A regulation game in the NBA is for 48 minutes, however unlike football which happens to be the most popular sport in the world, a basketball game can’t be wrapped up with the scores tied up. So just like extra time periods are played in knockout football games, an overtime session of 5 minutes is enforced to obtain a result.More the number of overtime periods played, more competitive the game gets with both teams dealing with fatigue due to their added minutes for the day. On an average, there are about 10 triple overtime periods played during the season. A triple overtime is the maximum a game has been extended so far in the 2000’s.Recollecting or ranking all the triple overtime games since 2000’s would simply take too long so here are the top 5 triple overtime matches of this current decade:
#5 Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans [Dec 2nd 2013]
Final Score: 128-131
The number of overtime games the Bulls has played without Rose shows the fight each player on the team has. Once again without Rose, the Bulls were facing a Pelicans squad that did not have their star in Anthony Davis healthy. However once again players from both squads stepped up to the plate has they put up a marathon for those assembled at the United Center in Chicago. Believe it or not even without Rose, the Bulls were unbeaten at home in over one and a half months.
Ryan Anderson shot 7 of 11 from long range en route to recording a career high 36 points. Jrue Holiday also came up big with 19 points and 12 assists including the game icing and one play. For the Bulls once again it was Noah going to work on the glass for his 10 rebounds and 19 points. Efforts of Luol Deng, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Taj Gibson were in vain as they combined for 66 together.
Once the scrappy and scratchy plays during the end of periods can only be watched. Have a look.
#4 Los Angeles Lakers vs Phoenix Suns [March 22nd 2011]
Final Score: 139-137
When it comes down to history, the Los Angeles Lakers have always been bitter rivals with no team other than the Boston Celtics but the Phoenix Suns were on a mission to avenge their Conference Finals loss the previous post-season so there was bound to be some animosity. So in a head to head contest between the then best two in the West, it came down to more than just 48 minutes. The game needed 3 overtime periods to finally see a team standing.
With 4 minutes and 45 seconds left to go, the Lakers led comfortably 89-68 then suddenly the Suns went on a 28-8 run which was jumpstarted with Nash hitting three 3-pointers. The end of every period whether regulation or overtime had so much drama that it should only be watched.
Kobe Bryant had a near triple double performance with 42 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. Both Lamar Odom (29 points and 16 rebounds) and Pau Gasol (24 points and 13 rebounds) had huge double doubles. On the other hand for the Suns Nash had only 19 points, but jaw dropping 20 assists for the night. Channing Fyre (32 points and 14 rebounds) and Martin Gortat (24 points and 16 rebounds) were the other key contributors for Phoenix.
#3 Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic [January 15th 2014]
Final Score: 128-125
The reason this game is so high up on the list is that it was played with very few notable stars in it. I mean the Bulls were without Rose and Luol Deng. Meanwhile, the Magic were a rebuilding team with hosts of youngsters in the roster and were playing with injuries to key starters in Aaron Afflalo and Nikola Vucevic. Anyways the Bulls had learned to make up for the lost offense and the first player to step up was Joakim Noah, same was the case in terms of this game where he recorded a huge double double of 26 points and 19 rebounds alongside his front court partner Carlos Boozer’s 23 points.
While the front court did the job for the Bulls, it was the back-court for the Magic that kept them in the game. Jameer Nelson and Victory Oladipo combined for 66 points, 10 rebounds, 18 assists and 4 steals. Orlando were done and dusted in the second overtime period three down with 5 seconds to go when their big man Glen Davis knocked down a three after 2 of 5 for the season before.
#2 Chicago Bulls vs Brooklyn Nets [April 27th 2013]
Final Score: 142-134
At number 2, we have a Playoff series Game 7 between the Chicago Bulls and the Brooklyn Nets during their first round encounter in the 2013 Playoffs.
During the 2013 post-season, there weren’t as many competitive first round Playoff series as this one. A Derrick Rose-less Bulls should be credited for not only taking this series to seven games, but winning it without their former MVP.
Anyways this triple overtime was the deciding game-Game 7. You often hear the commentators saying how these are the final 48 minutes for any one of these teams, but that wasn’t the case here. This four-hour contest went on for 63 minutes of playing time.
Nate Robinson, a player who has bounced around the league and played for various teams was the hero in this one for the Bulls. He had 34 points and 4 assists in 28 minutes on the floor. Brooklyn came out of the game with better individual performances - Deron Williams (34 points and 10 assists) and Brook Lopez (26 points and 10 rebounds), but failed to capitalize as a team.
#1 Memphis Grizzlies vs Oklahoma City Thunder [MAY 9th 2011]
Final Score: 123-133
This is the only game on the list which was nominated under the “Best Game” Category at the 2011 ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Awards.
This contest was Game 4 of the Conference Semifinals series in the post-season of 2011. The Grizzlies were riding a high coming off an upset series victory over first seeds the San Antonio Spurs and were leading this series 2-1 playing at home in Memphis. Meanwhile, the Thunder came into the series after beating the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
Typical of the Grizzlies, their frontcourt led them with Zach Randolph (34 points, 16 rebounds) and Marc Gasol (26 points, 21 rebounds), while for the Thunder it was their superstar All-Star duo of Kevin Durant (35 points, 13 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (40 points, five rebounds, five assists).
The three hour 52-minute epic battle was the team’s highest-rated local broadcast ever and the highest among any other match that took place in the first two rounds of the 2011 Playoffs. The game was neck and neck after halftime till the third overtime session when the Thunder snatched it with a 14-4 run in the five minutes. The Grizzlies lost the game and eventually the series in 7 games.
Guess the Lakers players!
