Top NBA Playoff Performers of the 1990's

Michael Jordan and the Bulls
beat the Jazz twice in the NBA Finals

The beginning of the 1990's picked up right where the '80's left off in the NBA.  The game was up-tempo, good shooters were abundant and fans were treated to a nice blend of inside/outside offensive styles.  From 1982-1992 teams averaged 107 points per game in the playoffs.  Magic, Larry and Michael had brought us halcyon times.
  
Then a sea change.  Magic Johnson retired and Pat Riley went to coach the Knicks.

During the '93 playoffs teams scored just under 100 points per game.  The next year was more extreme with shooting at it's lowest since the '70s and pace grinding to a halt.   Scoring dipped to 94 points/game throughout those playoffs.  Defense dominated the Knicks/Rockets NBA Finals when both teams scored 86 points a game.

The league decided that in order to make the game more appealing they needed to boost scoring.  The three-point line was moved in nearly two feet beginning with the 1995 season.  Shooting immediately jumped to an all-time high for the playoffs.  Games in the '95 Finals were played in the 110's as three's rained down from the hands of Penny Hardaway and Robert Horry.

The three-point line was kept in for two more seasons until 1998 when shooting was back on the decline.

With that background out of the way....

Top NBA Playoff Performers of the 1990's 

ranked by NET Points   

	Playoffs	Team	Games	NET POINTS	Points/Game
Michael Jordan	1990	CHI	16	91	37
Terry Porter	1990	POR	21	86	21
Jeff Hornacek	1990	PHO	16	47	19
Hersey Hawkins	1990	PHI	10	44	24
Isiah Thomas	1990	DET	20	44	20
Michael Jordan	1991	CHI	17	88	31
Magic Johnson	1991	LAL	19	68	22
Sam Perkins	1991	LAL	19	67	18
Terry Porter	1991	POR	16	50	18
Vlade Divac	1991	LAL	19	49	13
Terry Porter	1992	POR	21	102	21
Michael Jordan	1992	CHI	22	95	35
Karl Malone	1992	UTA	16	89	29
Brad Daugherty	1992	CLE	17	67	22
Mark Price	1992	CLE	17	57	19
Michael Jordan	1993	CHI	19	64	35
Charles Barkley	1993	PHO	24	60	27
Shawn Kemp	1993	SEA	19	47	16
Kevin Johnson	1993	PHO	23	43	18

	Playoffs	Team	Games	NET POINTS	Points/Game
Hakeem Olajuwon	1994	HOU	23	79	29
Reggie Miller	1994	IND	16	52	23
Jeff Hornacek	1994	UTA	16	38	15
Reggie Miller	1995	IND	17	91	26
Shaquille O'Neal	1995	ORL	21	86	26
Hakeem Olajuwon	1995	HOU	22	77	33
Clyde Drexler	1995	HOU	22	66	20
Rik Smits	1995	IND	17	62	20
Kevin Johnson	1995	PHO	10	61	25
Shawn Kemp	1996	SEA	20	91	21
Jeff Hornacek	1996	UTA	18	72	18
Michael Jordan	1996	CHI	18	63	31
Gary Payton	1996	SEA	21	52	21
Hersey Hawkins	1996	SEA	21	49	12
	Playoffs	Team	Games	NET POINTS	Points/Game
Hakeem Olajuwon	1997	HOU	16	75	23
John Stockton	1997	UTA	20	65	16
Mario Elie	1997	HOU	16	41	12
Dikembe Mutombo	1997	ATL	10	40	15
Shaquille O'Neal	1998	LAL	13	68	30
Michael Jordan	1998	CHI	21	56	32
Reggie Miller	1998	IND	16	48	20
Eddie Jones	1998	LAL	13	40	17
Tim Duncan	1999	SAS	17	50	23
Marcus Camby	1999	NYK	20	32	10
David Robinson	1999	SAS	17	30	16

Italics indicates annual leader

Bold indicates decade record

*Thanks to the Basketball-Reference Play Index

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