Roundtable: Best individual postseason performance in any major sport

Whether it is Madison Bumgarner’s 2014 postseason pitching performance or the fact that more people have walked on the moon than scored on Mariano Rivera in the postseason, there have been some unreal playoff performances in recent memory. However, this need not be limited to baseball. Don’t sleep on Joe Flacco in the 2012 playoffs, where he put on a truly elite performance for the Baltimore Ravens on their way to their 34-31 Super Bowl win over the 49ers. In this week’s roundtable, our group of writers will discuss what they believe is the best individual performance in postseason history for all the major sports.

Connor Sargeant, Associate Sports Editor: Madison Bumgarner’s 2014 postseason  

When thinking of the best playoff performances in sports history, my brain kept returning to Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner. The southpaw’s performance for San Francisco in their 2014 run was so special that there’s a chance we will never see it done again. Not only did Bumgarner complete a five-inning save in game seven of the World Series, but he also came in despite throwing a 117-pitch shutout two games before. He also still owns the record for most innings pitched in a single postseason, with 52.2, demonstrating the lost art of pitcher durability. In that World Series against Kansas City, he threw an absurd 21 innings, allowing just one run in that span. Bumgarner also owned an ERA of around 1.00 that postseason. Rightfully so, “Mad Bum” was crowned World Series MVP, as he put that Giants team on his back and put on the greatest performance in playoff history. It is a once in a lifetime performance no pitcher has come close to since, and I don’t see it ever being done again. 

Brayden Gorski, Campus Correspondent: Hakeem Olajuwon’s 1994 postseason 

If the internet was as prominent in the 90s as it is today, people would talk about Hakeem Olajuwon’s run how fans talk about LeBron James in 2018. “The Dream” took home MVP and DPOY honors in 1994, a feat only five players in NBA history have achieved in the same season. The storybook season did not stop there, Olajuwon lead all players in PPG (28.9), total blocks (92) and total field goals made (267) during the postseason. His Rockets won a thrilling seven game series against the Knicks in the 1994 NBA Finals with Olajuwon taking home Finals MVP after averaging 26.9 points and 9.1 rebounds. In the win or go home game seven, Olajuwon scored 25, grabbed 10 boards and even dished out seven assists in the victory. Mind you, this is before the Rockets acquired Clyde Drexler in 1995, so Olajuwon completed NBA’s triple crown with Vernon Maxwell as his second option.

Sam Calhoun, Staff Writer: Kemba Walker leading UConn to 2011 national title 

From Manhattan to Houston, All-America guard Kemba Walker took the college basketball world by storm in the 11 games the UConn men’s basketball team played in the postseason. The 2011 Final Four Most Outstanding Player led the Huskies in scoring in 11 games, averaging 24.6 points per game. His most impressive performance came in the semifinal round of the Big East Tournament, where Walker had 33 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and six steals while shooting 50% from the floor. Without that, the legendary five wins in five days at the Big East Tournament would not have happened, as Connecticut sneaked past Syracuse in overtime. Walker averaged five assists per contest and had as many as 12 in the team’s NCAA first-round rout over Bucknell. He played nearly the entire game in every one of the 11 games, averaging 38 minutes per game. Walker was unbelievable during the 2010-11 season, but his run in the postseason remains one of the most legendary performances of all time.

Jake Loomis, Campus Correspondent: Isaiah Thomas 

The best postseason performance ever was not a series specifically, but more of a game. In the 2017 NBA playoffs, a game was played that had more meaning to this player than any other game ever. This is due to the fact that before the game, Celtics Guard Isaiah Thomas lost his sister, Chyna Thomas, just a day prior to a car crash. However, Thomas played, even though he was grieving, and led the Celtics to a win over the Wizards. Thomas dropped 52 points in this game, with 29 of them coming in the fourth quarter. This game truly solidified his nickname in Boston as the King of the 4^th Quarter. He also had four rebounds and four assists to go along with three steals. This will go down as one of the most memorable games in playoffs history and a game that die hard Boston fans will remember forever.