Michael Jordan is the definition of being locked in during the NBA Finals, but can Shai Gilgeous-Alexander do the same?
For most basketball fans, no NBA player can even come close to the level of respect that Michael Jordan earned during his stint with the Chicago Bulls.
There were two primary reasons behind MJ becoming the GOAT in the eyes of most fans – a 6-0 record in the NBA Finals and being the face of the league’s global popularity explosion.
Focusing on the first point, Jordan’s flawless record in the NBA Finals helped him earn the tag of a ‘killer’ when it mattered the most.
The 1993 NBA Finals were played between the Bulls and the Phoenix Suns. While the Suns had a good team, led by Charles Barkley, the Bulls were simply in a different stratosphere.
After all, the Bulls had a chance to complete a three-peat by clinching the 1993 NBA Finals. As expected, MJ and co. didn’t disappoint as they registered a 4-2 win over the Suns.
During the process, Jordan also created an NBA record that no player has managed to break till now. According to NBA PR on X, Jordan holds the record for averaging the most points per game in a single NBA Finals.
To be precise, Mike averaged 41.0 points per game against the Suns in 1993. Jordan broke Rick Barry’s record when the NBA legend averaged 40.8 points per game during the 1967 finals.
The 2025 NBA Finals will be played between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. Speaking of the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is their best player and the 2025 NBA MVP.
Shai is having a phenomenal 2025 playoff run, averaging 29.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game over 16 contests. He flaunted his phenomenal scoring talent in the Western Conference Finals, averaging 31.4 points per game for the Thunder.
Despite that, SGA needs to take things up a couple of notches if he wants to break into the list of top 10 best-scoring performances by a single player in the NBA Finals.
| Player Name | Points Per Game (Year) |
| Michael Jordan | 41.0 PPG (1993) |
| Rick Barry | 40.8 PPG (1967) |
| Elgin Baylor | 40.6 PPG (1962) |
| Shaquille O’Neal | 38.0 PPG (2000) |
| Jerry West | 37.9 PPG (1969) |
| Shaquille O’Neal | 36.3 PPG (2002) |
| LeBron James | 35.8 PPG (2015) |
| Michael Jordan | 35.8 PPG (1992) |
| Allen Iverson | 35.6 PPG (2001) |
| Kevin Durant | 35.2 PPG (2017) |
No doubt, breaking Jordan’s record is a Herculean task, but for Gilgeous-Alexander to even enter the top 10 on the list, he needs to average at least 35.3 points per game to take over Kevin Durant’s spot.
