Top 10 Greatest NBA Finals Moments

With 5.2 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, Utah Jazz leading by one, Michael Jordan drove past Bryon Russell — after an off-ball push that was not called — pulled up at the free-throw line extended, and hit a 20-foot jumper to give Chicago a 87-86 lead. The Bulls won the championship moments later. Jordan held the pose — arm extended, wrist cocked — staring at the ball as it went through the net, fully aware he had just won his sixth championship. The freeze-frame image became one of the most iconic in sports history.

In Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, 20-year-old rookie Magic Johnson replaced the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center and scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, added 7 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block — playing all five positions during the game as needed. Philadelphia was favored; Magic was a point guard; logic said LA would lose. Magic scored on dunks, hooks, jumpers, and layups, adapting to every defensive scheme the 76ers threw at him. The Lakers won 123-107. Magic was named Finals MVP. "Showtime" was officially born.

On June 11, 1997, Michael Jordan played Game 5 of the NBA Finals against Utah with a 103-degree fever — possibly food poisoning from a late-night pizza delivery, per his trainers. He could barely stand before tip-off. He scored 38 points, hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 25 seconds left, and collapsed into Scottie Pippen's arms at the final buzzer. Chicago won 90-88 and took a 3-2 series lead they would not relinquish. The image of Jordan being helped off the court by Pippen, having given everything his body had, is one of sports' defining photographs of will over circumstance.

With 5.2 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals and San Antonio leading Miami 95-92, the Spurs were celebrating on their bench. LeBron James hit a three to make it 95-95. Dwyane Wade grabbed an offensive rebound off Chris Bosh's missed corner three and found Ray Allen in the corner — who stepped back, found the three-point line with his feet, and hit the biggest shot in Miami Heat history to force overtime. Miami won in overtime, then won Game 7. Allen later revealed he had deliberately practiced stepping back to the corner from that exact position for years. Preparation met moment.

Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals between Boston and Los Angeles went to overtime in one of the tightest championship games ever played. Bill Russell, exhausted after six games against Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, produced a defensive effort of such intensity that the Lakers — who had led by two in the final seconds of regulation — could not score when it mattered. Boston won 110-107 in overtime, their fourth consecutive championship. Russell's 30 rebounds in the game remain one of the most physically dominant defensive performances in Finals history.

With 14 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals and Chicago trailing Utah by one, Karl Malone received the ball in the post — and Scottie Pippen stripped it from him. The whole arena went silent. Jordan received the ball and — not Jordan, not Pippen — Steve Kerr hit the championship-winning jumper off Jordan's pass with 5 seconds left. Chicago won 90-86. "I told Scottie not to give me the ball because I wasn't open," Kerr said afterward. "I told him to find me in the corner." The steal set up the championship. Pippen, not Jordan, made the play.

With the Detroit Pistons leading Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals by one and inbounding the ball under their own basket with five seconds left, Isiah Thomas lazily lobbed the pass — and Larry Bird materialized, stole it, turned, and found Dennis Johnson cutting backdoor for the layup that won the game. The steal-to-assist took less than one second. The Celtics won the series 4-3 and advanced to the Finals. Thomas, asked about the play later, said simply: "I was being stupid." Bird's anticipation was so perfect it appeared supernatural.

With 38 seconds remaining and Dallas trailing Miami by three in Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals, Dirk Nowitzki received a pass on the left block, was fouled, and made both free throws. Dallas trailed by one. Then, with 5 seconds left, Nowitzki drove baseline, changed hands mid-air switching from right to left to avoid LeBron James, and flipped in a left-handed finger roll to tie the game. Dallas then defended the final seconds and won in overtime. The finger roll — invented in a single improvised moment — showed Nowitzki's basketball genius and broke Miami's aura of invincibility.

Kevin Durant, playing his first NBA Finals game after leaving Oklahoma City under enormous scrutiny, hit a go-ahead pull-up three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining in Game 3 over LeBron James to give Golden State a lead they would protect. Durant finished with 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 2-of-4 from three. Golden State took a 3-0 lead and won the championship four games later. Durant was named Finals MVP, silencing — temporarily — the critics who said his Warriors ring would not count.

With 5.2 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, Utah Jazz leading by one, Michael Jordan drove past Bryon Russell — after an off-ball push that was not called — pulled up at the free-throw line extended, and hit a 20-foot jumper to give Chicago a 87-86 lead. The Bulls won the championship moments later. Jordan held the pose — arm extended, wrist cocked — staring at the ball as it went through the net, fully aware he had just won his sixth championship. The freeze-frame image became one of the most iconic in sports history.

In Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, 20-year-old rookie Magic Johnson replaced the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center and scored 42 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, added 7 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block — playing all five positions during the game as needed. Philadelphia was favored; Magic was a point guard; logic said LA would lose. Magic scored on dunks, hooks, jumpers, and layups, adapting to every defensive scheme the 76ers threw at him. The Lakers won 123-107. Magic was named Finals MVP. "Showtime" was officially born.

On June 11, 1997, Michael Jordan played Game 5 of the NBA Finals against Utah with a 103-degree fever — possibly food poisoning from a late-night pizza delivery, per his trainers. He could barely stand before tip-off. He scored 38 points, hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 25 seconds left, and collapsed into Scottie Pippen's arms at the final buzzer. Chicago won 90-88 and took a 3-2 series lead they would not relinquish. The image of Jordan being helped off the court by Pippen, having given everything his body had, is one of sports' defining photographs of will over circumstance.

With 5.2 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals and San Antonio leading Miami 95-92, the Spurs were celebrating on their bench. LeBron James hit a three to make it 95-95. Dwyane Wade grabbed an offensive rebound off Chris Bosh's missed corner three and found Ray Allen in the corner — who stepped back, found the three-point line with his feet, and hit the biggest shot in Miami Heat history to force overtime. Miami won in overtime, then won Game 7. Allen later revealed he had deliberately practiced stepping back to the corner from that exact position for years. Preparation met moment.

Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals between Boston and Los Angeles went to overtime in one of the tightest championship games ever played. Bill Russell, exhausted after six games against Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, produced a defensive effort of such intensity that the Lakers — who had led by two in the final seconds of regulation — could not score when it mattered. Boston won 110-107 in overtime, their fourth consecutive championship. Russell's 30 rebounds in the game remain one of the most physically dominant defensive performances in Finals history.

With 14 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals and Chicago trailing Utah by one, Karl Malone received the ball in the post — and Scottie Pippen stripped it from him. The whole arena went silent. Jordan received the ball and — not Jordan, not Pippen — Steve Kerr hit the championship-winning jumper off Jordan's pass with 5 seconds left. Chicago won 90-86. "I told Scottie not to give me the ball because I wasn't open," Kerr said afterward. "I told him to find me in the corner." The steal set up the championship. Pippen, not Jordan, made the play.

With the Detroit Pistons leading Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals by one and inbounding the ball under their own basket with five seconds left, Isiah Thomas lazily lobbed the pass — and Larry Bird materialized, stole it, turned, and found Dennis Johnson cutting backdoor for the layup that won the game. The steal-to-assist took less than one second. The Celtics won the series 4-3 and advanced to the Finals. Thomas, asked about the play later, said simply: "I was being stupid." Bird's anticipation was so perfect it appeared supernatural.

With 38 seconds remaining and Dallas trailing Miami by three in Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals, Dirk Nowitzki received a pass on the left block, was fouled, and made both free throws. Dallas trailed by one. Then, with 5 seconds left, Nowitzki drove baseline, changed hands mid-air switching from right to left to avoid LeBron James, and flipped in a left-handed finger roll to tie the game. Dallas then defended the final seconds and won in overtime. The finger roll — invented in a single improvised moment — showed Nowitzki's basketball genius and broke Miami's aura of invincibility.

Kevin Durant, playing his first NBA Finals game after leaving Oklahoma City under enormous scrutiny, hit a go-ahead pull-up three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining in Game 3 over LeBron James to give Golden State a lead they would protect. Durant finished with 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 2-of-4 from three. Golden State took a 3-0 lead and won the championship four games later. Durant was named Finals MVP, silencing — temporarily — the critics who said his Warriors ring would not count.