Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Cross-checked NBA historical features, official team histories, Finals retrospectives, contemporary box scores, and recurring fan discussion. The list represents both Milwaukee and Los Angeles and treats signature moments and championship stakes as more important than raw scoring rank.

1. #1. Abdul-Jabbar scored 40 with 15 rebounds and four blocks, then returned from a severe ankle sprain to dominate the fourth quarter of a tied 1980 Finals Game 5. NBA: 1980 Finals Game 5—Kareem is hurt · Fan analysis: Kareem's 1980 Finals case
2. #2. His baseline skyhook with three seconds left ended a double-overtime classic in Boston and forced Game 7 of the 1974 NBA Finals. NBA: Kareem's skyhook wins 1974 Finals thriller · NBA: Breakdown of the 1974 Finals skyhook
3. #3. At 38, Abdul-Jabbar scored 29 to close the 1985 Finals in Boston, securing the Lakers' first Finals victory over the Celtics and Finals MVP. NBA: Kareem turns back the clock in 1985 · NBA: Kareem's 1985 Game 6 highlights
4. #4. Twenty-seven points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists completed Milwaukee's 1971 Finals sweep and the fastest expansion-team championship in pro sports history. Milwaukee Bucks: 1971 championship team · Basketball Reference: 1971 Finals Game 4
5. #5. A trademark baseline skyhook against Utah moved Abdul-Jabbar past Wilt Chamberlain as the NBA's career scoring leader in 1984. NBA: Kareem sets the career scoring record · Lakers: The scoring record in Las Vegas

Reviewed through 2026-07-17