Best Individual Playoff Performances on Teams That Didn't Win a Title Since 2000

Connor McDavid electrified the sports world over the last two months, but it wasn't enough for the Edmonton Oilers to snap their three-decade Stanley Cup drought.

Sometimes performances from players on losing teams get lost in history, but we're here to give them their rightful shine.

Jay Dunbar and Joey Akeley teamed up to name the best individual playoff performances from players whose teams didn't win it all. They chose two players each from the Big Four: NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.

Only players whose teams lost in the championship round were considered, which, for example, eliminated Carlos Beltran's 2004 postseason run.

The player's entire playoff run was taken into account, but their performance in the championship round was given the most weight.

2001 playoff stats: 32.9 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.7 RPG, 2.4 SPG, 38.9 FG%
2001 Finals stats: 35.6 PPG, 3.8 APG, 5.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 40.7 FG%

The only argument against Allen Iverson's inclusion is his field-goal percentage, so let's address that immediately.

The leaguewide field-goal percentage for the 2001 NBA playoffs was 42.9. So among guards, who don't get as many high-percentage looks as bigger players, Iverson's field-goal percentage was average.

But considering he was carrying his team's offense in a way few others ever have, the field-goal percentage is understandable.

Frankly, the Philadelphia 76ers had one of the worst offensive supporting casts for a superstar I've ever seen. Iverson was Options 1, 2 and 3. Option 4 was Dikembe Mutombo finishing at the rim off a pass from Iverson. Option 5 was Aaron McKie hitting a jump shot off an Iverson drive-and-kick.

The 76ers had to win two Game 7s to make the Finals. Iverson's numbers in those games:

- 21 points and 16 assists in a one-point win over Toronto
- 44 points and seven assists in a comfortable win over Milwaukee

In the Finals, the Lakers entered with an 11-0 playoff record, but Iverson spoiled their run at perfection with 48 points, six assists and one Tyronn Lue stepover in a 76ers Game 1 win.

The Answer averaged over 30 points in all four playoff series.

- Akeley

2002 playoff stats: .356/.581/.978 (1.559 OPS), 8 HR, 16 RBI, 27 BB
2002 World Series stats: .471/.700/1.294 (1.994 OPS), 4 HR, 6 RBI, 13 BB

The numbers are staggering, but perhaps the most startling number is that Barry Bonds was intentionally walked seven times in the 2002 World Series.

Only 2011 Albert Pujols (with eight) was intentionally-walked more in an entire playoffs.

Pitchers and managers were justified in fearing Bonds. In the 2002 playoffs, the seven-time NL MVP homered eight times in 45 at-bats, and he was even better in the World Series, with four home runs in 17 at-bats.

Bonds had the Giants on the brink of their first World Series victory in San Francisco, but they couldn't hold a 5-0 lead in Game 6 against the Angels. They then lost Game 7, and Bonds never returned to the World Series, finishing his career without a ring.

- Akeley

2002-03 playoff stats: 20 games, 5 shutouts, .948 save pct., 1.62 GAA
2003 Stanley Cup Final stats: 6 games, 1 shutout, .915 save pct., 2.53 GAA

Before Connor McDavid dominated his way to a Conn Smythe nod in this year's playoffs while falling in the Stanley Cup Final, goalie Jean-Sébastien Giguère pulled off a similar feat for the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2003.

In pushing the upstart Ducks past the Red Wings, Stars and Wild during his first-ever postseason, the then-25-year-old posted a .960 save percentage while running up a 12-2 record that included four shutouts in the initial three rounds.

Having turned 26 days before the Cup Final, Giguère went toe-to-toe with the New Jersey Devils and legendary netminder Martin Brodeur, putting up another shutout in Game 4 and posting a .910 save percentage in the series while pushing the favored Devils to seven games. Had the Ducks won, seventh-seeded Anaheim would have been the lowest seeded team to ever win a Cup.

In all, Giguère had a .945 save percentage, a 1.62 goals-against average and a 7-0 overtime record during that year's playoffs to become just the fifth player to win the Conn Smythe for a team that didn't win the Cup. Brodeur, who posted three shutouts in the series, wasn't mad about the decision.

"You know, it's kind of easy when you win the Cup to be satisfied about it," he told reporters at the time. "I'm sure if I lost, it would have been a little harder on me. But knowing that I have the Stanley Cup, I'm not worried about the Conn Smythe. He deserves it."

As you can see from his expression above, Giguère likely would have changed places with Brodeur if given the chance.

- Dunbar

2008-09 playoff stats: 4 games, 30 catches, 546 yards, 7 TDs
Super Bowl XLIII: 7 catches, 127 yards, 2 TDs

Larry Fitzgerald's entire playoff run was spectacular, but what got him on this list over some other worthy challengers was his fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIII.

With the Cardinals trailing 20-7, Fitzgerald caught four passes on the same drive, including a one-yard touchdown that cut into Pittsburgh's lead. Then, with under three minutes left, Fitzgerald took a slant 64 yards to the house to give Arizona its first lead of the game.

Santonio Holmes' top-tap touchdown spoiled the Cardinals' comeback bid, but that shouldn't diminish Fitzgerald's performance, which was one of the best ever from a wide receiver in a single playoffs.

Kurt Warner threw for 1,147 yards and 11 touchdowns in Arizona's 2008-09 playoff run, giving him an argument to be included.

- Akeley

2017-18 playoff stats: 3 games, 89-of-139 passing, 1,132 yards, 64 comp. pct., 8 TD, 0 INT
Super Bowl LII: 28-of-48, 505 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT

Virtually any conversation that includes Tom Brady will end with some jaws hitting the floor. This one is no different. One year after the New England Patriots' 28-3 Super Bowl comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, Tom Brady was seeking his sixth ring and second in a row.

Did I mention he was 40 years old at the time?

His age didn't seem to matter on the ultimate stage, as Brady set the Super Bowl record with 505 yards passing and didn't have a pass picked during the entire playoffs.

Sure, the legacy of this game is defined by quarterback Nick Foles' touchdown catch on the play that would later become known as the Philly Special. And the Eagles got and deserved the last laugh in the 41-33 victory.

But the greatest quarterback of all time did his part in nearly bringing the New England dynasty another title with gaudy numbers and near flawless play.

- Dunbar

2018 playoff stats: 34.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 9.0 APG, 53.9 FG%
2018 Finals stats: 34.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 10.0 APG, 52.7 FG%

LeBron James could have been on this list at least three times, but we decided to limit him to just one appearance, which led to a tough call between 2007, 2015 and 2018.

The fact that James received four of the 11 Finals MVP votes in 2015 was heavily considered, but 2018 won out for a few reasons.

First, James had Kyrie Irving for 13 of the 20 games Cleveland played in the 2015 playoffs. With all due respect to Kevin Love, James didn't have a true co-star in the 2018 playoffs.

Second and most importantly, James' efficiency was significantly better in 2018. James shot just 41.7 percent in the 2015 playoffs, which is completely understandable considering how much offense he had to create. But that makes his 2018 run even more amazing.

How he maintained his efficiency (53.9 percent for the 2018 playoffs) despite playing in two grueling seven-game series is beyond me.

Four of his signature games were:

- Game 7 W vs. Indiana: 45 points (16-of-25 FG), 8 rebounds, 7 assists
- Game 6 W vs. Boston: 46 points (17-of-33 FG), 11 rebounds, 9 assists
- Game 7 W @ Boston: 35 points (12-of-24 FG), 15 rebounds, 9 assists
- Game 1 L @ Golden State: 51 points (19-of-32 FG), 8 rebounds, 8 assists

The first three were clutch performances in win-or-go-home situations. The last was one the best individual games I've ever seen, infamously ruined by George Hill missing a free throw and JR Smith not knowing the score.

James broke his hand by punching a whiteboard after Cleveland's Game 1 loss. He still averaged 28.3 points, 10.7 assists and 8.7 rebounds over the series' final three games, but it wasn't enough to prevent a Warriors sweep.

- Akeley

2020 playoff stats: .377/.442/.831 (1.273 OPS), 10 HR, 14 RBI, 8 BB
2020 World Series stats: .364/.462/.773 (1.234 OPS), 3 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB

Randy Arozarena was an unmitigated problem in the 2020 MLB playoffs.

Then still a rookie and in his first year with the Tampa Bay Rays organization following a trade from the Cardinals, the 25-year-old outfielder bashed his way through Blue Jays and Yankees pitching for a 1.426 OPS in seven games during the Wild Card and Division Series.

He didn't slow down against the Astros in the ALCS. Arozarena homered in four different contests, including Games 1 and 7. The round itself was a roller coaster, as Houston looked to match the 2004 Red Sox and become just the second team in history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit. But the Rays prevailed to reach their second World Series in franchise history as Arozarena took ALCS MVP via his 1.152 OPS and overall power show.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took the COVID-sequestered World Series in six games, but it was through no fault of Arozarena. He hit .421/.500/.895 with a 1.395 OPS and three more home runs. He was also involved in one of the more wild plays in recent Series history, as he scored the winning run in Game 4, which was the first Fall Classic contest to end on an error since 1986.

The full Arozarena damage report: 10 home runs, 14 RBI, a .377/.442/.831 triple-slash and a 1.273 OPS in 86 plate appearances. In the process, he set the single-postseason home run record, surpassing five others tied with eight, including 2002 Barry Bonds.

- Dunbar

2023-24 playoff stats: 25 games, 8 goals, 34 assists, 42 points

2024 Stanley Cup Final stats: 7 games, 3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points

After facing a 3-0 deficit in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers got off the deck thanks in large part to three-time Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid—much like they did following a disastrous start to the 2023-24 season when the goaltending imploded and head coach Jay Woodcroft was fired.

No. 97 helped turn the ultimate round from a sweep into a classic series with consecutive four-point nights in Games 4 and 5, becoming the first player to ever do so in a Cup Final. Without his efforts, Edmonton wouldn't have made it to Game 7 with the possibility of becoming the first team to come back from a three-game deficit in the Cup Final since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.

In all, The 27-year-old put up eight goals and 34 assists in 25 games during series wins over the Kings, Canucks and Stars, as well as the loss to Florida. His 42 points left him five short of the record 47 Wayne Gretzky posted in 1985 for these same Oilers.

Following the Game 7 gut punch, McDavid did not come out on the ice to accept the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, but for a stretch this spring, the world got to see why he's the best hockey player of a generation.

- Dunbar