By ADAM KELLMAN
Fans of basketball have witnessed some crazy, heartbreaking, joyous, and overall memorable moments throughout the history of the NBA. There have been so many over the years that it’s practically impossible to list them all.
Starting off is the 2019 Eastern conference semifinals featuring the Milwaukee Bucks at the Toronto Raptors in a win or go home game. These two teams were as matched up as you could expect in this type of series, and it went down to the wire. 76ers guard Jimmy Butler drove down to the basket and put up a tough layup to tie the game at 90 points. With only 4 seconds to go, the Raptors needed a bucket to end the game, or else it would go into overtime.
Raptors star forward Kawhi Leonard inbounded the ball and took it all the way to the corner next to the Raptors bench, where he heaved up a shot just as the game clock expired. The ball took four bounces on the rim before rolling in as fans went berserk, and sent the Sixers home with the score displaying 92-90. Sophomore Cooper Wright explained “It was the difference between elimination or moving on where that shot alone changed the outcome of the whole NBA championship that year.” This shot will certainly go down as one of the craziest and most suspenseful shots that fans have ever witnessed.
Next, is the game between the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors, also in 2019. At the end of this game, the Heat were down 125-123, and needed either a bucket to send the game into overtime, or a three-pointer to win it. Heat guard Dwayne Wade brought the ball down the court with less than 10 seconds to go. The clock ran down to 2.5 seconds where Dwayne Wade took a three-point shot that was blocked by Warriors Center Willie-Cauley-Stein. Dwayne Wade somehow grabbed the ball after it was blocked, and got himself behind the three-point arc. After that, he heaved the ball with about .2 seconds left in the game to win it 126-125.
This moment will probably be seen as the most resilient game-winning shots in NBA history, and a memorable way for Dwayne Wade to end his career off with this season being his last before retiring.
Last but not least, is the 2013 finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs in game 6. The Heat were down in the series 3-2, and they needed to put together one final spark to bring them back to San Antonio for a game 7. With less than 20 seconds to go, as well as being down 95-92, Heat forward Lebron James put up a three-pointer that he missed, and Chris Bosh rebounded the ball where he passed it to Heat guard Ray Allen. Allen got himself back behind the three-point line just in time to put a shot that tied the game at 95.
The game went to overtime, and the Heat ended up pulling ahead to force a game 7. Senior Jack Donlon claimed “I remember watching that game live on TV and the shot. It still to this day is the most clutch shot I have ever seen in my life. It helped the Miami Heat team win the championship that year, and boosted Lebron James into the GOAT conversion.” For this Heat team to be behind and fighting back a good portion of the game, this shot by Ray Allen defined the heart and determination that this talented team displayed.
Iconic NBA moments and shots such as these have dropped millions of jaws on the faces of sports enthusiasts, and shocked more than just lovers of the sport.