In a series-clinching Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, KD took over with a 34-point and 14-rebound performance that helped erase an 18-point halftime deficit and sent him to his first ever Finals appearance. After sweeping the defending champion Mavericks, and ousting a Kobe-led Lakers, KD and the Thunder’s 4-2 comeback over a veteran Spurs team sealed a historic takedown of the only three teams that had represented the West in the Finals for the past 13 years. While LeBron and the Heat would ultimately win the finals, KD’s playoff performance showed the world his dominance as one of the game’s greats and provided him with experience that would prove invaluable in a Finals appearance five years later.
