Michael Jordan Playoff Clutch Statistics

[Dipper 13]

Watch on YouTube

1985-1998 Playoffs


4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points


Per 48 Statistics, in 82games.com format


97 Games Total, 64.9% Win Percentage

http://i.imgur.com/okBcx1l.png




*1997 & 1998 statistics from NBA.com




Plus/Minus Total: +198

Plus/Minus Per 48: +23.3




Total Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/GqTsiXF.png


Per 48 Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/Yoe3LFA.png






1990-92 Playoffs Only

Spoiler:

24 Games Total

http://i.imgur.com/09XcdJP.png







Plus/Minus Total: +87

Plus/Minus Per 48: +42.2

Win Percentage: 70.8%





Total Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/mkjVAW4.png



Per 48 Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/pXUCEnY.png

[Dipper 13]

When looking at Jordan in crunch time vs. players like Kobe & LeBron, I think it's unfair to do a career comparison. Below we can see their top 3-4 playoff runs vs. Jordan's top 3.


Per 48 Statistics, in 82games.com format


Michael Jordan 1990-1992

http://i.imgur.com/gJE1PLb.png



Kobe Bryant 2006-2009

http://i.imgur.com/kgL9kjs.png



LeBron James 2009-2013

*Not including 2011 Playoffs

http://i.imgur.com/Mms9Eoe.png

[OnePostLegend]

51 for 82 is fitting of an utterly ridiculous playoff peak. We'll probably never see another player that dominant relative to his competition again.

Also, great work as usual, Dipper.

[Gregoire]

GOAT peak and GOAT clutch player by far. But Lebron maybe second clutch performer in history (Bird has the case, West too).

[Regulio]

Great work as usual Dipper.
The gap is enormous between MJ and Kobe/LBJ.
This is some ridiculous statistics right there. His peak at 90-92 is unbelievable.
Did he have a bad or even average PO series in that stretch at all ?

[B_Creamy]

Great work as usual Dipper.
The gap is enormous between MJ and Kobe/LBJ.
This is some ridiculous statistics right there. His peak at 90-92 is unbelievable.
Did he have a bad or even average PO series in that stretch at all ?

'92 Eastern Conference Semi's

[Regulio]

'92 Eastern Conference Semi's

Yeah, not some unreal stuff as usual, but 31/6/4 on 54% TS is quite good I think. Lots of TOs though.
On the other hand when you factor in how Knicks treated and defended Jordan I think it is remarkable he even achieved that.

[Rasho_libre]

Unbelievable work again dipper, damn this is why I hold off when comparing players peaks to Jordan.

[Reservoirdawgs]

Dipper, how did you come up with these numbers? A quick double-check on Lebron and Kobe's "clutch" numbers on stats.nba for the years given did not add up to what you have.

Lebron
http://stats.nba.com/playerStats.html?P ... on=2009-10

Kobe
http://stats.nba.com/playerStats.html?P ... on=2008-09

[Dipper 13]

^Add the totals from the various seasons. These are multiple years, not just one playoff run. Below are consecutive 5 year playoff runs, no years left out.


LeBron 2009-2013

http://i.imgur.com/SlRRYXT.png



Kobe 2006-2010

http://i.imgur.com/SM4vgiG.png

[lorak]

^Add the totals from the various seasons. These are multiple years, not just one playoff run. Below are consecutive 5 year playoff runs, no years left out.


LeBron 2009-2013

http://i.imgur.com/SlRRYXT.png



Kobe 2006-2010

http://i.imgur.com/SM4vgiG.png

Could you show Jordan's stats like that (so year by year, or even series by series)?

[Prokorov]

i love how "clutch" is defined in this thread. I hate discussion that focus on last second shots, inside 2 minutes, or 1 possession games.

great work and great way of defining what clutch other then what we normally might see. Sometimes consistnetly making buckets to keep it at a 7 point lead/3 possesion game are just as big as those you make in closer games.

[Reservoirdawgs]

^Add the totals from the various seasons. These are multiple years, not just one playoff run. Below are consecutive 5 year playoff runs, no years left out.


LeBron 2009-2013

http://i.imgur.com/SlRRYXT.png



Kobe 2006-2010

http://i.imgur.com/SM4vgiG.png

Where are these numbers coming from? I went to NBA Stats and filtered "clutch" (5 minutes or less with the game -/+ 5) and playoffs for both players and I got different numbers than you.

Lebron (2009-13 'clutch')

Code: Select all

Year   FGA   FG%   3FGA   3FG%   MP   TMP
2009   12   58.3   6   50   14.4   579.6
2010   1   100   1   100   5.4   459.8
2011   14   57.1   7   57.1   24   921.9
2012   15   40   6   50   26.6   984.4
2013   15   46.7   9   33.3   25.2   961.4


5-Year Average of 60.4 FG%, 58.1 3P%. Statistically insignificant, though, because over the five years he played 3907.1 playoff minutes and only 95.6 minutes (2.5%) were in 'clutch' situations.

[Dipper 13]

Could you show Jordan's stats like that (so year by year, or even series by series)?

No, I did not watch these games in chronological order, but rather in the order I was able to download them. I think it's clear that he did not perform nearly up to the same level of efficiency, outside of 1990-92. He was still supreme, but not close to 60% shooting. For instance, I don't think 1993 was a good "clutch" playoff run for him, mainly due to the 3 OT game vs. the Suns and how badly he struggled from the 4th quarter on.

[Dipper 13]

Where are these numbers coming from? I went to NBA Stats and filtered "clutch" (5 minutes or less with the game -/+ 5) and playoffs for both players and I got different numbers than you.

I did not go to the individual player pages, but instead clicked on "Stats by Player", under League. Then click on "Player Clutch"


http://stats.nba.com/leaguePlayerGenera ... PerPage=25

[Dipper 13]

-/+ 5

This is LeBron in 2010 from your link, with the same shooting percentages. I was looking for the totals rather than the per game averages. The NBA.com statistical website is not very user friendly.


http://i.imgur.com/RFtyXyA.png

[Reservoirdawgs]

I see what the issue is...the second row from the top is what I was told by a member of this forum was +/- so I went with that. You are correct, the NBA.com stats website is not user friendly at all. Thanks for the correction.

[tsherkin]

Nba.com uses Silverlight, no? Blech.

[longball]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g2z1dLzTcM[/youtube]




1985-1998 Playoffs


4th quarter or overtime, less than 5 minutes left, neither team ahead by more than 5 points


Per 48 Statistics, in 82games.com format


97 Games Total, 64.9% Win Percentage

http://i.imgur.com/okBcx1l.png




*1997 & 1998 statistics from NBA.com




Plus/Minus Total: +198

Plus/Minus Per 48: +23.3




Total Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/GqTsiXF.png


Per 48 Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/Yoe3LFA.png






1990-92 Playoffs Only

Spoiler:

24 Games Total

http://i.imgur.com/09XcdJP.png







Plus/Minus Total: +87

Plus/Minus Per 48: +42.2

Win Percentage: 70.8%





Total Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/mkjVAW4.png



Per 48 Statistics

http://i.imgur.com/pXUCEnY.png

nothing to add... just a great post and thread op.. ty

[Dipper 13]

great way of defining what clutch other then what we normally might see. Sometimes consistnetly making buckets to keep it at a 7 point lead/3 possesion game are just as big as those you make in closer games.

Driven From Within - Michael Jordan (2005)

Our third game of the season we were playing Milwaukee in Chicago, and they used to kill us. We were down nine points going into the fourth quarter. Everybody had just written off the game. Now, Loughery tested me the same way he had tested me in practice. He wanted to see whether I was going to apply that same energy level to a game that looked like it was out of reach. He started running everything through me, and you could feel the game start to change. The crowd started coming alive, and pretty soon nine went to six and six went to two. Next thing you know, we had the lead, and we ended up winning by six points.

That is when - I can honestly say - I felt like I had earned by stripes, and the city of Chicago started to believe we could change the fortunes of the Bulls. No game was over as long as I was playing on the court.