" but for the majority of his career he wasn't clutch. "
Playoff Years: 1997-2003
Playoff Teams: Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers
Total Clutch Minutes Played: 153
Scottie Pippen may never have won a title if he didn't have the luxury of suiting up next to Michael Jordan, but it's not as if he was out of his league when serving as the clear-cut leader of a team. As good as he was in clutch situations while playing for the Chicago Bulls, his work during the 2000 postseason is actually what earns him a featured spot in these rankings.
During his first go-round with the Portland Trail Blazers, Pippen was virtually unstoppable, and we're not even factoring in his legendary defensive skills here. Though his scoring had declined during the regular season (12.5 points per game, which was then his worst mark since his rookie season), he was up to the challenge when games were tight in the playoffs.
That postseason alone, Pippen spent 30 minutes on the floor in crunch-time situations, and his Clutch Rating was a sterling 76.7, narrowly beating out Shaquille O'Neal for the top score among everyone who played at least a full quarter of heart-pounding action.
Why? Because he was always on the attack, working his way to the charity stripe and converting at an 83.3 percent clip. Per 36 minutes, he averaged 26.4 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists for Rip City, and there's nothing in that statistical profile that indicates he was a lifelong second fiddle.
NBA Playoff History Clutch Meter: The Top 25 Late-Game Players in Recent Memory:
https://tinyurl.com/3dn9nesu