Greatest Shots In NBA History

[Gurleyman]

On NBA discusion boards, folks are debating whether Ray made the biggest shot in NBA history. Many folks are saying yes - and not just Heat fans over-excited about it.

We're biased, so we may lean Ray, but the other prominent choices were:

Jordan over Utah - clincher
Paxson over Phoenix - 3 down 2 to clinch in Game 6
Sam Jones over LA (1969) - Game 4 over Wilt - swung series
Horry over Detroit - Game 5 - swung series
Magic over Boston - Game 4 - road win that swung iconic series

Working against Ray was that he didn't win the game or the series - he needed subsequent events to go Miami's way to maximize the impact. Working against everyone else is that it wasn't do or die at their moments - had they missed, the series would have carried on. I believe Jerry West once staved off elimination with a clutch shot, but the Lakers lost anyway.

Nature of sports to overrate what you just saw or who you are currently watching over memories gone by, but the impact of that shot changed a bunch of legacies - Parker is iconic for his Game 1 shot and 3-steal-2 close to Game 6. LeBron has the two-turnover in the final minute albatross around his neck. Wade gets blamed for ruining the momentum Miami had. The Heat Big 3 Era might get blown up and remembered as underachievers.

Interesting debate anyway. I think the iconic moment of Jordan ending his Bulls career with a dagger is probably going to have the edge once the immediacy of Ray's impact fades. And someday, someone will win Game 7 at the buzzer and trump everyone.

 

[traitor71]

This thread has some fun potential. A lesser known one that stands out to me is Ralph Sampson throwing one up to eliminate the Lakers in the 86 western conference finals. And what about Gar Heard (I think it was him) against the Celts in 76? I think it was 76 anyway.

 

[Kitaman]

I assume the OP is talking playoffs.

I'd have to say the Magic shot. Kareem was out, Magic had to play big and he hit that damn hook shot.

Jordan had a hand (pun intended) in making that big shot against Utah .

Also Bird's steal and Dennis Johnson shot was the most incredible playoff play I had ever seen.

 

[upstater]

I assume the OP is talking playoffs.

I'd have to say the Magic shot. Kareem was out, Magic had to play big and he hit that damn hook shot.

Jordan had a hand (pun intended) in making that big shot against Utah .

Also Bird's steal and Dennis Johnson shot was the most incredible playoff play I had ever seen.

That play is so hard to believe. Only 2 guys who know there's no sense in doing anything other than trying for a steal and cutting to the basket would be in those positions to do that. DJ and Bird were playing chess while the others played checkers.

 

[Gurleyman]

I assume the OP is talking playoffs.

I'd have to say the Magic shot. Kareem was out, Magic had to play big and he hit that damn hook shot.

Jordan had a hand (pun intended) in making that big shot against Utah .

Also Bird's steal and Dennis Johnson shot was the most incredible playoff play I had ever seen.

Yeah - significant playoff shots, with a huge edge given to ones with heavy stakes.

Kareem wasn't out. He was actually wide, wide open under the basket and Magic missed him for a pass. Had that shot not gone, people in LA would have been agonizing over Magic mot seeing Kareem.

That Bird play was an iconic moment for sure. Isiah was trying to be smart and get the ball in before the Celtics could get their defense set, but Bird was right there with him mentally. And Laimbeer was not - he just sort of stood there and didn't come to the ball.

If we're talking earlier rounds of playoffs and great plays, Reggie vs Knicks has a place in the discussion, too.

 

[dsturdy5]

Don Nelson at the forum in game 7 against the Lakers...

 

[dsturdy5]

I assume the OP is talking playoffs.

Also Bird's steal and Dennis Johnson shot was the most incredible playoff play I had ever seen.

First NBA game I ever went to.

 

[zls44]

Jerry West hit a 55-footer at the horn to prolong the '73 Finals. I believe it was Game 6, Knicks up one.

BTW, if this play happened today, the Internet would explode. Explode.

 

[zls44]

Ok, it was to force OT in Game 3 of the 1970 Finals, a game (and series) the Lakers lost anyway.


Other than that, I was right on. /headdesk

 

[Gurleyman]

Bill Simmons had a good point the other day. Game 7 of 1988 finals ended like this:

Laimbeer hits a 3 to cut it to 1 with 5 seconds left
AC Green leaks out for layup. Makes it 3 with 2 seconds left. Clock stops on made basket.
Lakers bench and crowd empties out onto the floor as Pistons try to inbound
Laimbeer throws ball long over 100 defenders. Isiah is about to catch it - 30 feet from the basket where he could get off a reasonable three attempt - and Magic runs him over. Whistle clearly blows with one second left - even though nobody had touched the ball yet.
Clock ticks to zero anyway. Refs leave the court.

What would Twitter/Internet do over that one? I'd say if it was any team other than the Bad Boy Pistons, who nobody could stand, it would be an everlasting controversy. And that was after the Lakers won Game 6 on a phantom foul call.

 

[Gurleyman]

Don Nelson"s shot is famous - but the Celtics already had the lead - it pushed the lead from 1 to 3 with a minute to go. Now there was no three-point line at the time, so that made going from 1 to 3 a little bigger than a similar shot today since obviously it became a two-possession game. But in terms of parallel shots - LeBron"s shot in game 7 could be considered bigger - since it pushed the lead from 2 to 4 with 30 seconds left. Plus, Nelson's is famous partly because it was lucky as hell - it bounced up to the top of the backboard and dropped in.

 

[huskyharry]

I would think Kareem's sky hook from the deep corner over Finkel to beat the Celts would be up there as well (1974?)

 

[Gurleyman]

I would think Kareem's sky hook from the deep corner over Finkel to beat the Celts would be up there as well (1974?)

Slightly before my time (I was 2) and wasn't familiar with it, so I Googled. Clearly belongs very, very high on the list. Mirrors Ray's shot in that it was a series-saver. Also advantage Kareem in that it was a game-winner and not just a game-tier, like Ray's. On the flip side, Ray would have an advantage in that his team won while the Bucks were blown out in Game 7, but that's a product of after-the-fact circumstances.

Surprised that shot isn't more legendary - yeah, the Bucks lost the series. But the Red Sox lost Game 7 after Fisk's homer, and we still see that one to this day. Maybe it's partly because KAJ wasn't well liked.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Slightly before my time (I was 2) and wasn't familiar with it, so I Googled. Clearly belongs very, very high on the list. Mirrors Ray's shot in that it was a series-saver. Also advantage Kareem in that it was a game-winner and not just a game-tier, like Ray's. On the flip side, Ray would have an advantage in that his team won while the Bucks were blown out in Game 7, but that's a product of after-the-fact circumstances.

Surprised that shot isn't more legendary - yeah, the Bucks lost the series. But the Red Sox lost Game 7 after Fisk's homer, and we still see that one to this day. Maybe it's partly because KAJ wasn't well liked.

I think his whole career is seriously underrated because he was not well-liked. He was quiet, but his arrival changed the NBA. He was the most dominant player in the league from pretty much day one. I was young at the time and only saw Wilt in the latter part of his career, but I always thought that Kareem was the much better talent. It's kind of shocking that no one else has ever mastered the sky hook.

 

[kcc1442]

Level of difficulty and clutchness are through the roof. As well as the unlikely person factor. However they later lost in the finals. But this did swing the series. Great shot but may not be number 1. Came to mind though. Ironic part is it could have been Duncan's greatest shot ever for similar reasons (other than unlikely person factor) if D Fish didn't hit the .4

 

[kcc1442]

Sean Elliot's memorial day miracle came to mind as well. Clutchness and acrobatness as he tip toed the sideline were awesome. Loses some points on value as SA ran through the playoffs with ease. The loss wouldn't have meant much and therefore the shot wasn't as significant

 

[kcc1442]

Those two are both nominations if were aren't just considering the NBA finals.

But for finals and more significance, I vote for Magic down the middle, just what I thought, a hook shot at 12, GOOD!

 

[Gurleyman]

When people have gone behind the finals to earlier rounds, they've brought up Fisher a lot. That game felt over. Horry had the one in the conference finals when Divac swatted the ball out to him and Sampson had a crazy turnaround when he almost didn't look at the basket that knocked out the Lakers 4-1 (game was tied - Rockets still had OT and a Game 6 at home if he missed). Stockton also had a buzzer-beater to end a series with the Rockets in one of those years when they lost to Jordan.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

As much as it broke my heart, Mario Elie's shot to eliminate Barkley's Suns was purely clutch. Ray's shot the othe night defies explanation when you consider all the details involved.