Top 5 NBA Playoff Moments of All-time
As in all sports, there are many defining moments.
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The moments when guts overrule common sense and drives a player to step back into the battle despite splintered bones and excruciating pain. Or perhaps finding that little extra something that propels even the most ordinary player to stunning flashes of greatness.
With the shortened NBA season now underway, we thought it would be a good time to reflect and think back to the top five most memorable moments in NBA playoff history.
There have been a lot of unforgettable instances over the years, but only a few stuck out that actually jolted their team to an NBA Championship.
No. 5-- 1980 Finals Game 4, Philadelphia 76ers v Los Angeles Lakers--Trailing 2-1 in the series, the Sixers entered Game 4 looking to grab a win. In the fourth quarter Julius Erving delivered. With a move that is perhaps the best-ever of his career, Dr. J drove baseline, elevated, reached back behind the backboard with the ball and somehow emerged on the opposite side of the basket to convert the circus shot, giving Philly a 105-102 victory. The Sixers would of course go on to lose to Los Angeles in six games, but for those who saw it, this has to be our number five.
No. 4 -- 2004, Western Conference Semifinal Game 5, Los Angeles Lakers v San Antonio Spurs-Who could forget Derek Fisher's miracle shot with .4 seconds remaining that helped the Lakers beat the defending champion Spurs in Game 5. For once, someone other than Kobe Bryant cemented his place in Lakers lore, as Fisher caught the inbounds pass turned around, and threw up a sensational series-changing shot.
No. 3--1995 Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 5,Indiana Pacers v New York Knicks--With the Pacers trailing the Knicks by six points with 18.7 seconds remaining, Reggie Miller would go off with a series of plays within a span of 8.9 seconds to give us one of the greatest moments in playoff history. The first being a three-point shot, and then stealing the ensuing inbounds pass before dribbling back behind the arc to hit another the three-pointer to tie the game. On the subsequent possession, the Knicks got a chance to win it on a pair of free throws, but they missed it, and when Miller rebounded the ball, was fouled, and made both of his. The Pacers walked away with a stunning 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
No. 2 --2002 Western Conference Finals Game 4, Sacramento Kings v Los Angeles Lakers--It's the stuff all kids dream off--draining a game-winning three-point shot in the big game. Maybe Robert Horry had that same dream. The only difference--he got to live it. With Sacramento up by two, Vlade Divac batted away a loose basketball directly into the hands of Horry who drained the game-winning three and sent the Lakers on to Sacramento with the series tied 2-2 instead of trailing 3-1. Los Angeles won its third straight title that year.
No. 1-- 1998 Finals Game 6, Chicago Bulls v Utah Jazz--Probably the greatest NBA moment of all-time, by the greatest player to ever play the game. Not only was this magical moment a game-winner, but it was a championship-winner. With less than 10 seconds remaining, Michael Jordan would come up with a loose basketball in the defensive end. Then after calmly dribbling to the top of the key, faked out Bryon Russell who slipped to the floor essentially leaving Jordan with a wide open shot which he gracefully buried.
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