. As the 2nd round kicks off, we take a look at the Semifinals matchups and discuss how they could all play out. Let's get into it.
Eastern Conference
The four teams left in the East are the top 4 seeds, and that's not a shock at all. Cleveland is riding a week of rest into game 1, while Toronto has had about 3 days of rest. It should be interesting to see how those teams respond to the extended rest. The Celtics and Wizards have already kicked off with game 1 in the bag, but the series could and should be a long one. Let's take a look at these Eastern Conference matchups.
(1) Boston Celtics vs (4) Washington Wizards
-After nearly winning 50 games, the Wizards had a tough time getting rid of the Hawks. The Celtics struggled with the Bulls, but they got it together after the injury of Rajon Rondo and won the series in 6 games. This series has a chance to go 7 games if the Wizards can show up. This is the marquee matchup and the closest matchup in the East honestly, and if I had to pick a winner, given the injury to Morris in game 1, I'm going to go with the Celtics. After his tragedy, Isaiah Thomas has been showing out in these games and scoring at will. John Wall and Bradley Beal are a dynamic duo, but I think this is not their year. The likely matchup will be Cavs vs Celtics in the Conference Finals, but I'd personally prefer to see the Wizards vs Cavs. Regardless, with the injury hampering the Wizards, I'll take the Celtics in 6 games this series. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (3) Toronto Raptors
-The No. 1 and 2 seed from last year are here with the same record this season and one spot lower for each team. The truth of the matter here is that the Raptors seem to be at a disadvantage and the Raptors are inconsistent as always. Cleveland hasn't really showcased amazing defense in any of their games so far, but they don't need to. They'll need it a bit more in this series if Derozan and Lowry start to get hot, but more than likely Kyrie, LeBron, and Love should be able to handle this team like they did the Pacers. However, in the event the Cavs do come up short, it's possible the Raptors could push them to 5 or 6 games. I think the Cavs win in 5 games, but there's a chance (and I hope) this series goes at least 6 games.
Western Conference
The West is stacked. The top 3 seeds have 4 of the top 6 players in the game. The Warriors have Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, the Spurs have Kawhi Leonard, and the Rockets have James Harden. With that being said, I think we know what's going to happen. Unless a number of players get injured, the Conference Finals should go one way and that's with the two best teams in the NBA going head to head. Who are those two? Well first, let's take a look at the 2nd round matchups.
(1) Golden State Warriors vs (5) Utah Jazz
-The Jazz have one thing going for them: momentum. After pulling off a solid game 7 win over the Clippers, the Jazz will challenge the Warriors in the post and play tough defense on them. However, Kevin Durant is healthy, Steph Curry is in MVP mode, and Draymond Green is in Defensive Player of The Year mode. Rudy Gobert is a great defensive player, but he hasn't been fully healthy all playoffs and goes into the Warriors series not at 100%. This Jazz team is a bit banged up after going 7 games with the Warriors and the Warriors are well rested and healthy. All signs point to the Warriors winning this series, and I think they will win it in 4, with another sweep. However, I'll say Warriors in 5 because it's tough to win in Salt Lake City two times in a row. Gordon Hayward will have a solid series, but if the Warriors defensively are in rhythm like they have been, it should be a fairly easy win for this team, but the Jazz will bring it of course.
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs (3) Houston Rockets
-Mike D'Antoni has really struggled with making it beyond Coach Pop in the playoffs and I suspect that this will be no different. However, you never know. The Spurs got pushed to the limit in their 6 game series against the Grizzlies and Kawhi Leonard went at their necks with everything he had. However, the Rockets are well rested and have a great team of shooters. Can the Spurs overcome that? That's the real question. I think they can. I think we see the Spurs win in 6 games, and if the Rockets have tough shooting nights against the Spurs, it could be the Spurs in 5. The only way the Rockets win this series is if goes 7 games and that feels so much like a long shot.
The Conference Finals will likely end up as the Celtics vs Cavs and the Warriors vs Spurs, the top two teams in each conference. No shock, nothing to see here.
The first round of the playoffs is nearing the end. As of this writing, there are three teams that have already advanced to the Semifinals: Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and the Houston Rockets in that order. While those three teams have moved on, there are still five teams playing, looking to close out their series in game 6. The San Antonio Spurs are looking to close out the Memphis Grizzlies, the Toronto Raptors are looking to close out the Milwaukee Bucks, the Utah Jazz are looking to finish the LA Clippers, the Boston Celtics are now looking to move on and defeat the Chicago Bulls, and the Washington Wizards are one game away from finishing the Atlanta Hawks. With that picture shaping up for the next round, what players have been the best so far this round? We take a look at the top 5 players this first round.
-The projected regular season MVP was absolutely amazing in the unfortunate 5 games he had when he was literally a one man show. While Harden played well in the series for the most part (he had two subpar games), it was clear, as we've all seen, that he has a good amount of help on his team. Russell on the other hand, was struggling to get his teammates involved and they relied heavily on him. A 50 point triple double that resulted in a loss, and a tendency to go cold in the 4th after carrying the load for the first three quarters is more of a testament to the lack of help he received from his teammates, and it should not be a shock that the man who pushed his team to the 6th seed, 47 wins, and played 81 of the 82 games on the season would be just as epic in the playoffs. I hated seeing Russ have his season end earlier, but seeing him average a triple double over those 5 games, and keep his team in the game when they looked out of it made him the star of that series even in a losing effort.
-The Klaw is really becoming one of the best players in the game. Truthfully, 3 of my top 5 players make this list and Kawhi is one of them. Kawhi is the 3rd best player in the NBA behind Bron and KD (and just ahead of Steph and Russ for his defense), and in my opinion, he's the most consistent and best two way player in the game. He isn't explosive offensively like Bron or KD, and his stats don't always show how he effects the game on both ends, but Kawhi gets the job done. He's been superb in this Grizzlies series, with his best showing coming in his 43 point performance against the Grizzlies in game 4, which went to OT and is honestly the best game of the playoff season so far. Kawhi put up 16 straight points of offense for the Spurs and willed his team back into the game. That's a new level we are not used to seeing Kawhi being on and he keeps growing as a player. If he keeps this up, he will be an all time great when it's all said and done, but through the 5 games so far, he's been amazing. I wonder what he does in game 6.
-The two time MVP is back. There are two big reasons for the Warriors success, and they are the heart and soul of this team: Steph and Draymond Green. It was tough not to put Draymond on this list given his amazing play and stats (13.8 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 4.3 BPG), but the main catalyst for their success when they needed it was Steph. He is the true soul of the team, while Draymond is the heart. Without KD for two of the four games, Steph stepped up, and when KD was there, Steph still did his thing. In game 1, Steph was extremely clutch, and while he wasn't hitting as many shots in game 2, he still helped to run the offense and come away with steals. His two best performances came in games 3 and 4, where he helped to lead a march back from 16 points down alongside Klay Thompson, and hit two dagger shots to put the Blazers away when it counted the most. Game 4, he was just superb, shooting 60% from the field, going 7-11 from three and putting up 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. For the Warriors, Steph was one of the most vital components and the leader for that team.
-You know damn well that Bron would be on this list. The best player in the world got it done on both ends of the floor when it counted. After 14 seasons, there's no one quite like playoff Bron, and he showed why in the Pacers sweep. Make no mistake about it, the Cavs struggled and will likely have some struggles going forward, but Bron himself has nothing to worry about. He's getting steals, blocks, pulling down boards, finding his teammates, and scoring efficiently. His biggest moment of the first round came when the Pacers had the Cavs down by 25 at the half, and Bron willed the team back from that deficit by placing them on his back when it counted most. The Cavs leaned on Bron a lot and he played the most minutes of anyone I believe in the first round, and he didn't disappoint. He was a true star of the first round, as he is every round of the playoffs and every season.
*John Wall (27.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 10.8 APG, 5 Games)
-The Wizards are one win away from advancing to the 2nd round. John Wall is a big reason for that. There's no denying that Wall has turned all attention to him this season, showing he can lead the Wizards to playoff prominence. The Wizards have struggled a bit against the Hawks, but the one player who hasn't seemed to have a problem is Wall. He's assisting and scoring at will, and his infamous dunks have been followed with trash talk, perhaps none better than his "Fuck Wrong With You Boy" statement to Dennis Schroder. Over the first 6 games of this season, Wall has averaged a double double and has managed to be the true leader and the most vital part of the Wizards to lead them to their 3-2 advantage in the series.
