After a lackluster first half by the entire team, the Lakers found their rhythm in the final period of play. Coaches: Doc Rivers and Erik Spoelstra. The result is our all-time NBA Top 100. Coaches: Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich. 1995-96 Chicago Bulls; 2. Coaches: Billy Cunningham and Paul Westhead. Allen Iverson in his prime, Vince Carter leaping over small buildings and Tim Duncan swatting shots like it’s nothing. In overtime, James would score with less than two minutes remaining, putting Miami up 101 to 100. Well, this game was different. 1985-86 Boston Celtics ; 5. Attendance: 19,911 Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California Jordan’s performance in the 1993 NBA Finals completed Chicago’s first three-peat and was also Jordan’s third ring. Trailing by ten, LeBron went ballistic, scoring eleven points within a larger 20-7 Heat run that narrowed the margin and set things up for a hectic contest down the stretch. Mike Gallagher // Jan 20, 2021 NBA, NBA In ... one of the most successful NBA DFS players of all-time, Mike Gallagher, an 8-year veteran of the fantasy basketball space and Andrew Wiggins (Makisupa) one of the highest-stakes DFS professionals. One simple word that is forever etched into the minds of NBA fans across the world. Carlesimo and Paul Westphal, Cotton Fitzsimmons. At this point, league officials began preparing for the trophy ceremony by cordoning off the floor with yellow tape. Following the inspired performance, the Pacers dropped the next two games. And here's the kicker: His 66.9 true … Bullets vs. Supersonics, 1978 . It was the perfect setting for New York’s soon-to-be enemy number one. Teams: Boston Celtics v Los Angeles Lakers To this day, most of the games on this list are celebrated and shared in highlight packages and documentaries so that the newer generations of fans can draw inspiration from the same sources as the groups before them. The long history of the NBA has given us some truly great teams, and within those teams came tremendous starting fives. In response, the Lakers started their star point guard at the center position. Referees: Tim Donaghy; Ron Garretson; Tommy Nuñez, Jr. 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers; 4. Cleveland shut Golden State out for the last 4:39 of the game, including the highlight of the series, a super-human chase-down block by LeBron James on Andre Iguodala with the score tied at 89 apiece. Teams: Los Angeles Lakers v Boston Celtics You can find literally thousands more NBA games via the Google Docs link below, which has best created by Reddit users online. We’ve collated our top 16 in order, but there is a bunch more that you can watch for free via the link at the bottom of the page. Finally, Game 7 was played at Oracle Arena in Oakland for all the marbles. The Argentinian guard whipped the ball back to Horry, who had already developed a reputation as a clutch shot maker, and he sunk the open go-ahead three. Best Matches in NBA: The team of Royals was never been regarded as the most standout ones in the league but with a player like Oscar Robertson in their team, they still have the best defense in the game at that time. There are countless hours worth of footage to get through. Where will the 2019 NBA Finals series rank among the all-time best? The most exceptional regular-season team in NBA history had been beaten, adding to the King’s long legacy. The young Detroit team had blown their chance, and LA would close out Game 7 for their second consecutive title. Forget what you think you know about Reggie Miller. Despite all the commotion, it was discovered that there were still two seconds left on the clock after the final shot. We’ve got you covered. Isiah Thomas continued to play well, eventually ending up with 43 points for the game. Improbably, the shot went in, putting the Spurs up 1, with only fractions of a second left on the clock. Matchup Previews; NBA Draft; Mock Draft; Draft Sleepers; Top 10 Players; Top 50 All-Time; Lineups. The Celtics got a tremendous performance from Kevin McHale, but Bird was limited by an injured shooting hand and the stifling defense of Michael Cooper. Check out ESPN.com's NBA All-Time Leaders page! At this stage in his career, LeBron had not yet won a ring, and it was beginning to look like he never would. Location: The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States All we know is that while it certainly wasn’t COVID-19, even coronavirus would have had a hard time stopping the GOAT from putting on a show. Ray Allen was intentionally fouled in the final seconds, and he hit both free throws to end the game at 103-100. Upon returning to the court and seeing they had to inbound the ball from under their own basket, the Suns called a timeout and were given a technical foul. The Bulls shot only nine free-throws, while the Suns went to the line thirty-one times, of which they hit twenty-two. Most of the following contests took place in the NBA Finals, although some happened in earlier rounds of the playoffs. Before the 1985 NBA Finals, the Lakers had met the Celtics in the championship series on eight other occasions, losing every time. Watch NBA Games - Follow the game, scores and stats for NBA matchups. It’s almost impossible to understand how significant this game was and the lasting impact that the great man had on the game itself. Date: May 2, 1995 You’ll also like: This presented matchup problems for the 76ers early on, and the Lakers got out to an early lead. The Heat went on to win Game 7 and ultimately won the NBA Championship as well. Best playoff record in NBA history (16-1). The Rockets entered Game 6 down three games to two and facing elimination. Venue: The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania These 50 players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. Surprisingly, the Lakers’ superstar Kobe Bryant struggled to find his touch, shooting just 6-of-24 in the closeout game and finishing with 23 points. Thomas scored Detroit’s next fourteen points with an array of jumpers and layups. This is also one of those era conversations; in the early 60s, these guys were playing over 45 minutes per game. 2016-17 Golden State Warriors; 3. With just under twenty seconds to play, the Jazz had possession of the ball and control of their own destiny. Houston combo guard/forward Tracy McGrady absolutely took over, making this not only one of the best NBA games of all time, but one of the best individual performances ever seen. The first of three NBA Finals matchups between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson was as legendary as their rivalry. Allen took a step back to ensure his feet were behind the arc and quickly released the game-tying triple. By the time there were only two minutes left, LeBron’s squad was actually leading the Spurs by three points, 89-86. As he set up to shoot, Olajuwon left his man down on the block and sprinted out towards the three-point line, closing out just in time to get a finger on the ball. Teams: New York Knicks v Indiana Pacers Once you get through those, don’t stress. Man of Many participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we sometimes earn commissions from qualifying purchases. With six seconds remaining, Havlicek once again shot the would-be game-winning basket, putting his side up 111-110. There were late-game heroics, three overtimes, several controversial calls or missed calls, and a near-riot on the court. Through five games, the Spurs took a 3-2 series lead. Coaches: Phil Jackson and Sam Mitchell. The Pistons regained the lead and went into the fourth up 81-79. The Pistons got one more shot off, but it missed. What follows is not only one of the best NBA games of all time, but one of the strangest. Well, good news team, sport definitely does exist and we know exactly where to find it. Teams: Boston Celtics v Miami Heat I mean, Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points per game when he was 25. The Spurs responded with some clutch plays of their own, and after Tony Parker sunk a three and a layup in consecutive plays, they were back in the lead. One of the fiercest battles in NBA history ensued. Still have questions? Spike Lee was sitting courtside at the game and became engaged in some back-and-forth trash talk with Miller throughout the contest. Jordan drove to the basket and brought the Bulls within one on the next position. Relive it in all its glory. We’re now entering week three of essentially no sport (aside from the seemingly unconcerned Belarus football league) and frankly, we’ve had enough. NBA. But as the game progressed, he found his rhythm and began sinking shots. The coach of the Suns, Paul Westphal, also took part in Phoenix’s 1976 triple-overtime finals game versus the Celtics, becoming the first person to be in two such games. Want to know the NBA's top 25 all-time points leaders? By Tyler Worthington | Aug 08, 2020, 8:11am. Seemingly every season gives us a new all-time classic worthy of being considered one of the best. The 2013 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs was a showdown for the ages as the Heat’s Big Three sought out their second title in as many years. He is an 11-time All-Defensive Team selection and led the league in blocked shots four times. Regardless, it wasn’t the big man that almost ended the series; it was Knicks guard John Starks. Coaches: P.J. The Warriors were up by seven at the half, but the Cavaliers brought the “A” games for the second, outscoring the defending champs 51-40. Next, Kyrie Irving showed up huge with an incredibly clutch three-pointer over Steph Curry to put the Cavs up 92-89 with less than a minute to play. In the 2016 regular season, the Warriors may have been the best team to ever compete in the NBA. Teams: Los Angeles Lakers v Toronto Raptors Not the best NBA game of all time, but undoubtedly one of the most significant. Here is a list of the 16 best NBA games of all time, barring anything after 2013 (you can thank Adam Silver for that). Scottie Pippen aggravated a back injury on the first play of the game, which severely limited his athleticism for the rest of the game and caused him a great deal of pain. 1996-97 Chicago Bulls; 6. He only made one free throw, making it a one-possession game. As an Aussie NBA fan who only started watching basketball in 2015, this has really helped me appreciate the accomplishments of those who have come before. His passing and vision are second to none, and the Lakers couldn’t have asked for a better leader on and off the floor. MORE: Bam Adebayo is the best NBA … As you work your way through our list, you’ll notice that most of the games were hotly-contested matchups that weren’t decided until the final moments. After a quick review of the shot, it was confirmed as a three, and the game progressed to overtime. Barkley’s squad would win only one more game in the series, eventually falling in Game 6 as the Bulls completed their three-peat. Game 5 would give one team control of the series, getting them one game away from a trip to the finals. With the help of some pretty crafty Reddit users, we’ve uncovered the best NBA games of all time, but not just a handful. They're series in which two of the best teams in the NBA face off … In Game 5, the Lakers’ superstar center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, severely injured his ankle and was ruled out of the following game. Golden State brought the ball down immediately, without calling a time-out, and drew a mismatch with Kevin Love trying to guard Steph Curry at the top of the arc. Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas As soon as the game concluded, Michael collapsed into Scottie Pippen’s arms, unable to find any more energy to even walk off the court. Miller only scored 14 in the first three quarters combined, but the heckling from Spike seemed to motivate him. Contents. San Antonio won the game 96-95 and would go on to win the championship in seven games. Considered the best point guard of all time, Johnson’s playmaking ability inherently boosted the production of his teammates. Oh, and there’s a little known guy named Michael Jordan that pops up for a few quick buckets. They swept the regular-season series and tied the Bulls for the best record in the NBA, finishing 62-60. Teams: Houston Rockets v San Antonio Spurs In Game 6 of the 1994 NBA finals, he came up against the might of Patrick Ewing in an all-out battle of the talented big-men. Venue: Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Venue: Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon That season, he averaged 31.9 points (11th all-time), 7.1 assists and 5.4 threes (first all-time) per 75 possessions. The series was made up of low-scoring defensive battles. The Lakers’ six-point lead dwindled to three before Ron Artest got the ball in the corner and launched the most spectacular shot of his career, extending the lead back to six. The Pacers came to New York with the series tied 2-2 in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. Before the 1985 NBA Finals, the Lakers had met the Celtics in the championship series on eight other occasions, losing every time. Coaches: Phil Jackson and Larry Brown. Oh no. James Worthy added another 28 points in the win, giving the Lakers their first championship win over the Celtics. He has four spots on my top ten list, and for good reason. But despite his otherwise miserable shooting night, it was not his biggest three of the game. However, he would return with 3:44 left in the quarter, despite being in severe pain. Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Each team has won once, making this the rubber match — assuming they don’t meet up for a fourth time next season. That sample of 66 matchups is small, but if the regular season is any indication, Adebayo and Miami could shock the world in the second round. New to betting on sports? The yellow tape and trophy would have to be packed up and saved for another day. The NBA playoffs have created some of the most incredible athletic performances the world of sports has ever seen. Venue: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida Early in the third quarter, the Pistons found themselves trailing by eight points, 56-48. The other thing with the Royals was their inconsistency and that was something which cost them most of the playoff matches even whilst performing well in the group stages. James’ Miami Heat entered Game 6 down 3-2 in the series and under enormous pressure to stop the Boston Celtics from bouncing him from the playoffs once again. We go back to the 80s and had Magic Johnson’s Lakers, or we go to the late 2000s and see the Celtics and their big three. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Lakers tied the game at 61 on a Ron Artest three-pointer and went on to take the lead. Barkley finished the game with 24 points, 19 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Dan Majerle led all Phoenix scorers with 28 points of his own. Date: June 22, 1994 In the final game, he shot just 12 for 29, a poor performance for Larry Legend. 2017 Golden State Warriors vs. 1972 Los Angeles Lakers. 1996-2016: 25.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 172.7 Win Shares, 1-time MVP, 15-time All-NBA, 5-time champion The final two of those titles cemented Bryant in this top … Stockton responded by hitting a clutch three-pointer, giving Utah an 86-83 lead with just over forty seconds to play. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, resulting in an all-time NBA Top 100. Best matchups aren't necessarily the most entertaining or greatest series of all time. While this list of fifteen games is undoubtedly a collection of some of the greatest games in NBA history, there are many more that were worthy of inclusion. His shot fell short but was rebounded by Chris Bosh, who then kicked the ball out to Ray Allen in the corner. Down only two now, the Heat fouled Kawhi Leonard immediately, sending him to the line. Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California Was it the flu? When all was said and done, he finished with 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. Coaches: Jeff Van Gundy and Gregg Popovich. He was a four-time MVP, two-time NBA champion, and a seven-time scoring champ. Find the top 2020-2021 NBA Matchups betting previews & odds for opening game odds, closing lines, betting trends, ATS results and more for pro basketball. The franchise won their sixteenth championship while Kobe won his fifth and Phil Jackson won his eleventh. He received the pass, turned, and shot, sinking the shot and winning the game right at the buzzer. The Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz met up in the finals for the second year in a row in 1998.