5 Guys You Want Suiting Up In A Game 7
Clutch is a word that defines certain players. Robert Horry averaged just seven points per game in his career, yet will go down in history as “Big Shot Bob” owing to his penchant for nailing shots when it mattered most. Reggie Miller never won a championship ring, yet his clutch shooting performances in the playoffs (especially against the Knicks) will be remembered forever.
With Game 7 tonight, I present the most clutch lineup in the NBA today. These are the guys you would trust with the ball in their hands down the stretch tomorrow night:
PG – Steve Nash
While Chauncey Billups a.k.a. “Mr. Big Shot” has the better playoff pedigree with an NBA Championship and NBA Finals MVP under his belt, it is hard not to go with Nash. He was amazing in these playoffs, and almost single-handedly led the Suns back in Game 5 against the Lakers which they eventually lost. He is the best point guard in the League, and proved in these playoffs that he is clutch with averages of 17.8 points and 10.1 assists per game.
SG – Dwyane Wade
Wade is one of the best finishers in NBA history. He won the NBA Finals MVP in 2006, and is money down the stretch. He was basically playing against the Celtics on his own in this year’s first round. He staved off a sweep with his incredible combination of skill and will, putting up 31 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds in the W.
SF – Kobe Bryant
You don’t get the nickname “The Closer” for nothing. Kobe is an unstoppable force down the stretch, even with defenses hounding him in every fourth quarter. He hits impossible shot after impossible shot, and if anyone had any doubts about his clutch play they need look no further than his Game 6 performance against Phoenix to see why he is still on this list.
PF – Tim Duncan
While some people (including many in the Dime office) say Duncan shouldn’t be on this list, I beg to differ. Duncan has led his team to four NBA titles, and won Finals MVP three times. While that is in the past, he led the Spurs to the second round this year, and averaged 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds in the playoffs. He is old, but Duncan is still a guy I’d want on my team in a Game 7.
C – Pau Gasol
While Gasol has been inconsistent, he has helped the Lakers to three straight Finals appearances. He can be deadly from both the post and mid-range, and with his great array of moves is a constant threat to score. He also makes great decisions as a passer, and is an underrated rebounder.
What do you think? What five guys would you want suiting up for your team in a Game 7?
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June 17th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
kobeef says:
Since when is Kobe’s nickname “The Closer”?
Given the choice of any C in the NBA I’d go with Dwight Howard..especially when you already have Timmy D to bring the offense in the frontcourt.
June 17th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
frmkt says:
1-nash
2-kobe
3-lbj
4-pau
5-howard
June 17th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
banga says:
PG: Nash
SG: Kobe
SF: Melo (sorry lebron ain’t clutch)
PF: Dirk
C: Tim Duncan (he’s money in the playoffs)
June 17th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Alvaro says:
pg-nash
sg-wade
sf-kobe
pf-gasol
c-dwight howard
i wish i was lebron james because i wouldnt have to worry about the finals
June 17th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Trav says:
PG: Billups
SG: Kobe
SF:Pierce (they dont call him the truth for nothing)
PF: Dirk
C: Tim Duncan
June 17th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Eddie says:
How is Gasol on this list? He didn’t win a thing until his time on the Lakers. He’s in no way a clutch player and played on bad teams for most of his career. The fact that he’s on this list over Pierce is ridiculous. Pierce has proven time after time that in the playoffs, he brings his all.
June 17th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
M-Intellect says:
Pau? Clutch? Are you fucking kidding me? Were you in a coma in 2008?
June 17th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
haslem says:
agree with everything but the big men
the most clutch big men
are Dirk at PF and TD at the C.
June 18th, 2010 at 1:14 am
Daniel Marks says:
Nowitzki has choked alot thats why I left him off. He couldn’t prevent a Mavs collapse against the Heat, and the next year was shut down by Golden State. Mavs have underachieved since
June 18th, 2010 at 1:18 am
Heckler says:
how did steve nash make the list?
why would you want his bum ass playing defense for you in a game 7? steve nash is a very, very good basketball player, but he is NOT a guy you want on your team for a game 7.
put it this way, when you have a game 7, assume its on the road. if you want the best position by positions players to win a game 7 for you ON THE ROAD, would you trust steve nash?…coz I def dont!
June 18th, 2010 at 1:36 am
Skeez says:
Wade had 46 pts 5 reb, 5 ast, 5 3′s in that win. He was on fire – best individual performance of the postseason.
June 18th, 2010 at 2:50 am
dagwaller says:
Lol @ Dirk not being clutch…some people on this forum are showing their lack of knowledge…
I don’t know what people are smoking when they say that Pau hasn’t been on winning teams before the Lakers. Seriously, what’re ya’ll smokin?! Playoffs 3 yrs in a row with Shane Battier as his #2…even got the 5th seed one year. That was less than a decade ago, I wouldn’t think this foolishness would stand.
@ Heckler – ok, so you don’t like Nash. Who DO you like?
June 18th, 2010 at 4:57 am
sh!tfaced says:
My GAME 7 lineup:
G – Wince Carter
G – Joe Johnson / Rudy Fernandez
F – Antawn Jamison
F – Rashard Lewis
C – Jermaine O’Neal
Whoever said the Hollowman movies are nothing but fiction is lying…
June 18th, 2010 at 10:54 am
thrillah says:
@ comment 1: When picking this squad, there shouldn’t be any players who can’t shoot high percentage FT. Dwight would be a huge liability and could cost the team a win.
I also disagree with Pau’s selection. Sure he’s a great player, but he was shut down by KG 2 years ago.
June 18th, 2010 at 11:46 am
Mark says:
If you put Wade on your list because of his finals performance, you might as well select referee Tim Donaghy on your list too.
June 18th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
shourjo says:
agree w/ #10. nash is a master at orchestrating an offense and improvising … and sure, he can be deadly in a broken play situation. but the man has been exposed time and time again as a defensive liability. there’s a reason his teams have never been finalists let alone champions. regular season mvp or not, i’d take billups over nash for a game 7 any day. ppl forget how he took it to the lakers in the finals and how he quarterbacked that pistons squad to – what – five or six straight eastern conferance finals?
June 18th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
abcdefg says:
if you put LBJ in here, you’re dumb.
done.
June 20th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Jojo & Melo says:
PG : Billups
SG : Kobe
SF : Melo
PF : Dirk
C : Gasol