In the realm of basketball, where legends are forged and moments become immortalized, the NBA Finals stand as the ultimate stage. Among the myriad of unforgettable plays and clutch shots, a select few rise above the rest, capturing the essence of the game's drama and excitement. From the breathtaking to the breathtakingly clutch, these are the top 10 NBA Finals moments of the century, each a testament to the sport's ability to inspire and captivate.
10. Tyrese Haliburton's Game-Winner in Game 1 of the 2025 Finals
Tyrese Haliburton's heroics in the 2025 NBA Finals were nothing short of extraordinary. In a game where the Indiana Pacers trailed by 15-plus in the fourth quarter, Haliburton played a massive role in a furious comeback. With the clock running down and the Pacers trailing by one, Haliburton pushed across the court and launched a 21-footer from the right side just inside the arc. It rattled through the net with 0.3 seconds left, giving the Pacers their first lead of the night to steal Game 1. While the Pacers ultimately lost the series, Haliburton's heroics—in the Finals and otherwise—won't soon be forgotten. Had he been healthy enough to complete Game 7, it's possible the 2025 Finals would have ended differently.
9. Kevin Durant's Déjà Vu Daggers in 2017 and 2018
Kevin Durant is not most players. Ask KD about that specific scenario, and he's likely to ask, 'Which one?' In 2017's Game 3 in Cleveland, Durant crossed center court with just under 50 seconds left and the Golden State Warriors trailing 113-111. With no hesitation, he gathered at the left wing and fired a three-pointer over the outstretched arm of LeBron James, nailing it with 45.3 seconds left. That shot propelled the Warriors to a commanding 3-0 series lead and helped fortify his case as the Finals MVP. A year later in the same building with the Dubs again up two games to none, Durant slowly dribbled the ball to set up his shot. He glided over to the left side again, but this time he launched from deeper—32 feet—and connected to put the Warriors up 106-100 with 49.8 seconds left. Another year, another dagger from the left side, and eventually another Finals MVP for KD. Either of Durant's triples would have been memorable on its own, but lightning striking twice inside Quicken Loans Arena make these moments a two-fer that cannot be denied.
8. Dirk Nowitzki Caps Mavs' Rally with Game-Winning Layup in 2011
In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks were surprisingly in the Finals after surviving a loaded Western Conference. With just over seven minutes left in Game 2 and the Miami Heat up by 15, everything seemed to be going according to plan. However, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs had other plans. After Jason Terry did much of the heavy lifting to get Dallas back in the game, Nowitzki took over in the final three minutes. He was the only Mavericks player to attempt a shot down the stretch, so it was no surprise the ball was in his hands with the game tied and the final seconds ticking down. He drove left and blew by Bosh, soaring for a layup that Udonis Haslem had no chance of blocking after rotation late from the back side. Nowitzki's layup with 3.6 seconds proved to be the game-winner, as Dwyane Wade's last-second heave didn't connect. Nowitzki's layup put him at nine straight points to end the game, and more importantly, it evened a series that many only a few minutes prior had thought was already over. The way Nowitzki rose to that moment and came through in the clutch breathed life into the Mavericks, and it helped lift them to one of the more surprising title runs in modern NBA history.
7. Big Shot Bob's Clutch 3 in Game 5 of the 2005 Finals
After four straight blowouts between the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons brought the 2005 Finals to a 2-2 tie, Game 5 needed overtime to be decided. The Spurs trailed the defending-champion Pistons 95-93 with 9.4 seconds left in the extra frame when Robert Horry inbounded to Manu Ginobili, who was quickly doubled in the corner. Ginobili passed back to Horry, who was wide open for the game-winner. His shot splashed through the net with 5.8 seconds left, shocking the Detroit crowd. Had 'Big Shot Bob' been off the mark, the Pistons—who did win Game 6 in San Antonio to force Game 7—could have potentially gone back-to-back. That moment altered the trajectories for both franchises, with Pistons fading after that Finals and the Spurs remaining a mainstay near the top of the Western Conference for another decade-plus.
6. Ron Artest's Series-Clinching 3 in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals
Sometimes, the greatness of a moment stems from the fact that no one saw it coming. In this case, it was still hard to believe even after it happened. In Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals—the latest chapter in the vaunted Celtics-Lakers rivalry—the game was coming down to the wire. The Lakers were nursing a three-point lead, and the ball was in the hands of their star, Kobe Bryant, who had been uncharacteristically struggling to score that day and was blanketed by Ray Allen at the top of the key. As the shot clock ticked down, Bryant eschewed the opportunity to take a tough, heroic shot and instead dished to Ron Artest (now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest) on the wing. Artest jab-stepped and then hoisted a three over the outstretched arm of Paul Pierce. In all honesty, that's probably the exact shot the Celtics had been hoping for and Lakers fans had probably feared. Artest had shot just 29.1 percent from long range during that playoff run, and he was 1-of-6 from deep at that point in the game. And yet, it went down, giving the Lakers a 79-73 lead with a minute to go. It was a lead they wouldn't give up, and while Bryant was the deserving Finals MVP, Artest was the unanticipated hero of the day. After his central role in the 2004 brawl in the stands at the Palace at Auburn Hills known as the 'Malice in the Palace,' Artest completed his redemption arc with that one clutch shot in Game 7. As far as big moments go, it doesn't get much more Hollywood than that.
5. Allen Iverson Hits Clutch Fadeaway, Steps Over Tyronn Lue in 2001
While all of the plays and moments before this were great and memorable, this is the first in our rankings that is truly iconic. In many ways, this moment from Game 1 of the 2001 Finals had everything. Not only did Allen Iverson execute his patented crossover to perfection, but he also used it to set up a silky smooth, clutch fadeaway to give the Philadelphia 76ers a four-point lead late in overtime. It put him at seven points in a row and 48 for the game against the vaunted Los Angeles Lakers, which had arrived at the Finals with a perfect 11-0 playoff record and were considered one of the most dominant teams of all time. Just that context would have been enough to get A.I. on this list. The crossover was elite, the shot perfect, and the David slaying Goliath angle was laid out perfectly. But then, Iverson took things to another level and burned this moment into Finals lore. You see, Lakers guard Tyronn Lue had stumbled over Iverson's feet while trying to defend the fadeaway. He crashed to the ground along the sideline in front of the Lakers' bench. That's where he was when Iverson turned to head back on defense, and instead of going around Lue, he showcased all the intensity and swagger that came to define his career. In that moment, A.I.'s legend reached its peak. While the 76ers dropped the next four games, the skill, bravado, and sheer coolness Iverson displayed late in Game 1—and through most of the series—remain one of the indelible icons from that series.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo's Game 4 Blocks and Game 5 'Valley Oop' in 2021
It may feel like cheating to put both of these plays together, but it's impossible to tell the story of Milwaukee's 2021 championship without these two unforgettable moments. Without the first, the second may not have happened, and with the second, the first may not have mattered as much. Together, though, they turned the tide of the series and lifted the Bucks over the Phoenix Suns for their first title in 50 years. Late in Game 4, the Bucks were trying to protect a 101-99 lead and even the series. Devin Booker drove to his right and got around P.J. Tucker, but he was met by Giannis Antetokounmpo at about the free-throw line. Seeing an opportunity, Booker tossed a lob to Deandre Ayton on the opposite side of the lane. With one of his feet still at the foul line and his body fully turned away from the hoop at the time of the lob, Antetokounmpo turned and quickly recovered to somehow meet Ayton at the summit and block the shot. As great as that block was, though, it was largely surpassed as the iconic moment of the series in the very next game. With the Bucks up 120-119 and the clock under 20 seconds, Booker was walled off on a drive. He turned to seek help, but instead he was surprised by Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, who pried the ball away and started a runout the other direction. Though he could have dribbled around to try to kill the clock, Holiday saw Antetokounmpo rim-running and looking for the ball. Holiday tossed a perfect lob from the wing and hit Antetokounmpo perfectly in stride. Despite taking a midair push to the midsection from Chris Paul, Antetokounmpo threw down the emphatic dunk while his momentum took him out of bounds. After sticking the landing, he flexed and mean-mugged the cameras, seemingly knowing how cold-blooded his dunk—later called 'The Valley Oop'—was in the moment. The Bucks held on to take a 3-2 series lead—their third win in a row—and they closed out the series in six games thanks in large part to Antetokounmpo's 50-point performance in the clincher. Individually, 'The Block' and 'The Valley Oop' were incredible. Together, they were legendary.
3. Ray Allen Keeps Miami Alive with Game-Tying 3 in Game 6 of 2013 Finals
With 28.2 seconds left in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals, San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili split a pair of free throws to put the Spurs up by five over the Miami Heat. The Larry O'Brien Trophy was courtside awaiting the Spurs, the velvet ropes were up, and many Heat fans had already left the arena. It felt like the game and series were over. After a LeBron James three-pointer and a split pair of free throws by Kawhi Leonard, the Heat had one last chance to stay alive. James missed a three-pointer, but Chris Bosh pulled down the offensive board and kicked out a pass to Ray Allen in the corner. Allen stepped back, planted behind the three-point line and hoisted a triple over Tony Parker that tied the game with 5.2 seconds left. 'That shot that I made, I took at least 30-40 times that day,' Allen later said in an interview. 'But understand, all it took was one touch on that black line and it's a different story. Just because my body was trained, I didn't even have to think about it. I just knew to go to that line. I did it all day that day (in warmups) and I'd been doing it for years on top of years.' Miraculously, the Heat had come back from the brink of elimination. Buoyed by that shot, Miami rallied to an overtime win and claimed the title with a victory in Game 7—their second championship in a row.
2. Kyrie Irving's Game 7 Winner Against the Warriors in 2016
Even at No. 2, this feels too low. The top three moments in these rankings were all incredible and memorable, and they could defensibly go in any order. Unfortunately, not all of them could be No. 1. With that being said, this shot is one of the greatest in the history of the NBA Finals, particularly given the context of coming in Game 7 on the road against one of the greatest teams of all time. With the game tied and under a minute remaining in Game 7, Kyrie Irving went to work against Golden State's Stephen Curry. Facing the best regular-season team of all-time in their deafeningly loud arena, Irving sidestepped and fired off a right-handed three in Curry's face. He drained it with 53 seconds left, giving the Cleveland Cavaliers a lead they would never relinquish and putting the cherry on top of an all-time great comeback from down three games to one. Looking back, Irving admitted he was nervous, but it was the payoff for all the time he had spent practicing in the backyard and in the gym over the years. Nervous or not, Irving was undeniably ready for that moment, and it will now live forever in NBA lore.
1. LeBron James' Chasedown Block in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals
While Giannis Antetokounmpo had a fantastic and mystifying block in Game 4 of the 2021 Finals, anyone referring to 'The Block' is most likely talking about LeBron James in 2016. It's widely regarded as one of the best—if not the best—defensive plays in NBA Finals history, and for good reason. Game 7 between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers became knotted up at 89 with over four-and-a-half minutes remaining. As the clock ticked under two minutes, the teams were still tied, and tension was at an all-time high. The stakes couldn't have been higher, either. With a Warriors win, they would arguably become the greatest team of all time after a 73-win regular season. The Cavs, on the other hand, were on the brink of completing the first 3-1 series comeback in Finals history, which would allow James to make good on his promise to bring a title to Northeast Ohio. It looked like the Warriors were going to be the ones to break the stalemate, as Andre Iguodala grabbed a miss by Kyrie Irving and pushed ahead with Stephen Curry. The Golden State duo had a 2-on-1 against J.R. Smith, and they executed a pretty give-and-go to set up what should have been the go-ahead layup. Iguodala, after he received a pass back from Curry, pumped in midair to avoid Smith's outstretched arm, but his layup was pinned against the glass by James, who had come out of nowhere and perfectly timed his leap to deny Iguodala's shot with 1:50 remaining. James' hustle, tenacity, athleticism, and power were all on full display in that moment. With that block—not to mention the triple-double that went with it—he put the Cavaliers and all of Cleveland on his back to deliver on his promise. 'I set out a goal two years (ago) when I came back to bring a championship to this city,' James said in the postgame on-court interview. 'I gave everything that I had. I poured my heart, my blood, my sweat, my tears to this game, and against all odds … Cleveland, this is for you!' James will long be remembered as one of the greatest to ever lace up his shoes, and his chasedown block stands as his greatest moment and the defining play of his storied career.
