Shaq and the Lakers won 3 straight NBA Finals to start the decade |
After Michael Jordan retired in 1998 both the Spurs and the Lakers had great young talent to go along with legendary coaching. Eastern Conference basketball was ugly and LeBron James was still too young to drive. It appeared that the NBA champion would remain out West for a solid decade.
That prediction almost came true as San Antonio and L.A. did win five straight titles between them. Finally in '04 the Lakers ran into a defensive powerhouse and lost to Detroit in a one of the most lopsided Finals in NBA history.
As it turned out, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant or Tim Duncan starred on eight of the ten title teams in the decade. Not surprisingly all three are featured as top NBA Playoff Performers of the 2000's.
Top NBA Playoff Performers of the 2000's
ranked by NET Points
Playoffs | Team | Games | NET POINTS | Points/Game | |
Reggie Miller | 2000 | IND | 22 | 85 | 24 |
Shaquille O'Neal | 2000 | LAL | 23 | 72 | 31 |
Steve Smith | 2000 | POR | 16 | 59 | 17 |
Karl Malone | 2000 | UTA | 10 | 39 | 27 |
Ray Allen | 2001 | MIL | 18 | 83 | 25 |
Shaquille O'Neal | 2001 | LAL | 16 | 55 | 30 |
Kobe Bryant | 2001 | LAL | 16 | 47 | 29 |
Dikembe Mutombo | 2001 | PHI | 23 | 46 | 14 |
Derek Fisher | 2001 | LAL | 16 | 41 | 13 |
Shaquille O'Neal | 2002 | LAL | 19 | 65 | 28 |
Dirk Nowitzki | 2002 | DAL | 8 | 30 | 28 |
Mike Bibby | 2002 | SAC | 16 | 29 | 20 |
Michael Finley | 2002 | DAL | 8 | 27 | 25 |
Tim Duncan | 2003 | SAS | 24 | 79 | 25 |
Dirk Nowitzki | 2003 | DAL | 17 | 67 | 25 |
Peja Stojakovic | 2003 | SAC | 12 | 49 | 23 |
Derek Fisher | 2003 | LAL | 12 | 41 | 13 |
Shaquille O'Neal | 2003 | LAL | 12 | 40 | 27 |
Playoffs | Team | Games | NET POINTS | Points/Game | |
Shaquille O'Neal | 2004 | LAL | 22 | 54 | 22 |
Sam Cassell | 2004 | MIN | 16 | 36 | 17 |
Chauncey Billups | 2004 | DET | 23 | 32 | 16 |
Kenyon Martin | 2004 | NJN | 11 | 30 | 19 |
Reggie Miller | 2004 | IND | 16 | 27 | 10 |
Manu Ginobili | 2005 | SAS | 23 | 112 | 21 |
Amar'e Stoudemire | 2005 | PHO | 15 | 84 | 30 |
Chauncey Billups | 2005 | DET | 25 | 62 | 19 |
Steve Nash | 2005 | PHO | 15 | 62 | 24 |
Ray Allen | 2005 | SEA | 11 | 48 | 26 |
Dwyane Wade | 2006 | MIA | 23 | 103 | 28 |
Dirk Nowitzki | 2006 | DAL | 23 | 100 | 27 |
Steve Nash | 2006 | PHO | 20 | 76 | 20 |
Tim Duncan | 2006 | SAS | 13 | 67 | 26 |
Tim Thomas | 2006 | PHO | 20 | 60 | 15 |
Playoffs | Team | Games | NET POINTS | Points/Game | |
Baron Davis | 2007 | GSW | 11 | 54 | 25 |
Chauncey Billups | 2007 | DET | 16 | 54 | 19 |
Carlos Boozer | 2007 | UTA | 17 | 53 | 24 |
Tim Duncan | 2007 | SAS | 20 | 44 | 22 |
Richard Jefferson | 2007 | NJN | 12 | 39 | 20 |
Amar'e Stoudemire | 2007 | PHO | 10 | 39 | 25 |
Kobe Bryant | 2008 | LAL | 21 | 85 | 30 |
Paul Pierce | 2008 | BOS | 26 | 63 | 20 |
Ray Allen | 2008 | BOS | 26 | 54 | 16 |
Deron Williams | 2008 | UTA | 12 | 47 | 22 |
Pau Gasol | 2008 | LAL | 21 | 42 | 17 |
Dwight Howard | 2009 | ORL | 23 | 99 | 20 |
LeBron James | 2009 | CLE | 14 | 94 | 35 |
Pau Gasol | 2009 | LAL | 23 | 82 | 18 |
Chauncey Billups | 2009 | DEN | 16 | 82 | 21 |
Kobe Bryant | 2009 | LAL | 23 | 78 | 30 |
Italics indicates annual leader
Bold indicates decade record
*Thanks to the Basketball-Reference Play Index
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Top NBA Playoff
Performers of the 1990's
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