Good players win games, but great players rise to the occasion when it matters most, which is why some of the best NBA Finals games have ended up defining an entire legacy. You can either sink like James Harden or swim like Michael Jordan; What you do in the NBA Finals is what separates a superstar from an actual legend.
Needless to say, over time, we've seen some of the best performances in the NBA Finals go unrewarded, either because their teams weren't able to get the job done or because it was already too late. On the other hand, some of the best NBA Finals games have literally concluded championships.
Top NBA Finals plays of all time
Naturally, some titles were more impressive than others. The context, the competitor and the way the team accomplishes the task are taken into account. With that in mind, we're going to share with you some of the best NBA Finals games, so keep scrolling.
Step
Among the best games in the NBA Finals, this was one of the most memorable. Unfortunately, it was also the only play on this list that did not result in a championship. That speaks volumes about how impressive it was and how stunned the world was when it happened.
Allen Iverson, the reigning MVP, had just led the Philadelphia 76ers to their first trip to the NBA Finals in nearly two decades, and was facing the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers with a reigning premiership Shaquille O'Neal and a rookie. copy print.
Iverson passed Tyronn Lue, then took a big step over him after landing a dagger shot. The Sixers won Game 1 in overtime behind a 48-point lead, but the Lakers rallied with a four-game winning streak to win their second straight title.
Chase block
The Chasedown Block is not only one of the best plays we've ever seen, it also happened in one of the best NBA Finals games of all time. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are tied at three wins each, and the momentum has shifted back and forth.
That's when LeBron James decided to take matters into his own hands and drain the soul out of Andre Iguodala and the entire Warriors. Iguodala was in clear position for an easy layup with no one in sight when James appeared out of the blue, jumping to knock down his shot to restore momentum for Cleveland.
This wasn't the game that decided the championship, but you could see how it demoralized the record-breaking Warriors. The Cavaliers would go on to win the game and become the only team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals.
Impersonating Meta Copy
We've become accustomed to most of the big games in the NBA Finals being made by the best players in the game, but that hasn't always been the case. We've seen John Paxson and Steve Kerr land championship-clinching shots, and the same happened with Metta World Peace.
The problematic forward made a name for himself with his toughness and outstanding defense, but he was also an extremely reliable three-point shooter. He was so reliable that even Kobe Bryant trusted him with the biggest shot of the season.
With everyone guarding Kobe, the legendary goaltender kicked the rock to the Mita World Peace Stadium, who fired in a shot from beyond the arc to give the Lakers a six-point lead with less than a minute to play, securing their second championship. In one row.
Ray Allen Burns Spurs
Among the best games of the NBA Finals, this may be one of the most exciting of all time. Some even argue that this was the shot that literally saved LeBron James' legacy, preventing him from falling to just 1-3 in NBA Finals appearances in his career.
The San Antonio Spurs were minutes away from winning the championship, and even Heat fans were leaving the stadium. The Heat pulled points away from the lead and made it a close game, with the Spurs taking a three-point lead with less than 30 seconds left.
Gregg Popovich left Tim Duncan on the bench on the most important possession, and Chris Bosh was able to rise up to grab a crucial offensive board, kicking the ball to a wide-open Ray Allen, who knocked down a powerful shot from the corner to send it over. The match goes to extra time. The Heat won and then rallied to win Game 7.
Return complete
This game has been considered one of the greatest plays in Finals history not only because of how it went but also because of what it meant. It spoiled the Golden State Warriors' record-breaking season and gave LeBron James a championship with his hometown team.
But James wasn't the man responsible for that. It was Kyrie Irving who made sure to put the icing on the cake, as he cruised from downtown over Stephen Curry to seal one of the greatest titles of all time with a 3-pointer.
Again, some argue that this shot defined LeBron James' legacy. Otherwise, he would have lost to the same team three years in a row in the NBA Finals, and his record in the final stretch would be less satisfactory.
The shot
And last but not least, we can't talk about the best performances in the NBA Finals without talking about the greatest player of all time: Michael Jeffrey Jordan. The shot is not only the most iconic shot of his career, it is arguably the most memorable shot of all time.
Jordan got a late steal and had a chance to secure his second NBA championship by three-peat and his sixth. It goes without saying that the absolute best thing to do would not be to waste this opportunity.
The Airness overcame Breon Russell's tight defense to get open looks at the basket and, as he had done countless times before, hit a beautiful jump shot from the free throw line to put an end to his Chicago Bulls days. .
