Hedo Turkoglu’s fall-away three over Paul Pierce to knock off the Celtics was the latest chapter in the book of ridiculous buzzer-beating walk-offs. Hedo got us thinking … What are some of the best game-winners of recent memory? We’re not going to open the archives for Lew Alcindor’s hook in double OT to give the Bucks a ‘chip - it’s too deep in the memory banks, so we’ll keep it to relatively recent games. And, apologies to King Rex, but your one-footed three-pointer against Seattle only tied the game…
* Let’s start with the Nets trailing the Jazz by 115-113 almost one year ago today. On January 29th 2007, VC got a Mikki Moore screen 35-feet from the basket, and pulled up as if he were 15-feet away. After the jumper splashes to the floor, the Jazz color guy sounds so dejected, mumbling “Double-team him. Double-team him.”
* “Jason Richardson wheeling, firing and delivering a three!” On the Warriors, J-Rich goes for 40 and stuns the Mavs 122-121 on a three-pointer off of a spin move at the top of the key. Ridiculous!
* Derek Fisher’s 0.4 second shot to beat the Spurs is made all-the-more remarkable by the two shots that precede it. How does DFish get his entire body from being square to the sideline to facing the basket in time to get the shot off?
* How about KB8’s Sun-deflater in the 2004 playoffs? After sinking it, Kobe gives his Tiger Woods fist-pump while the crowd bellows “MVP”!
* While all five Spurs and four of the Lakers scrapped under the boards for a rebound, the ball kicked out to Robert Horry at the three. It’s worth a couple of watches - notice the ball boy go sprinting out from under the basket to mob Horry with the rest of his squad.
* Back in his Suns days, Starbury knifes through traffic off of a Tim Duncan miss and elevates with two guys in his jersey to bank in a running 21-footer. It doesn’t have the recognition of Horry’s or Fisher’s playoff antics, but it’s an incredible play.
* This Gilbert Buck-breaker is my favorite choice in his extensive body of game-winning work. The walk-away reaction is the icing on the cake.
* “Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! Eddie Johnson scored 31 points off the bench in Game 4 of the ‘97 Western Conference Finals, none bigger than the triple he hit from the top of the key off a dish from Matt Maloney.
* And for good measure, here’s Michael making Craig Ehlo famous…
January 28th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Myrie says:
No mention of Nick Van Exel or Tim Hardaway?
They boys were clutch!
January 28th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Celts Fan says:
I’d say my favorites are:
Pierce beating the Nets last year (with it being a team we HATE and one of like 5 Ws we had all of last year, it has a special place in my homeristic heart!)
Ray Allen beating Charlotte this year on a tipped inbounds. We had no business winning that game.
Horry in the playoffs. Loved the broad shot as you see the entire arena errupting. Still gives me goosebumps watching it, and I don’t give a crap about either team..
MJ - ‘nuf said.
Gil last year (the one where he raises his arms and walks away before it even goes in. gotta love Gilbert!)
David Lee last year - The only time I’ve ever seen that lob-for-the-tip with .1 seconds left ever work.
I watched the entire game yesterday, and when Hedo launched that three, I was ready for OT, …then it dropped. There was nothing you could do but just nod and change the channel. Perfect D by Pierce (and Perk w/ the help.) They forced a long shot, dude just buried it…
January 28th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
flyp says:
Derek Fisher is in more than half these clips. lol.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
jz_smoove says:
How bout Agent Zero sticking it from 35 feet out, turning back with a swagger/sneer cuz he knew it was in before it touched rim? that was AWESOME.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Jon says:
Let me get this straight:
You have Eddie Johnson’s shot in Game 4 of the ‘97 playoffs - a great shot, no doubt - but not Stockton’s 3 at the buzzer in Game 6 of the same series: a shot that sent the Jazz to the NBA Finals for the first time ever.
Seriously, Johnson’s shot was great. But how does winning game 4 compare to winning the series?
I just thought it was kind of weird.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
An says:
Rex Chapman 3 point shot, falling out of bounds in the Playoffs vs. the Suns.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Flo Jo says:
How about Deron Williams going Coast to Coast for the buzzer beating lay-up?
January 28th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Utes fan says:
I’m gonna agree with Jon. Stockton’s shot won the series. Eddie Johnson’s shot just won one game. Where is the clip of Stock’s shot. Also how bout some Reggie clips. Anywhere?
January 28th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
nick says:
how about kobe’s game winner against the pistons in the finals a few yrs back.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Celts Fan says:
how about The TMac game? Don’t know if that was actually a buzzer-beater, but that and the Reggie Miller game are the two craziest endings I’ve ever seen!
January 28th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Christopher Cason says:
That’s the Lakers against the Kings, not Spurs.
January 28th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Eric says:
Andrew,
Don’t mean to hate but Lew Alcindor’s shot won game 5 of that series but it did not win the chip for the Bucks. They ended up loosing that series back in Milwaukee to the Celtics.
Pierce hit an unreal buzzer beater in Washington during to 05-06 season that was quite amazing. Take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoKoZ1MBzEI
January 28th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
celtssincehavelchik says:
How the hell is Big Shot Rob murdering the Kings off of the Vlade tip out not on here!?!?!?
January 28th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Andrew says:
Eric - I stand corrected, thanks for pointing that out. And you’re absolutely right about that Pierce buzzer-beater. We could add another ten links just with the stuff that everyone suggested
January 29th, 2008 at 8:00 am
josh says:
rodney rogers…3 threes in like 10 seconds to give the nuggets the lead…only to be killed at the buzzer by john short shorts…
January 29th, 2008 at 10:29 am
williams says:
That Kobe buzzer beater to put the Lakers up 3-1 on the suns was in 2006 not 2004.