What is the greatest NBA Finals moment you've ever seen?

Question

for me it's MJ's jumpshot on game 6 of the '98 finals that gave the bulls their 6th NBA title

Answer 1

Jordan scoring 35 pts. in the first half against the Blazers in 1993. Go look up the sequence on you tube, and you'll laugh. It was positively amazing how on he was. When the greatest ever is baffled by his own accomplishments, you know it was a great moment.

Answer 2

Willis Reed's game 7 appearance in 1970 vs Wilt and the Lakers. Nothing like that has ever happened before or since.
(and no, Jordan playing with the sniffles doesn't compare).

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's winning sky hook in 1974 (game 6, forced a game 7 which the Celtics won in Milwaukee...six of the seven games in this series were won by the visiting team).

The 1976 Triple Overtime game 5 was the greatest game ever played. With the series tied at 2, Phoenix came from 22 pts down to force overtime. In the 2nd overtime, the Suns were down by a point after John Havlicek hit an off balance bank shot as time seemingly ran out. The Celtics left the court, assuming the game was over.

The referees then ruled that there was actually one second left when Havlicek scored, so the players came back out of the locker rooms.

The Suns were out of time outs, so they would have had to advance the ball 94 feet to score. Paul Westphall, the Suns all star guard, called an (illegal) time out. This resulted in a technical foul, from which Jo Jo White hit the free throw, putting the Celtics up by two.

However, the Suns were able, after the time out, to advance the ball to midcourt...that's when the ball was inbounded to Garfield Heard, and he lauched a 25 footer that hit nothing but net, tying the game and forcing a 3rd ovetime.

Under today's rules, Heard's shot would have been a game-winning 3 pointer.

The Celtics started running away from the Suns in the 3rd overtime, but the Suns again rallied, this time falling two points short. The Celtics won, 128-126 to take a 3-2 lead, and then finished off the Suns in game 6 out in Phoenix.



Magic Johnson's 42 point, 15 rebound performance in his rookie year in the absence of Kareem Abdul Jabbar was an amazing game as well. This game 6 performance clinched the 1980 title for the Lakers over Dr. J and the 76ers.

Someone already mentioned McHale's clothesline tackle on Kurt Rambis in game 4 of the 1984 finals...even though I'm a Laker fan, that was an incredible moment as well, and did turn the series in Boston's favor.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar's 30 point, 17 rebound performance in game 2 of the 85 finals was great, considering the Celtics destroyed the Lakers 148-114 in the first game, and appeared to be on their way to an easy sweep.

The Lakers becoming the first team in 19 years to repeat as champions in 1988 was a nice moment.


Things like the Pistons brawl (which took place in the regular season) or Robert Horry's 3 pointer against Sacramento did not occur in the finals.

And yeah, someone mentioned Isiah Thomas' 25 point 3rd quarter against the Lakers in 1988's game 6. That was incredible... even Michael Cooper couldn't do anything to stop Thomas...Cooper was all over him, but to no avail.


Tough to call the 2005 Spurs/Pistons final a great series, even though it went 7 games. Here are the scores:

Game 1 - Spurs, 84-69 (15 points)
Game 2 - Spurs, 97-76 (21 points)
Game 3 - Pistons, 96-79 (17 points)
Game 4 - Pistons, 102-71 (31 points)
Game 5 - Spurs, 96-95 (1 point, finally a little drama)
Game 6 - Pistons, 95-86 (9 points)
Game 7 - Spurs, 81-74 (7 points)

The only real drama in that series (other than game 5) was wondering which teams would show up. But with an average margin of 14 points, there was little drama in the actual games themselves.


To lexus.... (see answerer below) re: Gerald Henderson's steal... Magic is not the one who threw the pass.... Magic inbounded the ball to Worthy, and it was Worthy who, rather than get the ball right back to Magic, who was right next to him, attempted a cross court pass to Byron Scott, which Henderson intercepted and scored to tie the game. Get your facts straight.

Answer 3

You already mentioned MJ, which is also my number one.

I like these moments too:

1. John Paxon's 3 pointer with 3 tics left in Phoenix in Game 6 of 1993 finals, to give Bulls their first threepeat

2. MJ's switch hands layup in Game 2 of 1991 NBA finals versus Lakers

3. Robert Horry's gamewinning 3 pointer in overtime of Game 5 of Spurs-Pistons 2005 Finals

4. MJ's barrage of 3 pointers in 1992 Game 1 versus Portland

5. Dwayne Wade's play in Game 5 of 2006 Finals

I could say the 1976 Game 5 triple overtime game between Celtics and Suns, but come on, that was before our time.

Answer 4

Kevin McHale's questionable?? clothesline on Kurt Rambis in Game 4 of the 1984 Finals. That play turned the series around into Boston's favor. The Celtics' Cedric Maxwell later said that before that play, the Lakers were running all over the floor without fear, but after McHale's famous move the Lakers push the button, wait for the signal and look both ways before crossing the street.

Answer 5

Magic's baby hook down the middle over mchale and parish to win game 4 of 87 finals. But since everybodys naming confrence finals game 7 LA vs. Portland 2000 LA's 20 piont comeback and the oop from kobe to Shaq

Answer 6

Game 4 1984 Boston @ LA fakers Magic's Info mas pass to Gerald Henderson back when the lepercan was rocking!

Answer 7

Actually it was in the Western Conference Finals (hope that counts) in 1999. Sean Elliott's Memorial Day Miracle against the Blazers.

Answer 8

game 6 in chicago-portland 1992 finals. in the last three minutes of the game portland is ahead by 10 points. then came jordan, waxing hot, like a wild bull coming out of the fence. the helpless blazers just watches in awe. the chicago offense is very predictable then. its an all michael jordan show. double team and triple teams prove to be unavailing against him then.

going to your choice. yup the '98 finals is the final definition of michael jordan. a star catching up in age. he is in the limelight in his career then. the last couple of seconds of that game for me is a POETRY IN MOTION.

Answer 9

Vllade Divac hitting the ball out to Horry, who makes the game winning 3-pointer.

Answer 10

when Gar Heard of Phoenix hit that long jumper to continue another OT in that triple OT classic against the Celtics... unlike the above poster I am a little older and did watch that series and game...it is generally referred to as the greatest playoff game ever played, and I must say...it was absolutely thrilling, even though I was not a fan of either team...