LIVE Ultimate Team Playoff Performers
The NBA Playoffs are in full swing! To commemorate, LIVE Ultimate Team (LUT) is dropping special Playoff Performers into packs for every memorable performance. Playoff Performers include a mix of current players that shine throughout the postseason, as well as memorable performances from some of the NBA’s legends.
JULY 4-7
ULTIMATE PACKS
Get 25 percent off Ultimate Packs all weekend long! Ultimate Packs are 5-Item packs containing one guaranteed Legend, one Spotlight of the Week, and one Playoff Performer.
Offer expires July 7.
JUNE 16
KAWHI LEONARD, SAN ANTONIO SPURS F
On a team with three future Hall of Famers, it was the third-year forward out of San Diego State that took home NBA Finals MVP honors. After struggling in the series' first two games, Leonard was the best player on the floor in the final three, averaging 23.6 PPG and 9.3 RPG while playing tough defense on LeBron James. The Spurs were masterful throughout the NBA Playoffs, and took home their fifth title since 1999.
JUNE 13
BORIS DIAW, SAN ANTONIO SPURS F
The Spurs are now just a game away from a fifth NBA Championship after another impeccable performance in Miami. Diaw did it all in the Spurs' Game 4 win, scoring eight points to go with nine rebounds and nine assists.
ULTIMATE PACK
A five-item Pack with one guaranteed Legend, one Spotlight of the Week, and one Playoff Performer.
JUNE 11
KAWHI LEONARD, SAN ANTONIO SPURS F
After struggling in the first two games of the NBA Finals, Leonard exploded in Game 3 with a career-high 29 points. The Spurs made 19 of their first 21 shots en route to a 21-point halftime lead.
JUNE 9
CHRIS BOSH, MIAMI HEAT C/F
LeBron James deservedly grabbed many headlines in Miami's Game 2 win, scoring 35 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. But Bosh was simply huge down the stretch, putting the Heat up 95-93 with a corner three and then sealing the win with a pretty dish to Dwyane Wade. The NBA Finals are heading back to Miami all square at one game apiece.
JUNE 6
MANU GINOBILI, SAN ANTONIO SPURS G
The Spurs were brilliant down the stretch in their Game 1 win, as Ginobili was his usual playmaking self. He came out of the gates hot from behind the arc, and finished with 16 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds. In total, the Spurs went 13-25 from behind the arc.
JUNE 6
SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, LOS ANGELES LAKERS C
On this day in 2000, O'Neal scored 43 points to help the Lakers take Game 1 of the 2000 NBA Finals. Shaq and the Lakers would beat the Pacers in six, and the Big Aristotle would be named series MVP after averaging an incredible 38 points and 17 rebounds for the series.
LARRY BIRD, BOSTON CELTICS F
On this day in 1986, Bird's triple-double (29 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds) led the Celtics to a clinching victory in the NBA Finals. The championship was number 16 for Boston, and Bird was named Finals MVP for the second time in three years.
JUNE 5
PATRICK EWING, NEW YORK KNICKS C
On this day in 1994, Ewing put the Knicks on his back in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Ewing scored 24 points and grabbed 22 rebounds to lead the Knicks over the Pacers, 94-90. The win sent the Knicks to their first NBA Finals since 1973, where they would eventually fall to the Houston Rockets in seven games.
MAY 27
SERGE IBAKA, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER F
The Thunder got back into the Western Conference Finals with a 106-97 win over the Spurs, and Ibaka's return was a big reason. Ibaka posted 15 points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots while providing the rim protection the Thunder sorely lacked in the series' first two games. If Ibaka's ailing calf can hold up, the Thunder have a great chance to even the series in Game 4.
MAY 23
ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM
The NBA recently announced it's All-Rookie First Team, consisting of Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams, Victor Oladipo, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mason Plumlee. Carter Williams took home the award after becoming just the third player since 1950-51 to lead all rookies in scoring (16.7), rebounding (6.3) and assists (6.2).
PLAYOFF PERFORMERS PACK
Check out the Playoff Performers Pack that includes one Playoff Performer, two Playoff Players and a contract item.
MAY 22
DANNY GREEN, SAN ANTONIO SPURS G
The Spurs are just two wins away from a return trip to the NBA Finals and possible rematch with the Miami Heat. Green continued his torrid postseason shooting (30/59 from three-point range) by draining seven 3's against the Thunder in the Spurs' 112-77 clinic in Game 2.
MAY 21
DIKEMBE MUTOMBO, DENVER NUGGETS C
On this day in 1994, Dikembe Mutombo blocked two shots in a Game 7 loss to the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semifinals. The two rejections gave him an NBA record 38 in a seven-game playoff series, destroying Hakeem Olajuwon's record of 30 blocks in a 1993 series. The record capped off a stunning postseason from Mutombo and the eight-seed Nuggets, who had previously defeated the top-seed Supersonics in the first round.
MAY 16
PLAYOFF PERFORMERS PACK
Check out the Playoff Performers Pack that includes one Playoff Performer, two Playoff Players and a contract item.
MAY 14
LEBRON JAMES, MIAMI HEAT F
The Heat appear set for a fourth consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Finals after James tied his playoff career high with 49 points in a Game 4 win. LeBron was his typically brilliant self throughout, and came just a missed free throw away from his first 50-point performance in the postseason.
ALLEN IVERSON, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS G
On this day in 1999, Iverson scored 33 points and nabbed 10 steals in a 97-85 win over the Orlando Magic. The 76ers went on to defeat the Magic in four games before losing to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Two years later, Iverson led the 76ers to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1983.
MAY 13
TONY PARKER, SAN ANTONIO SPURS G
After a scare in Round 1, the Spurs have regained the form that led them to an NBA-best 62 wins in the regular season. Parker was brilliant in the Spurs' Game 3 win over the Blazers, scoring 29 points and dishing out six assists while helping the Spurs to a 3-0 series lead. One more win will put them in the Western Conference Finals for the third straight season.
SHAWN KEMP, SEATTLE SUPERSONICS F
On this day in 1996, Kemp officially ended the Houston Rockets' quest for a three-peat, scoring 32 points and 15 rebounds to complete a sweep. Kemp and Co. would advance to the 1996 NBA Finals, losing in six to the 72-10 Bulls.
MAY 8
WALT FRAZIER, NEW YORK KNICKS G
On this day in NBA history, Frazier exploded for 36 points, 19 assists and 7 rebounds against the Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The game is often remembered for Willis Reed's return from injury, but it was Frazier that carried the Knicks to the title.
MAY 8
WALT FRAZIER, NEW YORK KNICKS G
On this day in NBA history, Frazier exploded for 36 points, 19 assists and 7 rebounds against the Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The game is often remembered for Willis Reed's return from injury, but it was Frazier that carried the Knicks to the title.
MAY 6
KEVIN DURANT, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER F
The OKC standout took home his first MVP award by claiming 119 of 125 first-place votes. The four-time scoring champion averaged 32 points a game and put together one of the greatest offensive stretches in NBA history, scoring at least 25 points in 41 consecutive games. Durant also scored at least 40 points a whopping 14 times, leading the Thunder to a 59-23 record despite playing much of the season without Russell Westbrook.
MAY 5
PAUL GEORGE, INDIANA PACERS F
The Pacers' rough second half carried over into the postseason, as they were taken to seven games by the eight-seed Hawks. But in a do-or-die Game 7, George put the Pacers on his back with 30 points and 11 rebounds to help stave off elimination. Indiana advances to face the streaking Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER G
In the Western Conference, the Thunder used a triple-double from Russell Westbrook to hold off the Memphis Grizzlies in seven games. Westbrook scored 27 points, dished out 16 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds in OKC's 120-109 win, becoming just the second player in NBA history (Rajon Rondo) to post a triple-double in a Game 7.
MICHAEL CARTER WILLIAMS, PHILADELPHIA 76ERS G
The 76ers had a rough season in 2013-14, but Michael Carter-Williams took home Rookie of the Year honors after becoming just the third player in league history to lead all rookies in scoring (16.7), rebounding (6.6) and assists (6.6). MCW also joins a couple of NBA legends - Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson - as the only players to average at least 16-6-6 in their first season.
APRIL 30
NENE, WASHINGTON WIZARDS F/C
The Chicago Bulls' stingy interior defense had no answer for the skilled Brazilian. Nene scored 20 points to go with seven rrebounds and four assists, helping the Wizards advance in the postseason for just the third time since the 1970s.
DEANDRE JORDAN, LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS C
It's been an emotional week in Los Angeles, but the Clippers got a huge game five win thanks to the dominance of ever-improving DeAndre Jordan. The athletic center poured in 25 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks, the first such statline in a playoff game since Tim Duncan in 2008. The Clippers can wrap up the series in game six at Oracle Arena.
APRIL 28
STEPHEN CURRY
After struggling from distance the last two games, Curry found his range and made a career-high seven 3-pointers, including five in the first quarter. In total, he scored 33 points while grabbing seven rebounds and seven assists. The Warriors and Clippers are all knotted up at two games apiece, with the series heading back down to Los Angeles for Game 5.
TROY DANIELS
From the D-League to playoff hero. Daniels hit a huge three-pointer in overtime of Game 3, helping the Rockets win a game they had to have to get back in the series. He followed it up with another great effort in the team's Game 4 loss, scoring 17 points and hitting four 3-pointers.
APRIL 25
LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE
Aldridge dominated the Houston Rockets and lifted the young Portland Trail Blazers to a 2-0 series lead. Aldridge posted 46 points and 18 rebounds in a game one win, then followed it up with 43 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in game two.
KARL MALONE
At 36 years and 273 days, Malone became the oldest player in NBA postseason history to score 50+ points when he recorded 50 points in against Seattle in 2000.
JERRY WEST
“The Logo” scored 53 points as the Lakers edged Boston 120-118 in Game 1 of the 1969 NBA Finals. The 53 points by West ranked as the highest-scoring game by a guard in NBA Finals history, before Chicago’s Michael Jordan scored 55 points against Phoenix in Game 4 of the 1993 Finals.
In addition to the Playoff Performers, we’re updating Ultimate Team with award winners from the 2013-2014 NBA season. This week’s Award Winners feature the Defensive Player of the Year – Joakim Noah – and the Most Improved Player – Goran Dragic. As more winners are announced, they will be added to the LIVE Ultimate Team roster.
You can relive these moments or create your own with LaMarcus, Karl, Jerry, Joakim and Goran in LIVE Ultimate Team. Be on the lookout for more Playoff Performers and Award Winners to be added in the coming weeks!
For more on LIVE Ultimate Team, click here.
NBA LIVE 14 is now available for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Order today, and be sure to check the NBA LIVE website, Facebook and Twitter for updates.
