Finals Most Valuable Player 1969 -- Jerry West, Los Angeles Averaged 30.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 18 playoff games as the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics, 4-3. West has been the only NBA Finals MVP to play for a losing team.
1970 -- Willis Reed, New York Averaged 23 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the Knicks’ 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Reed left Game #5 at the end of the first quarter with a strained hip muscle, missed the rest of that game and all of Game #6, but returned for the series’ final game.
1971 -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Averaged 27 points and 18.5 rebounds in the Bucks 4-0 sweep of the Baltimore Bullets.
1972 -- Wilt Chamberlain, Los Angeles Averaged 19.4 points, 23.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in the Lakers’ 4-1 victory over the New York Knicks.
1973 -- Willis Reed, New York Averaged 16.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in the Knicks’ 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
1974 -- John Havlicek, Boston Averaged 26.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.9 steals in the Celtics’ 4-3 victory over the New York Knicks.
1975 -- Rick Barry, Golden State Averaged 29.5 points, four rebounds, five assists and 3.5 steals while shooting .938 from the free throw line in the Warriors’ 4-0 sweep over the Washington Bullets.
1976 -- JoJo White, Boston Averaged 21.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting .878 from the foul line in the Celtics’ 4-2 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
1977 -- Bill Walton, Portland Averaged 18.5 points, 19 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.6 blocks per game in the Trail Blazers’ 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
1978 -- Wes Unseld, Washington Averaged 9.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in the Bullets’ 4-3 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.
1979 -- Dennis Johnson, Seattle Averaged 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game in the Sonics’ 4-1 victory over the Washington Bullets.
1980 -- Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Averaged 21.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game in the Lakers’ 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
1981 -- Cedric Maxwell, Boston Averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in the Celtics’ 4-2 victory over the Houston Rockets.
1982 -- Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Averaged 17.7 points, 9.3 assists, 11.1 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game in the Lakers’ victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
1983 -- Moses Malone, Philadelphia Averaged 25.8 points, 18 rebounds and 4.25 blocked shots per game in the 76ers’ sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers.
1984 -- Larry Bird, Boston Averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting .842 from the free throw line in the Celtics’ 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
1985 -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Averaged 25.7 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per game while shooting over 60% from the field in the Lakers’ 4-2 victory over the Boston Celtics.
1986 -- Larry Bird, Boston Averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game in the Celtics 4-2 victory over the Houston Rockets.
1987 -- Magic Johnson, L.A. Lakers Averaged 21.8 points, 12.1 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game in the Lakers’ 4-2 victory over the Boston Celtics. Johnson made playoff MVP history by becoming the first three-time winner of this award.
1988 -- James Worthy, L.A. Lakers In seven games, averaged 22.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists as the Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons, 4-3, to win their sixth NBA title.
1989 -- Joe Dumars, Detroit Led the Pistons in scoring with a 27.3 average as Detroit swept the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0, to win their first NBA Finals.
1990 -- Isiah Thomas, Detroit Led all players in the NBA Finals with 27.6 points and 7.0 assists per game as the Pistons defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 4-1, to win their second consecutive NBA title.
1991 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago Leading scorer in the NBA Finals with 31.3 points per game as the Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1, to win the franchise’s first NBA title.
1992 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago Averaged 35.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game as the Bulls defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 4-2, to win their second consecutive NBA title.
1993 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago Averaged NBA Finals record of 41.0 points per game, while collecting 8.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists, in leading the Bulls to their third straight NBA title -- the first team in 27 years to win three consecutive titles.
1994 -- Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Unanimous choice after averaging 26.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game in Rockets’ 4-3 defeat of New York. First center to win the award since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1985.
1995 -- Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Averaged 32.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game to lead the Rockets to a sweep of the Orlando Magic. Established three NBA Finals four-game series records including most points (131), most field goals made (56) and most field goals attempted (116).
1996 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago Averaged 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.67 steals to lead the Bulls to a 4-2 defeat of the Seattle SuperSonics. Named Finals MVP for record fourth time. Scored 36 points in Game #3 win on road.
1997 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago Averaged 32.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists to lead the Bulls to a 4-2 victory over the Utah Jazz for an unprecedented fifth NBA Finals MVP. Jordan’s heroics included a game-winning shot at the buzzer in Game #1, a near triple-double in Game #2 (38 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists) and a flu-ridden 38 point-performance in Game #5.
1998 -- Michael Jordan, Chicago Averaged 33.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists to lead the Bulls to a 4-2 victory over the Utah Jazz for his sixth NBA Finals MVP. Jordan sank the game-winning jump shot in Game #6 to propel the Bulls to victory on the road at the Delta Center.
1999 -- Tim Duncan, San Antonio Averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 blocks to lead the Spurs to a 4-1 victory over the New York Knicks. Duncan scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the fifth game of the NBA Finals on the road in Madison Square Garden to eliminate the Knicks.
2000 -- Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. Lakers Averaged 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.67 blocks to lead the Lakers to a 4-2 victory over the Indiana Pacers and the franchise’s first NBA Championship since 1988. O’Neal’s best Finals performances came at the Staples Center with 43 points, 19 rebounds in Game #1, 40 points, 24 rebounds in Game #2 and 41 points, 12 rebounds in Game #6.
2001 -- Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. Lakers Averaged 33.0 points, 15.6 rebounds and 3.40 blocks to lead the Lakers to a 4-1victory over the Philadelphia 76ers and the franchise’s second consecutive NBA Championship. O’Neal’s best Finals performances came at the Staples Center with 44 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in Game #1, 28 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists in Game #2 and 34 points, 14 rebounds in Game #4.
2002 -- Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. Lakers Averaged 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.75 blocks to lead the Lakers to a sweep of the New Jersey Nets and the franchise’s third consecutive NBA Championship. O’Neal’s best Finals performances came at the Staples Center with 36 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks in Game #1, 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in Game #2, 35 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in Game #3.
2003 -- Tim Duncan, San Antonio Averaged 24.2 points, 17.0 rebounds and 5.3 blocks to lead the Spurs to 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Nets. Duncan scored 21 points and added 20 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at the SBC Center to eliminate the Nets.
2004 -- Chauncey Billups, Detroit Averaged 21 points and 5.2 assists to lead the Pistons to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Billups shot 51% from the field and 93% from the foul line for the series.
2005 -- Tim Duncan, San Antonio Averaged 20 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Spurs to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Duncan poured in 25 points and 11 boards in the decisive Game 7, locking up his third Finals MVP award.
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