Sports' best individual matchups in a championship round

Magic Johnson's first MVP award-winning season saw him average career highs in points per game (23.9) and player efficiency rating (27.0) while leading the NBA in offensive win shares (12.1). Bird led the league in minutes played, averaged a career-high in assists per game and became the first player in NBA history to shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent on free throws for a full season. A sterling Finals MVP performance from Magic spurred the Lakers to a 4-2 series victory, in the third and final championship-round meeting between the two legends.

In his ninth NBA season, Barkley finally broke through with his only MVP award and Finals appearance. While "Sir Charles" had three or four better statistical seasons, he broke the five-assist plateau for the only time in his career and carried the Suns to a career-high 61 wins. Jordan had a classic MJ season, leading the NBA in scoring, steals, player efficiency rating and win shares. He averaged a cool 41 points per game in a 4-2 series win, capped by a John Paxson 3-pointer which sank Barkley’s best chance at a ring.

Like Barkley, this was Allen Iverson's only MVP season and Finals appearance. He led the league in minutes played, scoring, steals and (not surprisingly) usage percentage, while netting a career-high 11.8 win shares. Shaq notched one of his 11 seasons leading the NBA in field goal percentage, also pacing the league in player efficiency rating (30.2) and win shares (14.9). After AI's epic performance in a Game 1 victory, the Lakers ran off four straight wins while O'Neal averaged a beastly 33.0 points, 15.8 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game in the series. 

Kirk Gibson could’ve been here, too, but his MVP-season numbers are some of weakest ever for that award, while Hershiser was straight-up dominant. Not only did Hershiser set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings, he led the NL in wins, complete games (15), shutouts (8) and innings pitched (267). Steroids or not, this was an absurd campaign from Canseco, who posted one of four 40-homer/40-steal seasons in MLB history while leading the league in homers and RBI. Hershiser bested Canseco with two complete games in the World Series, taking home the MVP in a 4-2 series win for the Dodgers.

This is our only example without an official MVP, but these guys were more than worthy. Maddux’s fourth-straight Cy Young campaign was one of the best pitching seasons of all time. He led the majors in wins, ERA, WHIP, innings pitched, complete games, shutouts, strikeout-to-walk ratio and homers allowed per nine innings, while finishing third in MVP voting. Belle was nearly the offensive equivalent, leading baseball in homers, doubles, RBI, total bases and slugging percentage. It’s widely speculated that Belle’s surly attitude was the reason he only finished second in MVP voting despite besting winner Mo Vaughn in nearly every statistical category. Belle fell short again in a six-game World Series, as Maddux helped the city of Atlanta win its only major pro sports title.

This Giants sweep featured the first MVP-MVP face-off since Gibson versus Canseco in 1988. In just Posey’s second full season, he led baseball in batting average and OPS+, while posting his only career 100-RBI campaign to date. Cabrera, meanwhile, sat atop the majors in homers, RBI, OPS and total bases. The two MVPs combined for just seven hits in the four Fall Classic games, but each hit a two-run homer in the deciding Game 4. 

Seeing these two guys here might be a surprise, but they were certainly the cream at the top of a lighter statistical NFL season in 1988. Boomer’s MVP year saw him pace all QBs in passer rating, yards per pass attempt (9.2) and fourth-quarter comebacks (3), while Craig caught a robust 76 passes out of the backfield and led the league in yards from scrimmage (2,036). Craig came through with 172 yards in the Super Bowl, as the 49ers squeezed out a 20-16 win and denied the Bengals their first title.  

Back in 1998, Terrell Davis was just the fourth player to rush for 2,000 yards and the sixth to rush for 20 touchdowns on the way to his second AP Offensive POY award in three seasons. Anderson wasn’t too far behind, making the "Dirty Bird" famous while becoming one of just two Falcons ever to eclipse 2,000 yards from scrimmage. It was Davis who totaled 152 yards in the big game as the Broncos made the Falcons’ first Super Bowl appearance a forgettable one. 

Manning posted just the seventh-best passer rating of his career in 2009, but it was the Colts’ 14-0 start (until they controversially rested their stars in a game No. 15 loss) which carried his MVP case. An equally strong argument could’ve been made for Brees, who led the NFL in touchdown passes, completion percentage and passer rating. Brees got the last laugh, however, taking home MVP of the Saints’ first-ever Super Bowl appearance and providing some much needed inspiration for the city of New Orleans.  

In Gretzky's eighth straight Hart Trophy-winning season (!), "The Great One" led the NHL in goals, assists, plus-minus and short-handed goals (7). Incredibly, this season only marked Gretzky's sixth-highest career points total. Hextall had a rookie year for the ages, leading the league in wins, saves and save percentage. He also took home the Conn Smythe Trophy, even though his Flyers fell to Gretzky's Oilers in seven games. 

In his 13th NHL season, Joe Sakic earned his first Hart Trophy while setting a career high in goals. He also led the league in plus-minus (+45) and game-winning scores. Though Brodeur’s stellar numbers didn’t approach his best statistical season, he led the league in wins and finished third in Vezina Trophy voting. Sakic scored on Brodeur four times over a seven-game Stanley Cup series to earn his second career Cup title.

St. Louis was a breakout star in his sixth season, leading the NHL in assists, points, plus-minus and short-handed goals on the way to a Hart Trophy. Iginla finished second in the voting, pacing the league in goals and game-winners. St. Louis netted four goals against Iginla’s Flames in the final round as the Lightning took home the Cup in seven games.