Top 10 clutch plays in NBA history

Is Ray Allen's dagger the most clutch shot in NBA history?
Is Ray Allen's dagger the most clutch shot in NBA history? (Image courtesy: nba.com)

#6 Sam Jones Vs The Los Angeles Lakers - NBA Final, Game 4 (1969)

#24 Sam Jones
#24 Sam Jones

1969 marked the end of an era for The Boston Celtics. It was the last season of both Bill Russell and Sam Jones' career. They had won ten and nine titles respectively going into the 1969 regular season. Boston had an aging team and was not favored to make the NBA Finals.

Although Boston defied the odds to make it to the finals, they were heavily unfavoured against the opposing Lakers with their talismanic trio of Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, who was acquired prior to the start of the season.

The Lakers held a 2-1 lead going into game four and had the ball after securing a one-point lead with the scores at 87-88. Elgin Baylor was controversially ruled to have stepped out of bounds while collecting a pass.

The final play was drawn up for Sam Jones who took off on his wrong foot but somehow got the ball high enough to avoid Chamberlain's block attempt. The ball hit the front of the rim, bounced off the back rim and astonishingly went in to tie the series at 2-2.

Boston went on to win the series.

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