Ranking LeBron James' best NBA playoff games

Few players have enjoyed more postseason success than LeBron James. The four-time MVP has been to the playoffs 15 times in his 18 year career, winning four championships along the way. He is the NBA's career playoff leader in points, steals, minutes and games played, and will likely have the record for most assists and most 3-pointers made by the time he retires.

Those cumulative stats wouldn't be possible without some absolutely sensational games. Join us now as we rank LeBron James' five best NBA playoff games

5. Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals

The first of two games from this series on the list, Cleveland was in the midst of attempting a comeback from being down 3-1. After a stellar performance in their Game 5 win, the Cavs yet again needed brilliance from LeBron and he delivered in every way. In front of his home fans, LeBron helped the Cavs explode out of the gates with a 13-2 start. When the first quarter horn sounded, Cleveland led 31-11 and the momentum in the series had fully swung away from Golden State.

LeBron scored 41 points on the night, with 17 of them coming in the fourth quarter as he ensured the Cavs claimed a 14-point victory to force Game 7. James also added 11 assists, eight rebounds, and four steals while shooting 16-of-27 from the floor. His emphatic block of a late Steph Curry layup helped seal the night in memorable fashion.

4. Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals

The Cleveland roster in 2007 was, in a word, weak. Besides LeBron, the starting lineup included players like Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes. For the Cavs to have even made the NBA Finals that year was a sheer testament to James' greatness. However, to reach that point, they first had to defeat the Detroit Pistons, and with the series tied a two games apiece, James delivered a Herculean effort to give his squad the edge.

Playing more than 50 minutes of a game that went to double overtime, James scored 48 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and assisted seven baskets in a 109-107 victory. However, his stat-line does not tell the entire story.

James not only scored Cleveland’s final seven points in regulation to erase an 88-81 deficit with three minutes left, he scored all 18 of his teams points in the extra periods. His layup with two seconds remaining in double overtime sealed the victory as Cleveland went on to win the series in six games.

3. Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals

This game almost never happened, if not for the famous Ray Allen 3-pointer to force overtime in Game 6 and pave the way for a deciding Game 7 against the Spurs. That said, not only did it happen, it was perhaps the best shooting night of James’ playoff career. Facing off against defensive star Kawhi Leonard, James was having a horrific series from beyond the arc, shooting less than 30% from downtown entering the final game.

That is what made his Game 7 performance so memorable. LeBron connected on five of his 10 attempts from downtown, part of a 37-point, 12 rebound performance. He also added five assists, and scored four key points in the final minute to claim his second title with the Heat.

2. Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals

With the Heat trailing Boston 3-2, the Celtics headed home looking to defeat LeBron and head to the NBA Finals. LeBron quashed those hopes with one of his most dominant offensive performances of his career—playoffs or regular season. Shooting a staggering 19-of-26 from the floor, James scored 45 points in an emphatic 98-79 road victory that quieted many of his doubters, and set the stage for the rest of Miami's title run.

James scored 14 points in the first quarter and added 16 more to close out the half, giving Miami a 13-point lead heading into halftime. James missed his first shot of the half, and then made his next 12 before the break. He added five assists and offset a poor shooting night from teammate Dwyane Wade, while limiting Paul Pierce to just 4-of-18 shooting at the other end.

The performance allowed Miami to force and win a Game 7, and forever changed how LeBron’s career was viewed.

1. Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals

"The Block" may be the defining picture of LeBron’s legacy in Cleveland, and it came in perhaps the biggest game of his career. As mentioned earlier, the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 hole against Golden State to force a Game 7, shocking many who expected the Warriors to cap their record-best 63-9 regular season with a title.

LeBron’s point total was "only" 27, but he recorded just the second triple-double in an NBA Finals Game 7 in history as he added 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He imposed his will early, putting both Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on a poster with a thunderous dunk in the first quarter. He had a ferocious block on Curry in the second quarter where he stared down the guard afterwards.

Then came his plays down the stretch. First, LeBron hit his only made three-pointer of the game less than a minute after he buried three free throws, a personal 6-0 run that gave Cleveland the lead. Then, with two minutes left, he chased down Andre Iguodala and blocked his layup with the game tied at 89. Golden State did not score a point in the final four and a half minutes, as LeBron finally delivered a title to his home city.