Robert Horry leads the list with the most steals in an NBA Finals game.
Big scoring numbers tend to stand out, but defense is also key to winning a championship. There have been eight players who have stepped up in an NBA Finals game to record a least six steals. Let’s highlight those performances.
1. Robert Horry, 7 Steals – 1995 Finals Game 2
Horry was known more for his clutch shooting in the playoffs than he was his defensive prowess. However, he did have four seasons during his career in which he averaged at least 1.5 steals per game. Facing the Magic in Game 2 of the 1995 Finals, Horry registered seven steals as the Rockets went up 2-0 in the series. They went on to win the series in four games.
T-2. Kevin Love, 6 Steals – 2017 Finals Game 3
Love was a double-double machine, averaging 16.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game for his career. He never averaged more than 0.9 steals per game in a season for his career, but he had six steals in Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Warriors. The Cavaliers lost the game and would go on to lose the series in five games.
T-2. Dwyane Wade, 6 Steals – 2013 Finals Game 4
Wade was much more than just a terrific scorer. For his career, he averaged 1.6 steals per game. He even had two seasons in which he averaged at least 2.1 steals per game. With the Heat facing the Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals, Wade recorded six steals in Game 4. The Heat won that game and eventually won the series in seven games. That was the third and final championship of Wade’s career.
T-2. Rajon Rondo, 6 Steals – 2008 Finals Game 6
Rondo averaged 1.6 steals per game during his career. In 2009-10, he even led the league by averaging 2.3 steals per game. The 2007-08 campaign was his second season in the NBA, and he averaged 1.7 steals. With the Celtics up 3-2 in the NBA Finals, Rondo helped them clinch the title with six steals in Game 6.
T-2. Isiah Thomas, 6 Steals – 1988 Finals Game 6
Thomas averaged 1.9 steals per game for his career. That included him averaging at least 2.1 steals in each of his first five seasons in the NBA. The Pistons played the Lakers in the 1988 NBA Finals and Thomas registered six steals in a loss in Game 6. The Pistons then lost the series in seven games.
T-2. Maurice Cheeks, 6 Steals – 1980 Finals Game 2
Cheeks averaged 2.1 steals per game for his career and finished inside the top-five for Defensive Player of the Year voting three times. In Game 2 of the 1980 NBA Finals, he posted six steals in a win over the Lakers. The 76ers would eventually lose the series in six games.
T-2. Steve Mix, 6 Steals – 1977 Finals Game 1
Mix averaged 1.2 steals per game during his career. To begin the 1977 NBA Finals, he posted six steals over 26 minutes against the Trail Blazers. The 76ers won Game 1, but they lost the series in six games.
T-2. John Havlicek, 6 Steals – 1974 Finals Game 3
Steals did not become an official stat in the NBA until the 1973-74 season. That was Havlicek’s 12th season in the league. He immediately made an impact in that department, including when he had six steals in Game 3 of the 1974 NBA Finals against the Bucks. The Celtics won that game and claimed the championship in seven games.
