Ranked: The 10 Greatest NBA Playoff Performances

Which was better: Jordan’s 63 against Boston or his “flu game” 11 years later?

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates a basket 09 June, 2000, during the first half of game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Staples Centers in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers beat the Pacers 111-104 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Jeff Haynes Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images

The NBA Playoffs have produced a number of great performances over the years. All-Stars like Michael Jordan were transformed into superstars with their achievements in the most pressure-packed moments of basketball’s postseason.

Here are the ten greatest performances since 1980.

10. 2004 Finals Game 2: Kobe Bryant’s Buzzer-Beating Three Against Detroit

By 2004, the Lakers were looking for redemption after San Antonio halted their championship streak at three, the season before. But facing an underdog Pistons squad, LA came out flat in Game 1 at home and lost. In Game 2, Detroit led again late in the game until Bryant drained a ridiculous, guarded three-pointer at the buzzer—from deep—to force overtime, where the Lakers would prevail. Bryant would finish with 33, though the Pistons would take the series.

9. 1987 Western Conference Semis Game 6: Akeem Olajuwon’s 49-25-6 Game vs. Seattle

With Olajuwon’s Rockets facing elimination, “The Dream” was at his best. Just 24 at the time, Olajuwon played 53 minutes of the double-overtime affair and scored 49 points, grabbed 25 rebounds, and blocked six shots—and it wasn’t enough. Seattle prevailed 128–126 to advance to the conference finals.

LeBron James scored 48 points, including 29 of his team's final 30 points, to give Cleveland a 109–107 double-overtime victory to take a 3–2 series lead in the 2007 Eastern Conference finals. AP Photo/Duane Burleson