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Best Scoring Averages in NHL Playoff History (Goals per Game, Individual)
Super Mario, Mario Lemieux, Has the Highest Scoring Average in NHL Playoff History
Finally, an NHL record not headed by Wayne Gretzky. But it is headed by Mario Lemieux, often the second-best guess.
These skaters have the highest goals per game rates in NHL Stanley Cup Playoff history. Gretzky is sixth.
Below that, a second list, to be fair and bring out some more of the best ever – highest postseason scoring averages in the postseason with a minimum of 100 playoff games played.
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| SKATER | G/G | GP | POS. | PLAYOFF TEAMS | |
| 1. | Mario Lemieux | 0.71 | 107 | C | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2. | Mike Bossy | 0.66 | 129 | RW | New York Islanders |
| 3. | Barry Pederson | 0.65 | 34 | C | Boston Bruins |
| 4. | Maurice Richard | 0.62 | 133 | RW | Montreal Canadiens |
| 5. | Cam Neely | 0.61 | 93 | RW | Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins |
| 6. | Wayne Gretzky | 0.59 | 208 | C | Edmonton Oilers, L.A. Kings, St. Louis Blues, N.Y. Rangers |
| 7. | Pavel Bure | 0.55 | 64 | RW | Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers |
| 8. | Craig Simpson | 0.54 | 67 | LW | Edmonton Oilers |
| 9. | Alex Ovechkin | 0.53 | 58 | LW | Washington Capitals |
| 9. | Jari Kurri | 0.53 | 200 | RW | Edmonton Oilers, L.A. Kings, N.Y. Rangers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche |
| 11. | Martin St. Louis | 0.52 | 63 | RW | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 11. | Bobby Hull | 0.52 | 119 | LW | Chicago Black Hawks, Hartford Whalers |
| 11. | Gordie Drillon | 0.52 | 50 | RW | Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens |
| 11. | Sidney Crosby* | 0.52 | 77 | C | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 11. | Dino Ciccarelli | 0.52 | 141 | RW | Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings |
| 16. | Brett Hull | 0.51 | 202 | RW | Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings |
| 16. | Steve Shutt | 0.51 | 99 | LW | Montreal Canadiens, L.A. Kings |
| 18. | Jarome Iginla* | 0.50 | 64 | RW | Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 18. | Rick Vaive | 0.50 | 54 | RW | Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres |
| 18. | Reggie Leach | 0.50 | 94 | RW | Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers |
Minimum 100 Playoff Games Played (GP)
| SKATER | G/G | GP | POS. | PLAYOFF TEAMS | |
| 1. | Mario Lemieux | 0.71 | 107 | C | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2. | Mike Bossy | 0.66 | 129 | RW | New York Islanders |
| 3. | Maurice Richard | 0.62 | 133 | RW | Montreal Canadiens |
| 4. | Wayne Gretzky | 0.59 | 208 | C | Edmonton Oilers, L.A. Kings, St. Louis Blues, N.Y. Rangers |
| 5. | Jari Kurri | 0.53 | 200 | RW | Edmonton Oilers, L.A. Kings, N.Y. Rangers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche |
| 6. | Dino Ciccarelli | 0.52 | 141 | RW | Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings |
| 6. | Bobby Hull | 0.52 | 119 | LW | Chicago Black Hawks, Hartford Whalers |
| 8. | Brett Hull | 0.51 | 202 | RW | Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings |
| 9. | Jean Beliveau | 0.49 | 162 | C | Montreal Canadiens |
| 9. | Joe Sakic | 0.49 | 172 | C | Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche |
| 11. | Phil Esposito | 0.47 | 130 | C | Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins, N.Y. Rangers |
| 11. | Rick MacLeish | 0.47 | 114 | C | Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings |
| 13. | Danny Briere | 0.46 | 108 | C | Phoenix Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers |
| 13. | Mark Messier | 0.46 | 236 | C/LW | Edmonton Oilers, N.Y. Rangers |
| 15. | Guy Lafleur | 0.45 | 128 | RW | Montreal Canadiens, N.Y. Rangers |
| 15. | Kevin Stevens | 0.45 | 103 | LW | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 15. | Henrik Zetterberg | 0.45 | 120 | LW | Detroit Red Wings |
| 18. | Yvan Cournoyer | 0.44 | 147 | RW | Montreal Canadiens |
| 18. | Bernie Geoffrion | 0.44 | 132 | RW | Montreal Canadiens, N.Y. Rangers |
| 20 | Daniel Alfredsson | 0.43 | 120 | RW | Ottawa Senators |
| 20. | Gordie Howe | 0.43 | 157 | RW | Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers |
* Currently active in playoffs, as of the date of this post May 24, 2013.
Thanks to hockey-reference‘s play index where I worked this query.
Photo: vk.com
NBA Playoffs All-Time Individual Stats Leaders
Two All-Time NBA Playoff Leaders – Tim Duncan and Ray Allen – May Be Destined to Meet in the 2013 Finals
The NBA Playoffs are “Heat”ing up. Or are they cooling off? It looks like the San Antonio Spurs are going to cruise to their fifth NBA Finals appearance (they’re 4-0, by the way). Meanwhile, in the East – does anyone really think the Indiana Pacers are getting past the Miami Heat?
So Heat vs. Spurs in this year’s Finals? That might be pretty interesting, actually. If there’s any team with the skill and wits to overthrow the Heat, it’s Gregg Popovich‘s Spurs.
Speaking of, Tim Duncan has the most blocks in NBA playoff history. And look at that, the Heat’s Ray Allen has the most three-pointers in playoff history.
They’re listed below, along with all the postseason’s statistical leaders in the major categories. Packed mostly with Hall of Famers.
Follow @VinGetz| STATISTIC | PLAYER | RECORD |
| Games | Robert Horry | 244 |
| Minutes Played | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 8,851 |
| Minutes Per Game | Wilt Chamberlain | 47.24 |
| Field Goals | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 2,356 |
| Field Goal % | Dwight Howard | 60.1 |
| Three-Pointers | Ray Allen | 330 |
| Three-Point % | Bob Hansen | 50.0 |
| Free Throws | Michael Jordan | 1,463 |
| Free Throw % | Mark Price | 94.4 |
| Points | Michael Jordan | 5,987 |
| Points Per Game | Michael Jordan | 33.45 |
| Offensive Rebounds | Shaquille O’Neal | 866 |
| Rebounds | Bill Russell | 4,104 |
| Rebounds Per Game | Bill Russell | 24.87 |
| Assists | Magic Johnson | 2,346 |
| Assists Per Game | Magic Johnson | 12.35 |
| Steals | Scottie Pippen | 395 |
| Steals Per Game | Baron Davis | 2.28 |
| Blocks | Tim Duncan | 496 |
| Blocks Per Game | Hakeem Olajuwon | 3.26 |
| PER | Michael Jordan | 28.60 |
| Turnovers | Magic Johnson | 696 |
| Personal Fouls | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 797 |
Thanks to basketball-reference.com!
Photos: mysanantonio.com / usatoday.com
NBA Teams That Have Come Back from 3-1 to Win a Playoff Series
Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and the Houston Rockets Won the 1995 NBA Title (the Rockets’ Second in a Row)
Only eight teams in NBA Playoff history have come back from a 3-1 deficit to win their series. It has never happened in the NBA Finals or Western Conference Finals.
Three times, though, a team has done this – the ultimate in NBA postseason comebacks, as no team has ever come back from 3-0 (see here) – in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In 2013, the Brooklyn Nets had a shot at becoming the ninth team, but fell to the undermanned and underdog Chicago Bulls in Round 1. The Oklahoma City Thunder are now down 3-1 to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Semis and the Bulls are themselves now down 3-1 to the Miami Heat i the Eastern Semis. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks are looking to avoid a 3-1 deficit. They are down 2-1 to the Indiana Pacers.
Of the eight teams to come back from 3-1, only two were underdogs according to seeding, and so won that seventh game on the road (noted with an asterisk).
The 1994-95 Houston Rockets, for example, who went on to win their second title in a row, had to get past the Suns in Phoenix in a 115-114 Game 7 first.
The 1967-68 Boston Celtics is the other team to win that Game 7 on the road. They went on to win their 10th title in 12 years.
The 1980-81 Boston Celtics are the third (and last) team on the list below that went on the win the NBA Finals.
The 1996-97 New York Knicks should have won their Semifinals series against the Miami Heat, but a melee in Game 5 led to five staggered suspensions for New York in Games 6 and 7. For the full story, check out the 15 Biggest Disappointments in NY Knicks History.
Follow @VinGetz| WINNER (SEED) | LOSER (SEED) | YEAR | ROUND | GAME 7 SCORE | |
| 1. | Phoenix Suns (2) | Los Angeles Lakers (7) | 2006 | Eastern 1 | 121-90 |
| 2. | Detroit Pistons (1) | Orlando Magic (8) | 2003 | Eastern 1 | 108-93 |
| 3. | Miami Heat (2) | New York Knicks (3) | 1997 | Eastern Semis | 101-90 |
| 4. | Houston Rockets (6) | Phoenix Suns (3) | 1995 | Western Semis | 115-114* |
| 5. | Boston Celtics (1) | Philadelphia 76ers (2) | 1981 | Eastern Finals | 91-90 |
| 6. | Washington Bullets (1) | San Antonio Spurs (2) | 1979 | Eastern Finals | 107-105 |
| 7. | Los Angeles Lakers (2) | Phoenix Suns (3) | 1970 | Western Semis | 129-94 |
| 8. | Boston Celtics (2) | Philadelphia 76ers (1) | 1968 | Eastern Finals | 100-96* |
Thanks to sports.yahoo.com.
Photo: wagesofwins.com
