Heartstoppers; we take a look at the top 30 playoff moments of pro basketball's last 30 years

Brett Ballantini

IN A FORGOTTEN PENNSYLVANIA warehouse, there's a T-shirt with a fading, peeling transfer. "Philadelphia 76ers--1977 NBA Champs." In a back room out west among the redwoods sits a stack of unstuck bumper stickers: "Portland Trail Blazers--2000 Western Conference Champions." In the homes of Cleveland Cavaliers fans throughout Ohio are tickets to the 1989 Eastern semifinals and finals, stubs intact.

Those '77 Sixers were a bulldozer of talent toppled by the Big Red Machine. The '00 Blazers were victimized by Big Chief Triangle and his magic war drum. The '89 Cavs? The mere thought of Michael Jordan still triggers fans in Cleveland to beat their chests and wail.

The pain of these disappointments is part and parcel in compiling a list of the very greatest playoff moments. Several names from the recent past are intertwined throughout the 30 greatest playoff moments of the past 30 years, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas--and to a man they've felt both joy and pain under the NBA's brightest lights, just like their fans have.

For this, the last feature celebrating our 30th season covering pro basketball, we polled hundreds of team executives, former players, sportswriters, and media members to determine what playoff moments jumped out at them as the most unforgettable. Our results, as well as a list of the next 30 biggest, follow.

BABYFACED MVP Magic stepped in and delivered the Larry O'Brien Trophy to L.A.

One day in a quiet retirement home, someone will whisper "1.9" to an older gentleman with angular features and a slowed, but still-massive wingspan. And Scottie Pippen will jump up and chase that smart aleck away as fast as his cane can carry him.

1. Magic's MVP

1980 NBA Finals, Game 6

In Game 5 two days earlier, Los Angeles Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sprained his ankle and was questionable for Game 6 vs. the Philadelphia 76ers. Coach Paul Westhead, decided to hold Abdul-Jabbar out, saving him for a potential Game 7 in Los Angeles.

The 76ers never made it back to L.A., though. Six-nine rookie point guard Magic Johnson got the start at center, prompting Sixers center Caldwell Jones to ask as Magic lined up before the opening tip: "Really?"

Johnson boxed Jones off the boards all night, ignited a high-octane offensive attack with the veteran Abdul-Jabbar sidelined, and scored 42 points, grabbed 15 boards, and dished seven assists. The Lakers won the title, 123-107.

2. "The Shot"

1989 Eastern first round, Game 5

It is known, in Chicago and especially in Cleveland, as "The Shot." It was replayed on television hundreds of times, to the agony of Cavaliers fans and the ecstasy of Bulls faithful. It was one single basket, yet it played an key role in the futures of not one but two NBA teams.

With the series tied 2-2, Game 5 came down to the closing seconds, and it was Michael Jordan time.

Starting from the right side, Jordan dribbled toward the key and rose up for a jumper from inside the circle. Craig Ehlo, one of Cleveland's top defenders, leaped to block the shot, but Jordan hung in the air until Ehlo was out of his way, then released his shot. As the ball swished through the net, Jordan pumped his fists in jubilation, completing a video highlight for the ages.

"That play was 'Give the ball to Michael and everyone else get the &$*# out of the way," Bulls coach Doug Collins said afterward.

Kevin Garnett, 12, was sitting at home in Maudlin, S.C., watching the game. "After watching Michael jump over Ehlo, make that shot and win that game, my life changed," he says. "Basketball became my world. It meant everything to me. I actually studied that shot, watched the way he kicked his legs when he released the ball, and flicked his wrists. That inspired me. So I went fight outside and started kicking my legs, flicking my wrist, and celebrating."

Two years later, the Bulls won their first of six NBA titles. Cleveland, meanwhile, has yet to reach the NBA Finals.

3. MJ's (Second) Finale

1998 NBA Finals, Game 6

With the Bulls down 87-84, Jordan drove the length of the court and, curiously uncontested, laid in a basket to bring Chicago within one. But leading 87-86 with 37 seconds left, the Utah Jazz were still well in control of Game 6.

However, the Jazz were running the clock down when Jordan stripped the ball from Karl Malone. Predictably, the ball would never leave Jordan's hands: Without taking a timeout, Jordan strolled the ball upcourt. At the 5.2-second mark, Jordan let fly a 20-foot jumper. After it splashed through, giving Chicago an 88-87 lead, Jordan held his form for a second and then turned downcourt. Jordan's final basket as a Bull gave Chicago its sixth title in eight years.

4. Dr. J's Layup

1980 NBA Finals, Game 4

Julius Erving's masterpiece was one of those rare, electrifying moments that redefines the capabilities of humankind. Early in the fourth quarter he drove past his defender, Mark Landsberger, toward the basket on the fight side of the court. When 7'2" Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stepped in the way, Dr. J swung his fight arm--and the basketball--behind the backboard, and floated past Abdul-Jabbar. Then, still gilding through the air, he managed to swing back around and used reverse English to flip in the layup on the other side. The Philadelphia crowd was momentarily stunned before bursting into cheers.

"I could not believe my eyes," Magic Johnson says. "It's still the greatest move I've ever seen in basketball. The all-time greatest."

In the days before sports highlights were available 24/7, Erving's layup was replayed for days on nightly news telecasts everywhere. In a league that sells jaw-dropping athleticism as a commodity, Dr. J's ethereal shot still represents the best of the best. That Erving's 76ers won the game has become little more than a footnote.

5. Larry Bird's Steal

1987 Eastern finals, Game 5

Does anyone even remember how the television call of Larry Bird's steal of Isiah Thomas' inbound pass? Probably not. The late, great Johnny Most's raspy scream on radio is one of the most recognizable ever. "And there's a steal by Bird, over to D.J. for the layup and the Celtics have a one-point lead! What a play by Bird! This place is going wild!"

With five seconds on the clock, the Detroit Pistons were ahead by one point with Thomas about to inbound the bail from the sideline. Bird, running up the court, glanced back to see Thomas looking at Bill Laimbeer under the basket He broke towards the baseline, intercepted the pass, and as he fell out of bounds, turned around to find Dennis Johnson, who was alertly running towards the basket Johnson's layup gave the Celtics a 108-107 win and a 3-2 lead in the series, which Boston eventually won.

For Thomas, who earlier in the series said that if Bird were black he'd be "just another guy," it would be a long summer.

6. Magic's Running Hook

1987 NBA Finals, Game 4

The image of Magic Johnson rolling across the lane and launching a hook shot over Boston's big three is one of the most famous in basketball history. The few seconds before the shot were nearly as remarkable: Magic calmly dribbled down the clock, waiting for his moment.

Start to finish, it was one of the greatest games ever. Los Angeles led the series 2-1, but were playing in Boston Garden, where the Celtics had won 85 of their last 87 games. The Lakers trailed 103-95 with 3:30 left, but took a 104-103 lead on a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dunk with 29 seconds to play. With 12 seconds left, Larry Bird hit a three-pointer. Kareem answered by drawing a foul, but missed the second free throw. Kevin McHale batted the carom out of bounds, setting up the Lakers' final opportunity.

This intense Game 4 also included two fights: McHale tangled with Byron Scott and A.C. Green, and James Worthy threw a punch at Greg Kite. Had the modern NBA rule of a punch yielding an ejection and a suspension been in place, the Lakers may have lost the game--and the series--without Worthy, who scored 21 points in a team-high 43 minutes that night.

7. The Shot Heard 'Round the Worm

1976 NBA Finals, Game 5

Many call it the greatest game ever played. The first overtime is remembered for the timeout called by Celtics forward Paul Silas that referee Richie Powers chose not to recognize because the Celtics were out of timeouts. Had he chosen to call a technical foul on Silas, it might have ended the game ... and taken a lot of pressure off Chris Webber years later.

In the second OT, the Phoenix Suns scored to move ahead by a point with four seconds left, but Celtics forward John Havlicek charged upcourt and hit a 15-foot bank shot. The Boston Garden crowd took the floor, but prematurely. The referees put one second back on the clock, and the Suns' Paul Westphal called a timeout of his own, this time to intentionally draw a technical foul. After the Celtics hit the free throw, Phoenix inbounded the ball at half-court, and Westphal found Garfield Heard for a 20-foot catch-and-shoot that ... well, let's let Brent Musburger describe it: "Gar Heard turnaround shot in the air ... aahh ... it's good! It's tied again! I don't believe it!"

Heard, who called the shot "a miracle," silenced the Boston crowd, forcing triple overtime. Although the Celtics won the game (128-126) and the series (4-2), that basket became known as the "shot heard 'round the world."

8. MJ Goes for 63

1986 Eastern first round, Game 2

After Michael Jordan scored 49 points in a losing effort in Game 1, Danny Ainge compounded Jordan's disgust by beating him in golf the next day. After losing on the links, Jordan couldn't brag about his golfing skills, but had another rejoinder: "I'm going to score 50 on you."

Years later Ainge admitted, "I should have let him win."

The Bulls didn't have anyone other than Jordan who even would have cracked the Celtics rotation. They needed all of his playoff record 63 points, as well as his six assists, three steals, and two blocks (all team highs) to send the game into two overtimes. Jordan's highlights included a key blocked shot against seven-footer Robert Parish and two free throws to force the first overtime.

Ainge, atoning for his ill-timed win on the links, scored 24 points after halftime, including the basket that forced double overtime. Boston's 135-131 win was their 33rd straight at home, tying a record set by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1949-50. But Game 2 will always be Jordan's.

9. The Shootout

1988 Eastern semifinals, Game 7

Kevin McHale captured it best: "It was like two gunfighters standing blink-to-blink, seeing which one would draw first and which one would drop first."

In truth, neither Dominique Wilkins nor Larry Bird had much trouble drawing this night, which ended with a shootout of mythic proportions. Wilkins finished with 47 points, including 16 in the final stanza. Bird entered the fourth quarter just 6-of-14 from the field, but scored 20 points in the final 10:03. This was two great players going toe-to-toe, season on the line, carrying their teams to the finish.

It effectively ended when Bird shimmied towards the basket for a left-handed scoop shot with 26 seconds left, giving the Celtics a five-point lead. Atlanta Hawks fans still lament that coach Mike Fratello stopped double-teaming Bird before the fourth quarter, assigning Wilkins single coverage. Wilkins hounded him everywhere, but couldn't stop the determined Bird.

In typical fashion, Bird had predicted the win after the Celtics barely staved off elimination in Game 6 of the series. "They had their chance," he sneered. "We're ready to move on."

10. "The Float"

1991 NBA Finals, Game 2

The Bulls, angling for their first NBA title but coming off a Game 1 loss, needed to regain their momentum as talk of a Lakers sweep spread. Michael Jordan, who started the game at point guard, provided that momentum in the fourth quarter when he got a pass at the top of the key and took off just inside the free throw line. He started with the ball in his fight hand, but when A.C. Green and Sam Perkins slid over to block his shot, Jordan switched the ball to his left while in midair, double-clutched, and gently laid the ball off the glass and in. Marv Albert's call ("A spectacular move by Michael Jordan!") on NBC has helped seal this shot as an all-time best.

"It wasn't even one of my best creative shots," said Jordan, who finished the game shooting 15-of-18 and adding 13 assists. Chicago would win four straight games and take their first NBA title.

11. Bulls Threepeat

1993 NBA Finals, Game 6

The first threepeat since the Celtics dynasty was sealed by John Paxson's three-pointer with 5.3 seconds remaining and the Bulls down 98-96. Paxson, who said he set up at the arc "just in case something happened," stopped cold a momentum shift that could have forced a Game 7 in Phoenix.

After Paxson's stunner, Horace Grant sealed the game with 3.9 seconds left by blocking Kevin Johnson's last-ditch shot, and the Bulls were champions again. Mere months later, Michael Jordan would retire, putting the Bulls' budding dynasty on pause.

12. The Three-Point Explosion

1992 NBA Finals, Game 1

The Portland Trail Blazers decided that the best way to defend Michael Jordan was to make him shoot jumpers--not a bad strategy in those days. That is, unless he was going to drill six three-pointers and score 35 points in one half. But the defining moment of the game was the shrug that Jordan directed at Magic Johnson, who was at courtside announcing the game for NBC. It suggested that even Jordan couldn't believe how hot he was, but it was also the gesture of a man playing among boys.

NBA veteran Popeye Jones was in the stands that night. "You couldn't even hear yourself," he recalls. "I haven't heard anything in today's arenas quite like Chicago Stadium during that game."

13. Sick as a Dog

1997 NBA Finals, Game 5

Whether it was because of a food-poisoned room service pizza, the flu, or both, Michael Jordan put on one of his greatest performances while playing in a condition where most of his teammates would never have left the locker room.

Utah's Delta Center, but rather than letting his illness swing the momentum back to the Jazz, Jordan struck with a game for the ages: 33 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 44 minutes.

What's more memorable than his stat line were the images from the game, from a weighted-down Air appearing to be permanently grounded early, to the ice bag applied to his head at timeouts, to one of the most beautiful snapshots of teammates ever captured: Game in hand, Scottie Pippen practically carried Jordan off the floor, MJ slumped over in Pippen's arms like a sick eight-year-old.

14. 8 in 8.9

1995 Eastern semifinals, Game 1

"Realistically?" mulled then-Indiana Pacers coach Larry Brown. "I didn't think we had a chance."

Reggie Miller needed 8.9 seconds to cement his reputation as a Knick killer. The Pacers were down by six points with 16 seconds to play when Miller hit a three. Anthony Mason stumbled while throwing the inbounds pass, and Miller intercepted it. Instead of settling for an open two, Miller dribbled back to the three-point line and launched the game-tying shot. New York Knicks guard John Starks was fouled on the next possession, but missed both free throws. Patrick Ewing rebounded the second, but missed the follow-up. Miller was fouled pulling down the rebound, and nit both free throws. The Knicks didn't score again. After the 107-105 win, Miller allegedly shouted "Choke artists! Choke artists!" at the Knicks faithful as he ran through the tunnel, a charge he denied.

15. Isiah Thomas Blows Up

1988 NBA Finals, Game 6

Isiah Thomas later led the Pistons to two titles, but the sight of him hobbling around on one ankle, throwing daggers at the Lakers, may have been his defining moment. Thomas suffered a severe ankle sprain with 4:21 left in the third quarter but scored 11 more points that quarter for a Finals-record 25. He finished his epic night with 43.

Afterwards, Thomas lay on his back, his ankle so swollen the Pistons already knew he'd miss Game 7, still groggy from a blow to the head in the fourth quarter that forced a timeout, his cheek still bleeding from a first-quarter scrape. "I want to win this championship," he said. "I'm willing to pay whatever it costs." There was no doubt. The Lakers won the game, but Thomas, whose line for the night included a jammed left pinkie, poked eye, scratched face, ballooned ankle, 43 points, eight assists, six steals, and respect on a national stage.

16. Contrasting Styles

1977 NBA Finals >From the first moment of Game 1, when Julius Erving took the tap, leaped from 15 feet out, and threw down a windmill slam to open the 1977 Finals, the "street" 76ers battled the "fundamental" Trail Blazers. Philadelphia was fueled by Dr. J and a heaping helping of freestyle ABA spirit in taking the first two games. Underdog Portland was led by a young Bill Walton, whose renegade look would have fit in nicely with the 76ers.

However, it was Walton's fundamental game that helped lead the Trail Blazers to four unanswered wins and their first NBA title.

17. 16 Points in 93 Seconds

1984 Eastern first round, Game 5

Numbers alone don't do it justice. Bernard King averaged a record 42.6 ppg in this best-of-five series on 60% shooting, and scored a" record 23 consecutive points in Game 2. The injustice was that he was suffering from the flu and wearing splints on the middle fingers of each hand, both of which were dislocated for the deciding Game 5. Yet Isiah Thomas nearly upstaged him.

New York was ahead by eight with 1:57 left when Thomas reeled off 16 points in 94 seconds--in 120-degree heat inside the non-air conditioned Joe Louis Arena--with only one three-pointer. New York won in overtime, but Rory Sparrow, who committed three fouls in those 94 seconds trying to slow Thomas down, saw the light: "God placed his hand on Isiah and said, 'You shall play basketball, and you shall play it great.'"

18. A Win Drops From the Sky

1974 NBA Finals, Game 6

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's game-winning skyhook with seven seconds remaining in the second overtime of Game 6 of the 1974 NBA Finals was striking less for the basket as it was for who shot it; how many centers ever convert a buzzer-beater, much less on the right wing from 21 feet out? His Milwaukee Bucks ended up losing the Finals, but Kareem managed to add a new highlight to his already-long legend.

19. Bird Flies Out of Bounds

1981 NBA Finals, Game 1

Early in Game 1 of the 1981 NBA Finals, Larry Bird took an 18-foot jumper from the fight side, and instantly realized it was short. He ran for the baseline, grabbed the rebound in midair 12 feet from the basket, switched the ball to his left hand as he fell out of bounds and flipped it in. Viewed as a highlight, it is spectacular. Viewed within the context of the game, it's stunning. One player, on a court full of All-Stars playing a Finals game, made everyone else look like they were moving in slow motion.

"It was the one best shot I've ever seen a player make," Red Auerbach says.

The Celtics won the game, 98-95, and would win the Finals as well.

20. Portland's Collapse

2000 Western finals, Game 7

"Game 7s are very interesting, but I've never seen any quite like that one before," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Trail Blazers fans probably had much harsher assessments of the performance that left their heroes, leading 75-60 with 10:28 left in the fourth quarter, 8984 losers.

The 15-0 turnaround happened in the space of only 6:26, culminating in Brian Shaw's three-pointer. Portland, inept and tentative, missed 13 consecutive shots and finished 5-of-27 for the quarter. While Shaquille O'Neal's carnival histrionics are the most indelible images left from the Lakers' incredible comeback, it was Kobe Bryant's 25-point, 11-rebound, seven-assist, four-block performance that carried L.A. "We watched Game 7s growing up all the time." Bryant said, "And to finally play in one is a real thrill."

21. Denver Dunks the Sonics

1994 Western first round, Game 5

The 42-40 Denver Nuggets were the No. 8 seed in the playoffs, facing the 63-19 Seattle SuperSonics. Seattle won the first two games of the series by an average of 17 points.

Denver won the next two at home and upset Seattle in Game 5, 98-94 in OT. The image of Dikembe Mutombo clutching the ball on the floor in euphoria is one of the most enduring ones in playoff history.

It was the first time a No. 8 upset a No. 1, and Seattle remains the best team never to win a playoff series.

22. Kerr's Series-Winner

1997 NBA Finals, Game 6

With seconds left and a fifth title within reach for Chicago, NBC's Mary Albert set the moment: "It's Michael. Jordan time." But in the huddle, Jordan turned to Steve Kerr and said, 'This is your chance."

Kerr made the best of it, telling Jordan, "Ill be ready. I'll knock it down." After Jordan split the defense and drew double coverage, he dished to Toni Kukoc, who moved the ball to the middle of the floor and Kerr, who splashed a short jumper from the free-throw line.

23. Sampson Shines

1986 Western finals, Game 5

With the Rockets inbounding the ball and only enough time for a catch-and-shoot, 7'4" Ralph Sampson took the Western Conference-title-winning shot against the Lakers without even turning fully to face the basket. Sampson's quick flip was released right before the buzzer sounded; the ball hit the front of the rim, bounced up into the air, grazed the back rim, and fell through, along with the collective jaw of Los Angeles. The 114-112 final was Houston's only lead of the game.

Sampson is remembered as an injury-prone disappointment and was smothered by Boston's legendary front line in the Finals, but was a beast for most of the 1986 playoffs. He scored 29 points on that memorable night.

24. Reggie vs. Spike

1994 Eastern finals, Game 5

Spike Lee has sold a lot Of movie rickets, but Knicks fans will always remember him for sparking Reggie Miller's 25-point fourth quarter in the 1994 Eastern conference finals. Madison Square Garden's infamous courtside nebbish loudly razzed Miller, who had been having an off-night, and ended up in a trash talking match with him all the way through Miller's astounding finish. Spike was saved from permanent Knicks purgatory when New York captured the last two games of the series.

25. Stockton Seals It

1997 Western finals, Game 6

Utah had won 50-plus games in eight consecutive seasons, yet had never reached the NBA Finals. The Jazz had their playoff choker reputation nipped in the bud, however, when John Stockton scored 13 of his team-leading 25 points in the final 3:13 of Game 6, including the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. Utah beat the Rockets, 103-100, to reach their first of two consecutive NBA Finals.

26. 1.9 Seconds

1994 Eastern semifinals, Game 3

Even as Scottie Pippen's Hall of Fame plaque is burnished, 1.9 seconds will hang over every sentence like a guillotine held up by a shoestring. To say that Pippen's refusal to play the last 1.9 seconds of a playoff game because Phil Jackson diagrammed the winning shot for someone else was a blight for Pippen is an understatement. Toni Kukoc's jumper won the game for the Bulls, but the net loss to Pip's reputation was far greater.

27. The Doc Dismantles Denver

1976 ABA Finals

Yes, the ABA was wheezing to a close, and regardless of its superior level of play, too few fans followed the league. But Julius Erving provided the perfect finish to the league by singlehandedly dismantling favored Denver in the 1976 ABA Finals.

Once and for all--and buoyed by national coverage on NBC--Erving established himself as the best player in either league. In Game 1, Dr. J notched 45 points, including the buzzer-beater for the win. In Game 2, he went for 48. And in the Nets' Game 6 clincher, Erving had 31 points and 19 rebounds.

28. "The Shot" Revisited

1993 Eastern semifinals, Game 4

Four years after "The Shot" came Michael Jordan's second dagger vs. Cleveland, as he again sealed a game and series against the Cavaliers in one fell swoop.

This time MJ victimized self-professed "Jordan Stopper" Gerald Wilkins in continuing his reign of terror on Cleveland. While this clutch jumper had little of the drama of his 1989 heart-stopper--the outcome of this series was never in doubt--it was yet another fitting example of Jordan as assassin.

29. Fo, Fo, Fo

1983 NBA Playoffs

Moses Malone's guarantee that the Sixers would sweep to the NBA title in "Fo, Fo, and Fo" games was probably the boldest in sports since Broadway Joe called Super Bowl III. Malone's 76ers were one of the greatest teams ever, but Bird, Magic, and Kareem still stood in the way. Malone's prediction is an inextricable part of the lore of the team that not only won the title, but came within one game (12-1) of pulling it off.

30. "The Invisible Upset

1975 NBA Finals

The Washington Bullets boasted a frontcourt of future Hall-of-Famers Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld. Although Golden State boasted the best individual player on the floor in Rick Barry, the Warriors were heavy underdogs, with most observers predicting a Bullets sweep. Golden State's clutch play stunned the Bullets and the entire basketball world, and the Warriors instead swept Washington for the title.

1988's Shootout, Shot-by-Shot

LIKE A GREAT GUNSLINGER, LARRY BIRD talked tough before Game 7 of the Eastern finals vs. the Atlanta Hawks: "They might as well forget it," he said. "They've got no chance."

And then, like a great gunslinger, Bird backed up his brash talk.

In the final minutes of the game, which the Boston Celtics won, 118-116, Bird and Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins had a shootout for the ages, Here's the scoring play-by-play of the stretch run:

Atlanta: Wilkins 20-footer with 5:55 left: 99-99.

Boston: Bird push shot with 5:36 left: 101-99.

Atlanta: Wilkins 25-footer with 5:28 left: 101-101.

Boston: Bird 20-footer with 5:10 left: 103-101.

Atlanta: Wilkins Dank shot with 4:32 left: 103-103.

Boston: Two Kevin McHale free throws with 4:23 left 105-103.

Atlanta: Randy Wittman 20-footer with 3:48 left: 105-105.

Boston: Bird drive on a double team with 3:29 left: 107-105

Boston: Two McHale free throws with 2:10 left: 109-105.

Boston: Bird three-pointer with 1:43 left: 112-105.

Atlanta: Wilkins drive with 1:26 left: 112-107.

Atlanta: Two Wilkins free throws with 0:58 left: 112-109.

Boston: Bird drive with 0:26 left: 114-109.

Atlanta: Wilkins tip-in following his miss with 0:20 left: 114-111.

Boston: Danny Ainge layup on a touchdown pass from Bird with 0:17 left: 116-111.

After Bird hit his three-pointer in front of the Atlanta bench, he saw Hawks forward Cliff Levingston shaking his head in amazement. Bird, still in gunslinger mode, caught Levingston's eye and smiled.

Our Next 30

31. Tim Duncan's near quadruple-double, 2003 NBA Finals, Game 6

32. Vinnie Johnson's series-winner, 1990 NBA Finals, Game 5

33. Larry Bird fuels Boston's 1981 Eastern finals comeback

34. Sacramento's collapse, 2002 Western finals

35. Charles Smith's four layups, 1993 Eastern finals, Game 5

36. Jeff Van Gundy vs. Alonzo Mourning, 1998 Eastern first round. Game 4

37. John Starks's dunk, 1993 Eastern finals Game 2

38. Isiah Thomas leads the Pistons off the floor, 1991 Eastern finals, Game 4

39. Sean Elliott's "Memorial Day Miracle" shot 1999 Western finals, Game 2

40. Scottie Pippen's "foul," 1994 Eastern semifinals, Game 5

41. Andrew Toney becomes the Boston Strangler, 1982 Eastern finals

42. MJ's No. 45 to No. 23 change, 1995 Eastern semifinals

43. Nick Anderson misses four straight free throws, 1995 NBA Finals, Game 1

44. Kenny Smith's seven three-pointers, 1995 NBA Finals. Game 1

45. Alien Iverson and Vince Carter's consecutive 50-point games 2001 Eastern semifinals

46. 40-42 Houston Rockets upset 54-28 Lakers 1981 Western first round

47. Nets upset Sixers, 1984 Eastern first round

48. Reggie Miller explodes, 2002 Eastern first round, Game 5

49. Cheeks's anthem assist, 2003 Western first round, Game 3

50. Gerald Henderson's steal, 1984 NBA Finals Game 2

51. Magic's roll downcourt 1991 Western finals Game 6

52. Starks's 2-of-18 shooting, 1994 NBA Finals Game 7

53. Allan Houston's game-winner, 1999 Eastern first round Game 5

54. Washington over Seattle 1978 Finals

55. St. Louis' 1975 upset of the Nets, 1975 ABA first round

56. Sleepy Floyd scores 50, 1987 Western semifinals

57. Alonzo Mourning's series-clinching shot, 1993 Eastern first round, Game 4

58. Teresa Weatherspoon's 50-foot buzzer-beater, 1999 WNBA Finals, Game 1

59. Mark Jackson and the Knicks sweep the 76ers, 1989 Eastern first round

60. Pippen freezes Karl Malone, 1997 NBA Finals, Game 1

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