Is Tyrese Haliburton’s dagger against OKC Thunder ranked one of the biggest clutch shots in the NBA Finals?
There’s nothing beat the thrill of a clutch shot in basketball. And what stage is better to make such a crucial shot than the NBA Finals, the biggest stage in the sport?
That’s exactly what Tyrees Halliburton did in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Because he sank a midrange shot in the final seconds and stole a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Despite being just 25 years old, Halliburton is already a scorer for the playoff clutch. And the scary part is that he can climb further up the ladder as the final progresses.
But how does Haliburton’s final two-second heave compare to some of the most clutch shots in NBA Finals history? Well, we ranked all these shots, so you can see how he did.
This is ranked at the bottom of this list for one reason. The series was already over before Kevin Durant made this shot.
After JR Smith’s blunder, after a Game 1 victory over the Cavaliers, the Warriors only passed their opponents. However, clutch shots to seal victory in Game 3 cannot be ignored.
Durant actually hit the same shot the previous year. However, under this situation, the shot only solidified the Cavaliers’ control of the Warriors.
Metta World Peace (FKA Ron Artest) has proven to fans that sinking a 3-pointer with the Boston Celtics could be impossible.
This isn’t because Artest, a 33.9% three-point shooter, sank one of the toughest shots in NBA history.
Rather, that’s because Kobe Bryant actually handed the ball at the end of the must-see game. The decision then paid a dividend to the Lakers, who won the Second Straight Championship.
Tyreese Halliburton made the habit of shooting sinking clutches in these playoffs. After three clutch time shots in the playoffs worked for him, he thought he’d give it a try again.
And the time to try it was that as the Pacer Point Guard took the ball in the final seconds of the game, he ran towards the wing and retreated and drained a midrange shot to give the Pacers their first and only lead.
This shot could even increase the rank as the years go by if the Pacers ultimately end up lifting the NBA Championship Trophy. But for now, it’s ranked pretty high in the Pantheon clutch shots in the NBA Finals.
With Michael Jordan’s team, John Paxon became an unlikely hero in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
Charles Berkley and the Phoenix Suns were furious after Bulls fans wrote them down before Game 5. However, with a two-point lead, the Suns focused only on Jordan (who scored nine points for the Bulls that quarter).
In doing so they left role player John Paxon – a great shooter to come to find – wide open. And Paxon has them pay by sealing the shot that earned the first three peat.
It’s fitting that the shot that scored their first three peat will rank just behind the shot that scored their second three peat.
Turns out to be Michael Jordan’s last game in the Chicago Bulls uniform, his Airness stole the ball from Carl Malone and quickly rushed the court with less than 20 seconds left.
The Jazz were still taking a one-point lead, but Michael Jordan decided to call the game and time in his Bulls career, when he sank a mid-range shot to get the sixth ring after driving to Key.
The Golden State Warriors were a huge favorite of the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the 2016 NBA Finals. It was undoubtedly the biggest game in NBA history, with the score tied 89-89 between the Cavaliers and Warriors.
The Cavaliers were fighting to come back after a 3-1 drop. However, they realized they were unable to make a shot in the dying minutes of the game.
Luckily, Kyrie Irving brought the ball closer to the top of the arc, and Stephen Curry defended him, retreated, sinking one of the cleanest threes you’ve ever seen.
Of course, this incredible shot from Ray Allen ranks at the top of most people’s list. And because the shot is pure, the context behind it makes it the highest ever.
The heat was on the verge of losing Game 6 of the San Antonio Spurs’ NBA Finals. The Spurs’ victory would have won them the NBA Championship.
However, after the three of them were surprised from LeBron James, Chris Bosch grabbed Ray Allen’s rebound and made one of his best shots ever to keep the heat alive and hot in the NBA Finals.
There are a few other shots not mentioned here. And everyone’s mileage may vary. But all the shots above stand the test of time.
Hopefully, as the NBA Finals progressed, we were able to see more shots of this caliber on the clutches of both teams.