most clutch shots in nba playoff history
But the poor free throw shooting and the (for now!) He's done it by hitting 3s, runners, off-balance jumpers, drives to the cup, you name it. 6. Dirk Nowitzki "Dame Time" has been alive and well for years and the big moments are the spots where Lillard routinely rises to the occasion. The 15 Most Clutch NBA Players of All Time; The 15 Most Clutch NBA Players of All Time. In the 1965 Playoffs, the Boston Celtics, led by Bill Russell were inbounding the ball and turned it over. The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder have their fair … A 5 time champion and 2 time NBA Finals MVP, Kobe has hit more game winning shots than one can even count his two fingers – just look him up on Youtube under “Kobe clutch shots” and you will be hooked for hours. It's wild to think how much different we'd view the legacy of LeBron James had Ray Allen not sank the clutch 3-pointer from the corner to force overtime in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. The 34-year-old point guard has been the NBA's top clutch-time scorer this season and with one more made 3, would be a 50-40-90 player in the final five minutes and score within five. So there’s no doubting James’s history of knocking down big playoff shots. Is it in the final five minutes and score within five? NBA Power Rankings: The most clutch players in the NBA. ... LeBron is 7-15 on go-ahead shots in the final five seconds of playoff games compared to a 5-11 mark for Jordan. Beyond that shot, there are others: the Christmas dagger against the Warriors and the OT-forcing 3 against the Spurs come to mind. When the Raptors were starving for offence from anyone outside of Leonard against the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors, it was Lowry who repeatedly showed the confidence to take and make big plays with no hesitation. Image via Complex Original. In fact, he's among the game's elite free throw shooters in big spots. Upon first glance, it seems ridiculous to suggest that the player in the midst of one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history isn't one of the top 10 players you'd most want down the stretch of a tight game. Booker’s clutch shot marked just the sixth buzzer-beater to win a game this season. (NBA Getty Images) https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/7f/0/giannis-antetokounmpo-vs-76ers-in-2019_1w2nape49jk2c1g5k3csus3y2v.jpeg?t=-540040560&w=500&quality=80. Simply put, the body of work just isn't there yet. It will never be settled. ... No matter the chatter surrounding Irving, he still hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA Finals history. From "The Shot" (1989 Eastern Conference first round) to "The Push-off" (Game 6, 2007 NBA Finals), there was no more lethal late-game shot-maker in hoops history. https://clutchpoints.com/the-greatest-shots-in-nba-playoff-history-ranked He's capable of complete dominance on both ends of the floor in huge moments. The debate over who are the league's most clutch players is one that will seemingly never be settled. There aren't many players who command double and even triple teams when crossing half court. That’s why shots in the clutch moments of the playoffs are the most important, most memorable, and most celebrated. On arguably the most talented team ever assembled, it was Durant who hit the biggest shots. Clutch shot percentage:.419* (49 of 117) As the Warriors play to challenge the 95-96 Bulls in 15-16, Curry has taken a larger role and is leading the NBA … Leonard sank a game-winning, series-clinching shot against the … 10. Ditto for Houston's comeback against the LA Clippers in 2015 when Harden was essentially benched. With less than a minute left in Game 7 in 2016 at the Oracle, Irving pulled up from the right wing and, bang, put the Cavs up 3. Each week we'll take a different approach to sorting through the best of the best. These are in chronological order and only include the postseason. For the 2016 NBA Finals, James led the Cleveland Cavaliers in points (30), rebounds (11), assists (nine), steals (three), and blocks (two). A 5 time champion and 2 time NBA Finals MVP, Kobe has hit more game winning shots than one can even count his two fingers – just look him up on Youtube under “Kobe clutch shots” and you will be hooked for hours. lack of a reliable jump shot are real detriments. Did you know that in the annual GM survey released at the start of this season, Curry received four times as many votes as any other player for the question "which player would you want taking a shot with the game on the line? But is he going to be out there guarding the likes of Harden and Lillard and Leonard and Paul and Curry and Irving and all of those perimeter players who run everything for their teams? Clutch WPA: 1.55. Kobe Bryant. He's near automatic from the free throw line and on the other end of the floor, is tied for the league lead in clutch-time steals. And it's not just about the four-bounce dagger against the 76ers. Greatest shots in NBA playoff history. Nobody can stop Durant from pulling up wherever he wants and he's a skilled enough passer and defender to warrant claim as far more than merely a clutch-time scoring assassin. Kawhi Leonard authored most of the big moments (more on him later), but one of the resounding themes to emerge from the Toronto Raptors run to the 2019 NBA title was Lowry's emergence as this generation's Chauncey Billups. And you know what ... maybe it is ridiculous. Ditto for the elimination game against a Kawhi-less San Antonio Spurs. Just as the Detroit Pistons once rode the steady hand, timely shot making and gritty hustle of "Mr. Big Shot" for an entire generation, the Raptors have done the same with Lowry, who is now the only player to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team each of the last six seasons and as he showed down the stretch of the 2020 All-Star Game, remains one of the NBA's toughest competitors. He's a strong and varied scorer capable of navigating double teams and getting to his spots. In the clutch, James specializes in making the right basketball play. Until there are some moments to shine in the postseason, he doesn't crack the top 10. As has Eric Bledsoe. Ranking 10 Most Clutch Players in NBA History ... One of the NBA’s all-time craziest made shots came from Miller when he sank a game-tying turnaround … Clutch ... it's a convoluted and complex concept. Kyrie Irving. His shots to tie games, take leads, or win games in crunch time (last 5 mins of a game) are trending up. He also holds the most playoff buzzer beaters, surpassing Jordan. Is it the player who can hit shots AND guard the other team's best player? His pull-up midrange jumpers have become the league's most unstoppable shot and he can do it from either side of the court, going in either direction. These 10 games are the best NBA moments ever! Before it's all said and done, Curry will go down as one of the most clutch shooters in NBA history. As the Warriors play to challenge the 95-96 Bulls in 15-16, Curry has taken a larger role and is leading the NBA … How big of a role does free throw shooting play? ), but it's where clutch happens, too. He was 9-18 in the final 24 seconds and 5-11 in the final 10 seconds. It's about RIGHT NOW. All stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference unless … Kobe, the modern day MJ, is undoubtedly the most iconic clutch player of the 21st century. Not even once. During the NBA Finals, ... James also has five playoff buzzer-beaters, which is the most in NBA history. Or are we just talking about the most intense moments, the one score game in the waning seconds? There's a reason that Khris Middleton has taken more game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 30 seconds dating back to the start of last season. The pull-up go-ahead 3-pointer over LeBron James to win Game 3 of the 2017 Finals was perhaps the crowning achievement of Durant's career, the symbolic shot which ultimately led to his first elusive championship. The Lakers had swept through the playoffs and seemed unstoppable. The league average is 28.3 percent on those shots. Ditto for some less-than-inspiring late series performances against the Golden State Warriors. ...and then we get to Kobe Bryant. With less than a minute left in Game 7 in 2016 at the Oracle, Irving pulled up from the right wing and, bang, put the Cavs up 3. For the purposes of this discussion, I'm assuming everyone is at full health. One other big name noticeably absent? ... LeBron is 7-15 on go-ahead shots in the final five seconds of playoff games compared to a 5-11 mark for Jordan. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year hit one of the biggest shots in playoff history during the 2019 postseason. This is not being a prisoner of the moment. Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has proven to be one of the most clutch players in the history of the NBA. And Brook Lopez. Paul's made an entire career of snaking through high pick-and-rolls to bury one pull-up jumper after another for what's become among the NBA's signature shots. Some big names didn't make the top 10. 9 Most Clutch Shooters in NBA History. Let’s also not forget the other end, where he was the postseason blocked shots leader no fewer than a half-dozen times, the last at 40 years of age. Not once in his entire career has he shot over 80% from the charity stripe in clutch situations over a single season and he's been under 70% in three of the last four seasons. Embiid remains a one-man wrecking crew and is the only big man inside our top 10. Jordan had 25 game winning shots in his NBA career with plenty of buzzer beaters and highlight dunks to go along. So far this season, Embiid is a sizzling 35-38 on free throws in the final five minutes and score within five. In terms of actually swinging a championship series, there's a real case to be made that it's the single biggest shot in NBA history. Oh, and unlike some other bigs, he's not a liability at the foul line. 10. He hit clutch shot after clutch shot earlier this season in his Brooklyn Nets debut while dropping 50 points, a game that feels like an eternity ago. Toss in his iconic block on Andre Iguodala down the stretch of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, and it's clear his all-around brilliance manifests itself in a myriad of ways. No matter the chatter surrounding Irving, he still hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA Finals history. But give credit where it's due! As one of the best passers in the history of the sport, James is all about making the best play, even if it means passing up a contested shot for a wide open look by a teammate. Here is a look at the five most clutch shots in NBA Finals history. The 2012 NBA Finals is in full swing and we couldn't have asked for a better match-up. Probably not. Ranking 10 Most Clutch Players in NBA History ... NBA’s all-time craziest made shots came from Miller when he sank a game-tying turnaround … While he's getting markedly better as a passer as well, he's also not yet at the point where you'd necessarily feel comfortable just giving him the ball and letting him make the right read. Apr 15, 2011. His playoff run with the Mavs in 2011 is truly the stuff of legend. That is why shots in the playoff clutch moments are the most important, memorable, and most celebrated. In honor of the historic day, we decided to put together the top 10 most-clutch shots from Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. But again ... prove it. Lebron James, statistically is the most clutch player and has been the most clutch player for most of his career, despite the popular misconception that he isn’t. In Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs in 2015, the Warriors trailed the New Orleans Pelicans by 15 points with less than five minutes remaining. He may still be searching for something and there remains a mysterious cloud over how Durant perceives his place in the game, but there's no denying his brilliance in big moments. 9. Through the course of his career, Nowitzki had 19 shots that proved to be the difference between loss and victory. The L's postseason tourney is a rite of spring, and as the weather heats up, so does the spotlight. Which also limits some of his defensive impact. If your life depended on it, there might not be a single player you'd rather have for locking down the other team's best player, either. So there’s no doubting James’s history of knocking down big playoff shots. 3-time NBA champion and LA Lakers star forward LeBron James is the all-time leader in postseason buzzer-beaters, with 5 shots. Well played, Kobe, well played. ... LeBron is 7-15 on go-ahead shots in the final five seconds of playoff games compared to a 5-11 mark for Jordan. Share This Story. ... he still hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA Finals history. -The 76ers didn't win the NBA Finals. By Complex. Tim Duncan, Power Forward-Center. ", * Also receiving votes: Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, LeBron James. Kevin Durant winning some Finals MVPs and Curry's inability to come up at the end of Game 7 in the 2016 Finals has thrown some water on what should be an ironclad case as one of the preeminent closers. So Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson ... you're all back in the game! Dwyane Wade. That's a testament to an all-time make and the best clutch shot in recent playoff history. The biggest? Perhaps. He's also routinely set teammates up for success. NBA Power Rankings: The most clutch players in the NBA. Paul George knows why Lillard is this high. Kobe, the modern day MJ, is undoubtedly the most iconic clutch player of the 21st century. Only two players in NBA history have hit multiple walk-off series-clinching shots with no time left on the clock: Damian Lillard. 1. The NBA Playoffs—it's where amazing happens (used by permission of the commissioner! Because he remains the most gifted one-on-one scorer in the entire league and one of the most offensively talented players in NBA history. However, this shot is one of the most iconic shots and one of the most clutch shots in NBA Finals history without question. Ditto for the first-round loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2014, in which he shot 2-14 in the final two minutes of games with the score within three points. No player made more game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final minute last season than Leonard. The NBA’s all-time leader in assists and steals, Stockton was also one of the deadliest shooters in NBA history (his 60.8 true shooting percentage is 15th best in NBA history). Is it simply the best one-on-one player? Maybe I'm wrong. Examining the championship contenders, teams in the hunt and potential playoff surprises, Title contenders, pretenders & playoff surprises, Paul George changes stance on Damian Lillard's iconic game-winner from 2019 NBA Playoffs, PG changes stance on Lillard's iconic game-winner, Brooklyn Nets announce signing of six-time All-Star Blake Griffin, Cleveland to play host NBA All-Star Weekend in 2022, Your default site has been set for 7 days, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/7f/0/giannis-antetokounmpo-vs-76ers-in-2019_1w2nape49jk2c1g5k3csus3y2v.jpeg?t=-540040560&w=500&quality=80, a real case to be made that it's the single biggest shot in NBA history, clutch shot after clutch shot earlier this season in his Brooklyn Nets debut, In fact, he's among the game's elite free throw shooters in big spots, Curry received four times as many votes as any other player, No player made more game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final minute last season than Leonard. His shots to tie games, take leads, or win games in crunch time (last 5 mins of a game) are trending up. ... West would eventually win a title in 1972 after hitting clutch shots down the stretch of the season, carrying the Lakers to a title. 9. NBA Power Rankings: The most clutch players in the NBA. Career: 1997-2016 (19 seasons) Team: San Antonio Spurs. ... meaningful playoff games and shots with the game on the line. No one could stop them. And let's be honest, regardless of what transpires on the hardwood, the raging debate over who are the league's most clutch players carries on year after year.