The National Basketball Association (aka NBA) playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament annually held after the NBA's regular season to determine the league's champion. With the 2018 playoffs currently on, we decided it’s the perfect time to revisit some of the greatest
NBA Playoff moments in history.
Michael Jordan’s last shot with the Bulls
Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals played between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz. With the game on the line, both teams knew the ball would end up in Michael Jordan’s hands.
The Jazz’s best perimeter defender, Byron Russell had the daunting task of trying to stop the league’s greatest player. With the clock dwindling down, Jordan crossed over Russell and hit a 20-foot jump shot to give the Bulls an 87-86 lead with 5.2 seconds left. The clutch shot gave the Bulls an 87-86 victory and their 6th championship in 8 years.
With that shot, that performance, Jordan collected his sixth Finals Most Valuable Player award before riding off into the sunset.
Willis Reed inspires Knicks victory
Game 7 of the 1970 Finals between Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, Willis Reed defined 'playing hurt'. After tearing a thigh muscle in Game 5, Reed sat out during the Knicks’ Game 6 loss. But he returned to the floor for Game 7 still injured. And though he scored only four points on 2-of-5 shooting, Reed two jump shots and boosts his teammates' confidence and performance for their first NBA championship. The Knicks won the game 113-99, earning New York its first ever NBA title.
Explore
Betway South Africa's basketball markets and start betting on the NBA Playoffs today.
Magic Johnson Starts at Center
When news broke that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wasn’t playing in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, many assumed that the Philadelphia 76ers would be able to win the title with relative ease. Abdul-Jabbar was dominant as he averaged 33 points, 14 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game in the series. You can’t replace that kind of production but Magic Johnson, a rookie, did even better.
He started at centre, where he lost the opening tip to Caldwell Jones. He pretty much won everything else that night, dropping 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block. The sight of Magic Johnson lining up for the opening tip of the game is one of the most incredible sights in NBA Finals history, and his stat-sheet-stuffing performance was his coming-out party. He didn’t just win a championship that day; he started a legacy.
The greatest shot in finals history
Dave DeBusschere shot remains one of the greatest shots in Finals history. Game 3 in the 1970 NBA Finals between Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks.
Dave DeBusschere hit a shot to give the New York Knicks the lead with three seconds left in the game. Wilt Chamberlain inbounded the ball to West who heaved a shot from the three-quarter court that swished in. This shot was a three-point line, so it only tied the game, which went into overtime, where the Lakers lost the game and the series.
Reggie Miller 8 points in 9 seconds
Aside from voluminous three-point shooting, nothing defined Reggie Miller's career quite like his tormenting of the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals. The Knicks appeared to have the result wrapped up with the Pacers needing to make up a six-point deficit in the final 18.7 seconds to win the game and all. But Miller hit one three off an inbounds pass to cut the Knicks' lead in half. Then he stole the ball from New York, stepped behind the three-point line and buried another to pull the Pacers even.
After a pair of missed free throws by John Starks, Miller grabbed the rebound from a 10-foot clanker by Patrick Ewing and drew a foul, much to the dismay of the crowd at Madison Square Garden. Reggie stepped to the line and knocked down both shots, but not before taunting all those in attendance. Miller finished with 31 points, and Indiana Pacers went on to win the series in seven games.
Can you guess what sport has record-breaking numbers that make it reign supreme? Click
here to find out.
For all the latest sports news, betting tips and promotions, follow
Betway on
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram,
Google+ and
YouTube.
Download the Betway App.