The 15 Best Performances of the Playoffs
When Carmelo doesn’t even bother to flick his wrist after releasing a jumper, you know it’s trouble. When he laughs after drilling three’s, you know there’s little that the defense can do to hold him down. Anthony was truly in the mythic zone at one point during last night’s game, showing shades of his 33-point quarter. If he was able to get a bucket when L.O. blocked his floater from the first hash at the 5:22 mark, we might be saying that this was the definitive best all-around performance in the playoffs thus far.
It was one of the most efficient performances of the playoffs – ‘Melo made 14-20 shots, 70% FG (4-5 3FG) for 39 points. And on D he was working like a dog, making Kobe run through the equivalent of a football obstacle course to get free.
“It was a lot of fun, he’s a bull down there,” Bryant said. “I am a little out of my weight class, but I’ll give it my best shot.”
There’s no doubt that this game – despite being in a losing effort – belongs in the class of the greatest performances in the ’09 playoffs. Here are the other games in that group:
* LeBron‘s 47-point (15-25 FG, 5 three’s), 12-rebound, 8-assist Game 3 win over Atlanta
* Rajon Rondo‘s 28-point (12-22 FG), 11-assists, 8-rebound Game 6 win over Chicago
Take this game over his three triple-doubles thus far, because he carried Boston to this win, accounting for 6 of Boston’s 13 points in OT.
* Derrick Rose‘s 36-point (12-19 FG), 11-assist Game 1 win over Boston
* Ray Allen‘s 51-point (18-32 FG, 9 three’s) Game 6 loss to Boston
* Ben Gordon‘s 42-point (14-24 FG, 6 three’s) Game 2 loss to Boston
* Brandon Roy‘s 42-point (15-27 FG), 7-rebound Game 2 win over Houston
Roy deserves bonus points for Ron Artest‘s post-game compliment, saying that “Brandon Roy is the best player I’ve played against.”
* Dirk‘s 44-point (14-25 FG), 13-rebound Game 4 win over Denver
* Dwight Howard‘s 23-point, 22-rebound (10 offensive boards), 3-block Game 6 win over Boston
* Kobe‘s 40-point (16-27 FG, 2 three’s), 6-rebound, 3-assist Game 2 win over Houston
* Kobe‘s 40-point (13-28 FG, 2 three’s), 6-rebound, 4-assist Game 1 win over Denver
* Aaron Brooks‘ 34-point (12-20 FG, 4 three’s), 4-assist Game 4 win over L.A.
* Chauncey Billups‘ 36-point (10-15 FG, 8 three’s), 8-assist Game 1 win over New Orleans
* Dwyane Wade‘s 41-point (11-23 FG), 5-rebound, 0-turnover Game 6 win over Atlanta
* Tony Parker‘s 43-point (18-29 FG, 2 three’s), 5-rebound, 3-assist, 4-steal Game 3 loss to Dallas
It’s hard to argue with Ray’s 51-point outing. But I’d say that Chauncey’s Game 1 demolition of the Hornets, LeBron’s 47-point destruction of Atlanta, and even ‘Melo’s effort in last night’s loss are right up there too.
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May 20th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Steve A says:
Was it a coincidence that as I watched the end of Game 1 LA/Denver that No Country for Old Men was on another station? The parellels between the Kobster and Javier Bardem’s character are very obvious. No matter what anyone tried to do, both did whatever the hell they wanted and no one could stop them. “You can’t stop what’s coming. Fate doesn’t wait on you.”
Josh Brolin is like Lebron….the Kobster’s coming…..
May 20th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Correction says:
“Rajon Rondo’s 28-point (12-22 FG), 11-assists, 8-rebound Game 6 win over Chicago”
“Ray Allen’s 51-point (18-32 FG, 9 three’s) Game 6 loss to Boston”
These seem a bit contradictory to me, how about you?
The bulls won game 6, and Ray Allen plays for Boston. Get it right asshole.
How do people get these jobs. Incompetence
Dumb Fuck.
May 20th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
rlf says:
melo’s performance was not the best. i like carmelo a lot. but when you don’t score in the last 4 minutes of a game. that’s not a great performance.
when a man that’s smaller and lighter than you is able to stop you, then that was not a great performance.
a lot of people fail to look that kobe guarded the 2 best scorers/players and 1 bench player that gives them points in a bunch.
and when kobe was guarding them, they didn’t do anything.
May 20th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
superstar james p says:
I heard an interview of him before the game and they were like you cant score against the lakers, you only ave about 15ppg against them in the regular season. I think that gave him motivation.
May 20th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Clemo says:
melo made 39 pts very efficient – good
BUT… they LOST!! so it’s not the best performance!
May 20th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Ekstor says:
@rlf
Great point. Too many people mock Kobe as being an overrated defender and indeed, I don’t actually think he belonged on the 1st team this year for defense, but when he makes it a point to focus on defense and shut someone down, the results are undeniable. Few can do it the way he can.
Billups in the beginning. Smith in the middle. Carmelo at the end. Kobe single-handedly disrupted the Nuggets on both ends.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Lakers Nation says:
I’ll give it up to Melo that he played with a determination and passion that I’ve never seen from him before. I usually measure performances by how many times I say “Wow” and he got a few “wows” from me last night . . . our twitter – http://twitter.com/LakersNation was full of commentary on the game actually and our fans were really on the edge of our seats all night . mainly because of Melo’s performance!
May 20th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
ali says:
loved melo last night, but no one has come close to bronnie’s 47, 12 and 8 against atlanta.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Dime Magazine says:
We could’ve extended this list to 20 easy. If there’s room for one more, I’d throw Paul Pierce’s Game 5 against Chicago. He finished with 26 and 7, but he did it all when his squad needed it. He scored Boston’s final four points in regulation, and then drilled a 16-footer, an 18-footer, and a 20-footer to close it out in OT.
- ak
May 20th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Bruce says:
Melo didn’t go anything in the 2nd quarter. Oh, he shot an air-ball.
Keep on smiling, Melo. All you do is tick Kobe off more. I like that, a motivated Kobe.
JR Smith — He ain’t talking this series.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Gerard says:
I’m giving #1 to DRose in game 1. Plus they got the victory.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
LakeShow says:
***********************************************************
* Rajon Rondo’s 28-point (12-22 FG), 11-assists, 8-rebound Game 6 win over Chicago
Take this game over his three triple-doubles thus far, because he carried Boston to this win, accounting for 6 of Boston’s 13 points in OT.
***********************************************************
No offense but Game 6 against Chicago? Are we talking about the Game 6 against Chicago that they LOST in triple-OT where Rondo got his gamewinner sent back in his face by Derrick Rose
Who came up with that list? You shouldn’t let the interns and the cleaning lady do the research
May 20th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Dagomar says:
Bron’s got the best game on that list. I feel Allen is #2 and Dirk is #3. Had Melo’s team won last night I’d put that game at #2. He was unbelievable; maybe he’s truly becoming a franchise player. Billups should get a ton of credit for that transition.
May 20th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
BERN BROGDEN aka BINO BROWN STR8 UP N DOWN says:
MELO = THOMAS SHEPPARD
May 20th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
LakeShow84 says:
@ DIME
If its about impact of the game then last night Kobe had the best performance.. being overmatched with ur teammates down on themselves he dominated the offensive end, defensive end and led the comeback.. shit he guarded 3 different scorers and was effective on all of them PLUS had the juice to keep up on the socring end..
But im a homer what do i know..
May 20th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
isotope says:
Yao Ming going perfect (FG + FT) for a half. He would have scored 40+ if the Rockets werent blowing out the Blazers.
May 20th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
SWAT says:
good ish iso. i got so wrapped up in the 2nd rd i forgot Yao was a beast tht game.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
e says:
imagine carmelos commentary if spike had a carmello anthony doing work based on that game LOL hialrious lamar odem came to the press conference looking like walt clyde frazier hope he rocked a pair of puma clydes FRESSSHHH
May 21st, 2009 at 12:51 am
the cynic says:
Hedo game 7 in boston.