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Some NBA players, like Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, are born with the clutch gene, and it is evident in their ability to win their teams' games on their own. Game-winning buzzer-beaters are part of what these clutch players bring to the table, and in this article, we will take a look at 5 NBA players with the most game-winning buzzer-beaters in the history of the league.
Five NBA players who top the charts for scoring the most game-winning buzzer-beaters in NBA history
Scoring a game-winning buzzer-beater always helps a player increase his popularity multi-folds, as it leads to him appearing on multiple highlight reels. Here are five players who have managed to do it time and again -
#1 - Paul Pierce - 7 buzzer-beaters
Known as 'The Truth', Paul Pierce has been one of the most clutch players the league has ever seen. Pierce made his name playing the shooting guard position for the Boston Celtics, with whom he won an NBA championship in 2008.
Pierce managed to hit seven game-winning buzzer-beaters in his career, and his last came for the Washington Wizards as a role player against the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs. The other six came as a member of the Boston Celtics, ranging from years 2000-10.
#2 - LeBron James - 7 buzzer-beaters
LeBron James is tied on the list with Paul Pierce, with seven game-winning buzzer-beaters to his name. However, James is still active in the NBA and could surpass Pierce in the years to come.
Out of the game-winning buzzer-beaters LeBron James has scored, six out of seven have come as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Three of them came in the same season, 2017-18. Out of those three, two were in the postseason against the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers in back-to-back series wins.
The only time James has scored a buzzer-beater for a non-Cleveland team is with the Miami Heat when he did so against the Pacers in the 2013 Playoffs.
#3 - Joe Johnson - 8 buzzer-beaters
"Iso Joe" is the surprise name on this list, having hit eight game-winning buzzer-beaters in his career. A brilliant dribbler and shooter, Johnson was celebrated for his brilliant individual game. He is one of 50 NBA players to score 20,000 career points
Johnson's last game-winner in the NBA came against the LA Clippers as a member of the Utah Jazz in the 2017 playoffs. Johnson had a journeyman-like career, which explains why several of the buzzer-beaters he scored were for different teams. He played for the Nets, Jazz, Rockets, Celtics, Suns, Hawks and the Heat in an NBA career spanning close to two decades
#4 - Kobe Bryant - 8 buzzer-beaters
Known for his ability to carry a team by himself, LA Lakers and NBA legend Kobe Bryant scored eight match-winning buzzer-beaters in his career. He started and ended his Hall-of-Fame career with Purple and Gold, winning five NBA championships in the process.
Bryant's first buzzer-beater was against the Charlotte Hornets in 2001. The shooting guard had already announced himself as a star to the NBA fraternity, helping his team win an NBA championship.
Bryant's best year in terms of hitting buzzer-beaters was the 2009-10 season when he hit three of them. The teams he made these shots against are the Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat.
#5 - Michael Jordan - 9 buzzer-beaters
Regarded as the best NBA player of all time, Michael Jordan's name needs no introduction. The Chicago Bulls maverick played six NBA finals in his career, winning all six of them. He was a part of the Bulls dynasty that managed two three-peats, etching their name in history.
Jordan scored nine game-winning buzzer-beaters in his career, the last of which came as a member of the Washington Wizards. His most memorable buzzer-beater was the one in which he scored against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA finals, sealing a championship win for his side.
Guess the Bulls players in this quiz and it's not going to be easy!
