Michael Jordan - 1989 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 5 VS. LeBron James - 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 2 In the battle of #23s, the original is still the best. While both buzzer beaters were the first of their respective playoff careers, LeBron’s high-arcing, bring-down-the-packed-Q three-pointer does not compare to the iconic shot by MJ that launched him to mythical proportions. Despite the requisite drama (one second remaining, a hushed Cleveland crowd staring at a imposing 0-2 series deficit with the series shifting to Orlando) and a joyous and raucous celebration (to be fair, most playoff walk-off shots are) Bron’s shot loses points in our book because Orlando went on to take the series. Not even close in our opinion: MJ in a first round cakewalk.
Alonzo Mourning - 1993 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 5 VS. John Stockton - 1997 Western Conference Finals, Game 6 It’s rather ironic that the most famous moment from the man who owns the
most career assists in the NBA would be an unassisted [Ed note: we tried to
fact-check this but couldn’t verify. In our estimation, it’s unassisted.]
three-pointer. A series-ending one, to boot. Not to be outdone, a center
more known for his snarling defense around the basket makes the cut with an
uncharacteristic 20-foot J to dispatch of the Celtics and propel the nascent
Hornets to their first-ever playoff series win. This was probably the
toughest call in the first round: taking nothing away from Stock’s
cold-as-ice trey, but the image of Zo on the floor with his arms
outstretched after the shot fell through the net remains fresh in our minds
even after 17 years.
Ralph Sampson - 1986 Western Conference Semifinals, Game 5 VS. Robert Horry - 2002 Western Conference Finals, Game 4 This was before tenths of seconds on NBA game clocks and backboards that light up red upon their expiration, but there was no doubt Ralph Sampson beat the buzzer. The inbounds play was designed for the 7-4 forward (yes, 7-4 forward) to catch-and-quickly-shoot [Ed note: as crazy as it may sound now, but at the time, it was close to 50/50 as to who the best Rocket big man was between Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon] the entry pass. Sampson’s buttery touch found the bottom of the net to untie the game, denying the world a third consecutive battle between the Lakers and the Celtics. Big Shot Rob’s most famous clutch moment (that in itself says a lot) needs little description. In most unlikely fashion Horry winds up with the ball and lines up a straight-away three that becomes one of the most famous shots in NBA history—certainly one good enough to make it to the next round.
Derek Fisher - 2004 Western Conference Semifinals, Game 5 VS. Kobe Bryant - 2006 Western Conference First Round, Game 4 In a matchup between two longtime teammates and ’96 draftmates, we pit a tactician against a wily vet whose game is more heart and guile. Kobe calculatedly measures up the entire moment leading up to the big shot—coolly bringing the ball up after the jumpball, measuring up the defense, syncing the game clock to his internal clock, getting to his favorite spot (right elbow), rising up, release, follow-through and celebration, like the countless time he’d practiced it. Even the fans see it coming. Fisher’s game-winner was all about playing off the Kobe threat on the inbounds, catching and heaving a lefty stroke with Manu Ginobili pasted all over him and then running off the court in disbelief at the turn of events, all in 0.4 seconds. In what might be the only time that Fisher ever bests Kobe in a basketball accomplishment, we’re going with the more improbable of the two.
Round 2
Michael Jordan VS. Alonzo Mourning As pleasing as it was to witness the fifth-year Hornets metaphorically usher in a new era against a past-its-prime Celtics team with a series-ending shot, there is no way that giddy feel-goodness trumps the indelible image any NBA fan has seared into their memories: MJ taking the inbounds, taking two dribbles to the left, jumping, hanging, release, jumping fist pump (even after all these years it looks as if Jordan kicks an exasperated Craig Ehlo out of the picture), followed by three more fist pumps, Brad Sellers embracing him (Seller’s finest NBA moment)—it’s a play that would live on even without YouTube.
Robert Horry VS. Derek Fisher For all the big stars and retired-numbered legends that have donned Laker purple-and-gold, two of their most remembered shots are by role players Fisher and Horry. The D-Fish shot was the most dependant on good fortune of all the shots in Brack-It. With 0.4 seconds to make happen, even Fisher would be the first to admit it as such. Horry’s bomb cemented his status as Big Shot Rob, it turned around a series (the Lakers would’ve trailed 3-1 in the series had it not fell through) and effectively ended the hot rivalry at the time between the Kings and Lakers. Horry moves on to face MJ.
Round 3 - Finals
Michael Jordan VS. Robert Horry As easy as it may seem to lavish superlatives onto the Jordan shot, aka known as “The Shot,” we’re beginning to run out of them. While it was clearly a defining playoff moment for Jordan, paving the way for countless other postseason memories, it was quickly squashed by a 4-2 thrashing by the eventual champion Pistons in the semis, where MJ was physically and psychologically beaten down. Now we’re not even remotely suggesting that Horry was a better player than the newly minted Bobcats owner (even though Horry one-ups Jordan in the ring department), but as walk-off buzzer beaters go (the Lakers also went on to win the title in ’02) the Horry bomb was one for the ages. While many in Richfield Coliseum (admit it Cavs fans, you knew MJ wasn’t going to miss) and the rest of the NBA world predicted the outcome as soon as MJ got his mitts on the ball, no one in their right mind could’ve foreseen Horry—keep in mind, the play started out with Kobe clanging a short runner, followed by Shaq doinking a gimmie, then what seemed like an eternity passing when Vlade Divac taps the ball out to a waiting Horry [Ed note: what was he even doing out there? Shouldn’t he have been crashing the boards?]—draining the trey to win it all. Isn’t that what every buzzer beater needs? The unexpected turn of events, much like Horry besting Jordan.
Brack-It
