Getting a crowd going or silencing one, there is nothing like making a big shot (buzzer beater) during the game to get everyone off their seats still knocking down a game winning buzzer beating shot is just something else.There were quite a few buzzer beaters in the past season but game winning buzzer beaters there were just a bunch so out of the lot, here are the Top 5:
#5 Joe Johnson against Oklahoma City Thunder
Prior to the start of the season the Brooklyn Nets had one of the most expensive and illustrious starting line up with the first five having a combined 35 All-Stars appearances to their name. Things did not roll the way the team’s owner and by New Year’s the franchise had a disappointing record of 10-21.
What occurred in the Nets locker room during the onset of the New Year is still unknown but whatever it was it had a positive effect on the team as they registered a 10-3 record in Jan. The first victory of this short span revival came at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Coming out of a timeout it was Nets’ ball with 5.8 seconds on the clock set to run down. Joe Johnson inbounded the ball to Kevin Garnett and took it back almost immediately. On the switch he knocked down a 19 foot jumper over big man Serge Ibaka to seal the game and upset the Thunder on their home floor, where they seldom lost.
#4 Andre Iguodala against Oklahoma City Thunder
With the growing competition in the Western Conference almost every game between two teams from this conference is one to watch and one such season series was between the Thunder and the Golden State Warriors, two of the best young two way teams in the league.
Russell Westbrook’s three leaving only 2.3 seconds on the clock capped off a Thunder fourth quarter rally with which they overcame the 14 points deficit which they faced with 7:11 remaining in the quarter. The three which seemed like a game sealing shot gave the team a 115-114 lead over the Warriors.
Just when all thought it was over, on an inbounds off a timeout Andre Iguodala caught the ball and took two steps and splashed the ball just marginally before the buzzer sounded. The Oracle Arena went crazy as the Warriors rushed on to the court to celebrate the win with their late game hero.
#3 LeBron James against the Golden State Warriors
This past season might have been the toughest mentally for LeBron James in a long time. He had to literally carry the team, one which was very fatigued and mentally strained after three straight grueling Finals series in a row.
Dwyane Wade used to sit out one game out of a back to back to rest his ailing knees and much of the supporting cast was on the injured list. During such a kind of season, the Heat travelled West to California to play the Warriors.
Despite the lack of firepower in the roster, James kept the team in the game and late in the game down 2 points with 2.2 seconds to go there were no guesses as to whose hands the ball was going to go to. James guarded well by Iguodala dropped a difficult fade away three pointer to give the then defending champions the win when the final buzzer sounded.
#2 Tobias Harris dunk against Oklahoma City Thunder
Seems to be that the Thunder have been on the wrong end of game winning buzzer beaters one too many times this past season. The play started in the hands of Kevin Durant who squared up for a deep two coming off a pick and roll play.
Much to the surprise of many he missed a shot and that led to a long rebound straight to Victor Oladipo. He dodged the first defender with some neat handles and ran down the court to the other end of the floor only to pass it to Harkless along the baseline.
Jeremy Lamb was the only Thunder defending in the lane and seeing his great recovery, Harkless decides to give the ball to fast approaching big man Tobias Harris for the game winning dunk. Although the whole play began because of Durant’s rushed shot, blaming him for a one off loss as compared to the number of clutch shots he knocked down this season would be harsh.
#1 Jeff Green against the Miami Heat
The defending champions were facing criticism and tough times after their opening day victory over the Chicago Bulls. They followed up that game with a 2-3 record losing to Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets.
While their losses with the Nets and Sixers were convincing, the fashion in which they lost the game to the C’s was eye opening, one that would get you off your seat with your mouth wide open.
As per rules and regulations in the NBA, an inbounds play must be begin with more than 0.3 seconds on the clock for it to be deemed legal and ideally it takes 0.4 seconds for a player to catch and shoot the basketball.
Due to a series of hilarious events, the Celtics were left with 0.6 seconds while trailing by two when Jeff Green hit a falling out of bounds three from the opposite corner of his inbounding teammate to stun the then defending champions on their home floor.
