Michael Jordan's 55 points in the 1993 Finals Game 4

[Oliver P]

It was the 1993 NBA Finals. The Bulls were leading 2-1 after the Suns won game 3 in a triple overtime game (one of the greatest games ever) in Chicago. Jordan didn't want to let the Suns have a chance to come back and tie the series. And so he had what can be arguably considered as the greatest scoring performance ever in one game, as a matter of facthe scored 55 points and made the Bulls win this game 4, to lead the series 3-1. Now I know of course that Wilt scored 100 pts in one game, that Kobe scored 81 or that David Thompson scored 73 but those performances, as great as they were, happened in the regular season. And the regular seasons and the playoffs are two completely different things, the playoffs are like an entirely new seasons, the very best teams give all what they got to win. So the greatest performances can only happen here IMO.

 

And so Jordan's 55 points is the second best scoring performance in a Finals game ever. The Finals, which are the crème de la crème of basketball. The first was Baylor with 61 pts in the 62 Finals. But it was in another era (a case could still be made for it though). Rick Barry also scored 55 points in the Finals, in 1967, but, just like Baylor, it was in another era, Jordan did it in our era and that's why I give more weight to it. Jordan's 63 pts against the C's in the first round of the 86 playoffs could be mentioned as well but it was in double overtime and the Bulls lost that day. So for all these reasons I think that the 55 pts against the Suns is the best scoring performance by a player in one game ever indeed.

 

Here are all Jordan's points in that legendary game :

 

 

55 points (21/37 FG 56.8% - 13/18 FT 72.2%), 8 rbds and 4 asts.

 

I advise everyone who didn't watch it yet to watch the game entirely as soon as they can, cause it's definitely one of the greatest games ever.

Edited January 28, 2011 by Oliver P