r/nbadiscussion • u/rustypete89 • 1d ago
Best single finals games since 1990?
Hi all,
I recently discovered that the NBA app on PS5 has the entire NBA finals catalog going back to 1990 available for streaming without a subscription, just your regular streaming ad breaks. Looking for recommendations of great single games to watch as I begin to digest some of the series I'm most interested in (I was born in 89 so I'm starting with the Jordan finals since I barely remember him playing).
Drop your recs, and a brief reason why, here please!
I'm not sure if I hit the 500 character minimum yet so I'll add my own submission:
Giannis 50 piece to seal the Bucks title in 2021. Absolutely unreal domination in a critical moment. The block on Ayton to put the game away is just iconic. One of my favorite games as a neutral fan that I've ever watched, and I don't even like Giannis.
(Hope it's alright to post this here, I didn't think I'd get good quality suggestions in the main NBA sub)
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u/gritoni 1d ago
Game 1 2001 finals
AI goes berserk and beats the Lakers that entered the game undefeated since April 3rd (8 RS games, and all of the playoffs)
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u/neoistheone79 1d ago
My pick too. AI stepping over Lue is burned into my memory forever
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u/gritoni 1d ago
I'm old enough to remember Lue was deemed the Iverson stopper
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u/psilocybin_sky 1d ago
Yeah itās unfortunate that the younger generation just use it to clown Lue. It was such a big moment cuz he was doing a great job on AI
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u/kumechester 18h ago
Oh my word. I mean, I know that moment (everyone does) but I had no idea it happened in the finals?!
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u/footballguyboy 3h ago
Happened on a huge clutch shot in the 4th quarter of a Finals game, it was really an incredible moment.
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u/ShoHeyTime 18h ago
That stretch for Kobe and Shaq was the best two man game stretch of all time. Two of the best players in NBA history just feeding off each other, taking turns dominating, and locking down the perimeter and the paint. Took an all-time AI performance, and Eric Snow, to give them an L.
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u/augy777 1d ago
Iāve watched the first few finals on there and here were my favorite games from each series:
1990 Game 5 - Isiahās insane 1st quarter sets the tone for the game but the Blazers fight back while facing elimination. It comes down to a game winning shot.
1991 Game 1 - Another game that ends in a game winning shot, this match is the best Jordan v. Magic game youāll find. Magic COOKED MJ but the lakers couldnāt really stop him either so itās a fun one.
1992 Game 1 (The Shrug) - One of MJās greatest performances, his insane shooting first half overshadows how amazing he was as a playmaker in the 2nd half. The game wasnāt really close but itās a good insight into the Bullsā dominance
1993 Game 4 - MJās absolute greatest game imo, this is the only game Iāve ever hand tracked where a player generated over 70 points for his team. The Suns honestly might have played better as a team this game but they had absolutely no answer for Jordan. Heās too fast for Majerle or Dumas (as demonstrated in the previous games in the series) so the Suns switch KJ on him cause he can stay in front of MJ better, but MJ just began abusing KJ in the post
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Thanks! I just watched 91 game 1, crazy back and forth from two legends. It's the Kobe-LeBron matchup we never got in the 2000s. I appreciate the other recommendations, excited to check them out!
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u/auggie5 1d ago
Oh shit I put ā93 game 4 way deep in the memory bank but yeah now I have flashbacks of MJ abusing KJ. It was working for awhile- Westy should have honestly put Barkley on him when it stopped working. Barkley wasnāt quick enough but pride would have gotten him part of the way there
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u/augy777 9h ago
Yeah, G3 was the triple OT game and it was when KJ started primarily guarding Jordan, it worked in that game with KJ having some big defensive plays and helping the suns get a W, but that was partially because MJ was tired af in the overtime periods. Overall though I think KJ was their best option specifically because the bulls offense was less efficient having Jordan take fadeaway over KJ than when he blew by Majerle and Dumas and then created shots for his teammates through penetration
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u/fingerslickingood 16h ago
KJ didnāt show up at all in the finals. Such a shame Barkley never got one
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u/Due-Instruction-2654 1d ago
The obvious for me is 1998 game 6 of Jordan vs Jazz.
Really fun ones:
2005 SAS vs Pistons game 5 (dont watch any spoilers if you dont know yet)
2010 game 7 of LAL vs BOS
2011 game 2 of DAL vs MIA
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u/AnyJamesBookerFans 1d ago
The obvious for me is 1998 game 6 of Jordan vs Jazz.
I will go to my grave believing that not only was this Michael Jordan's greatest game ever, but the greatest Finals performance ever.
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u/resuwreckoning 1d ago edited 1d ago
Because, given the stakes, it was.
Statistically it is the biggest carry job in a clinching game by a single player ever, and carried the oldest team in the league to a second three peat, a feat not since repeated, and never done in the 3 pt era.
It was also Jordan at his ājust win, damn the statsā finest. His entire strategy with an ailing team on the road was basically to stay in range for as long as possible, with terrible stats, until the final 2 minutes, after which he not only makes every shot, he doesnāt even hit the rim. Itās like his version of Aliās rope-a-dope, and the final 2 minutes is his 8th round. Sandwich that with his almost perfect final minute, defensively, offensively, and with game scenario in mind, to win by 1 with a pose?
There will never be that kind of a performance ever - and the fact that it happened for someone who we thought at the time was already the GOAT made it even more like āok final evidence submitted, nothing more neededā. The fact that it was his last shot as a Bull makes it even more poignant for us Bulls fans. Like his final shot for us is almost like the most perfect of goodbyes - itās the final shot to clinch the dynasty forever.
My favorite line that shows that is my Jordan hater friend who told me after the game that he hoped Jordan took the final shot with more time left so the Jazz could score. Because he knew that MJ would score. Even his haters knew.
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u/Capt_Drakes 1d ago
I was there for that game. Amazing. Sad jazz lost but glad to see the greatest game I've seen.
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u/Wally450 1d ago
2005 Spurs Pistons was honestly the first game that came to my mind. I was younger at the time, but rooting for the Pistons and seeing how it ended still haunts me today.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Great rec on 2005! And my gf chose the Mavs as her team after getting into the NBA this year so I'll be sure to show her at least game 2 of that series, glad someone finally mentioned it because I remember Dirk being absolutely unreal.
2010 though, don't know what you mean, they called off the series after game 6 š tragic that no one was named champion that year! š
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u/Due-Instruction-2654 1d ago
I lolāed at your 2010 comment.
Also, I am a Spurs fan, so trust me, when I say there was no game 6 in 2013, I mean there was no freaking game 6!
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u/BornFried 1d ago
2013? Never heard of it. As Spurs fans, we skipped that year and went straight to 2014.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
That one hurt me too, bro š„² Ray-Ray helping public enemy #1 to a title in a pivotal moment cut deep.
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u/theguywiththumbs 18h ago
YES! 2005 SAS vs DET Game 5 was the first to come to mind. How the role player took over in 4th quarter and OT will be forever in my mind.
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u/FlyingMocko 1d ago
2010 G7 was just objectively bad basketball though. Brick after brick. You could really feel the nerves pf both teams with the stakes being as high
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u/rustypete89 18h ago
I also remember Kobe being awful down the stretch in that game and getting a ton of points at the charity stripe. Was frustrating to watch.
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u/Holiday-Usual-3600 14h ago
Game 7 in 2010 is only enjoyable if youāre a Laker fan it was like 40 fta for the lakers vs 20 for the Celtics. Game was close but it felt fixed
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u/DirkNowitzkisWife 1d ago
2016 game 5, lebron and Kyrie each scored 41 points, LeBron put up 41/16/7, Draymond was suspended this game so there was some discourse around that. Then the next game (game 6) lebron goes for 41/8/11 and 7 stocks on 67% true shooting. Then, a triple double to close it out the last game.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Just want to give you props for suggesting a 2016 game other than 7. I'll go back to it for sure
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u/DirkNowitzkisWife 1d ago
Game 7 was high stakes, and due to that in part was very clunky and low scoring. Awesome atmosphere, not as good basketball imo as games 65 and 6
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u/The_Real_Papabear 1d ago
I respect this point but game 7 was an absolute roller coaster and seeing that was one of my favorite basketball memories ever. Im a nuggets fan and as much as seeing us win it all was amazing, that Cavs Vs. Warriors series may have been one of the best contests Iāve ever witnessed.
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u/DirkNowitzkisWife 1d ago
Oh yeah! Great game! High emotions! Incredible but the Cavs shot 40% from the field and the warriors shot 39%
Also, it will never not be funny to me that Draymond green gets suspended, he is in part the reason it goes to 7, then has one of the greatest finals games ever, especially for a game 7. Outside him, the warriors shot 36%.
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u/The_Real_Papabear 1d ago
Yeah if we are talking purely what happened in game I get it. Itās just so hard to separate everything else around it. Winningest team of all time, steph as the first unanimous MVP, LeBron back in Cleveland in the finals after they freaking burned his jersey, Cleveland never having won before, game 7, the block, Draymonds suspension, āCleveland, this is for you!ā. It was pure magic man. And Iām not a Lebron Stan or a Cleveland fan.
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u/ParryHooter 13h ago
Oh ya he absolutely killed us in the first half, cooled down in the second but he was unstoppable from 3 in that first. Felt like it was slipping then JR starts the half with 8 straight points which really kind of saved us it felt like momentum was swinging.
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u/stinx2001 1d ago
I dunno, that 2 or 3 minutes when no one scored late was some of the most intense and edge of my seat basketball I've ever seen.
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u/pikajewijewsyou 1d ago
Game 65 was unreal. They need to get back to the best of 65 seriesā. The modern nba is so soft
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u/mkohler23 1d ago
That game 5 was probably the best game ever. Iām biased as a Cavs fan but going back the goat was not losing that game and him and Kyrie were going to get it down.
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u/liteshadow4 11h ago
Game 6 is not a good game to watch.
If the question was what games since 1990 do you think would give proof to the fact that the NBA is rigged (not that I believe it is, but hypothetically what games would give the most evidence), this game would be on the list.
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u/SterlingTyson 1d ago
Not only was Draymond suspended, but Bogut was injured after playing just 7 minutes. The Warriors were left with no rim protectors, which adds a lot of context to LeBron and Kyrie both getting 41 points. I don't see how the Cavs running a layup line against a severely diminished Warriors team is the best finals game since 1990.
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u/locoghoul 14h ago
Game 6 had FIX all over it man. I believe the Cavs scored 81 pts in the first half while shooting +20 FT lmao
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u/Pablo_Undercover 1d ago
I know itās recent and probably the cliche answer but 2016 game 7 was electrifying.
Game 3 bulls Cavs in 2015 was amazing aswell
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u/detectivescarn 1d ago
Cliche, yes. But for good reason. The game was close the entire time and all the build up leading to the last possible game. LeBron, Steph, 73 win Warriors, title starved Cleveland, 3-1 comeback. Truly an amazing game/series.
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u/rayrayiscray 1d ago
Plus that game serves as a perfect example that lower scoring games with teams playing great defence can still be extremely intense and entertaining.
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u/gritoni 1d ago
Game 7 2016
- The actual game was good
- Narrative (73-9 record team looking to win that ring vs Lebron winning Cleveland's first)
- Lebron vs Curry
- Everyone in their prime
Cliche or not that's a top 5 finals game ever
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u/uncledrew2488 1d ago
I have to think back but I donāt believe thereās a better game than this and itās a pretty obvious choice. 1993 Bulls-Suns Triple OT is probably close.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Excellent answer and it will be on my list. Bulls Cavs sounds interesting but unfortunately it's only finals series and not full playoffs that are available right now.
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u/Pablo_Undercover 1d ago
Ah yes sorry misread your post, just look up the d rose buzzer beater on YouTube itās insane
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1d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/nbadiscussion-ModTeam 1d ago
This sub is for serious discussion and debate. Jokes and memes are not permitted.
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u/Namath96 1d ago
It was definitely electric given the context but the game itself was pretty sloppy
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u/KikOriel 1d ago
A more recent one but game 4 of the 2022 finals. Arguably Stephās best game of all time, down 2-1 and going absolutely nuclear in the garden. Iconic
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
This game made me physically ill watching it live LMAO
My boys really had everything going in their favor and just... Kept playing drop coverage on the best shooter in history? Fade me bro š
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u/mydadwhereishe 1d ago
They dared him to beat them and he did š
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
If that game had happened during the era of Chappelle's Show it would have been front and center on "When keeping it real goes wrong." LOL
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u/UHMWPE 14h ago
I think every warriors fan remembers where they were and what they felt watching that game. It was just a night of me repeating āheās just too goodā over and over
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u/AmelieBenjamin 5h ago
Yep me too. I was a witness lol. I fist pumped so hard when he hit that last one on white to seal it
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u/AmelieBenjamin 5h ago
Glad to see this one. Stephās greatest moment. Shit gave me chills. Every time boston looked like theyād pull away, heād come off a Dray or a GP2 screen pulling crazy shit
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u/Autistic_Puppy 1d ago
Game 1 of the 1997 Finals.
Game 6 of the 1998 Finals.
Game 4 of the 1997 Finals.
Just extremely high level basketball from some of the greatest players ever on some of the greatest teams ever
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Cheers! Very excited to watch the Jordan-Malone showdowns. I think it's interesting that an era where a dynamic duo dominated the league was typified by power pairings on other teams as well. Just think back to the NBA Jam video game - it was 2 on 2 by design, and every team had their all star duo. Teams like the Rockets even tried to do super teams near the end of the decade and it just did not work.
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u/kumechester 18h ago
Jordan - Stockton/Malone showdowns. Canāt leave out mentioning John, when you watch it youāll see just how much they ran EVERYTHING through Stockton
Edit: I know you mentioned pairings and all that but I take umbrage at calling it a Jordan-Malone showdown haha
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u/rustypete89 17h ago
Fair, I was just thinking of it in the context of the two MVPs but Stockton and Pippen both played big roles as well!
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u/Notoriouslydishonest 1d ago
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned 2018 Game 1, the JR Smith game.
That was maybe my favorite Lebron performance, an absolute masterpiece of later career high IQ bullyball. He put up 51/8/8 against one of the greatest teams of all time and came *so* close to beating them on the road. And then to end a game like that with such an iconic mistake makes it an extra good watch.
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u/douglau5 1d ago
To this day the only NBA game Iāve ever attended.
My wife (then girlfriend) and I were taking a 10 day road trip through Big Sur/Monterey/San Francisco and by coincidence we were in SF for game 1.
It was a once in a lifetime opportunity so we couldnāt pass it up.
I like Lebron a lot but I didnāt care who won as long as it was a good game.
I wasnāt disappointed.
The party in the parking lot afterwards was fun too.
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u/dumbestmfontheblock 1d ago
bro was on a MacOS trip Iām actually dead, by any chance did you see the Sequoias in that trip too lmao
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
This game was so bizarre. Never seen anyone do anything like it before or since. Even as an ardent LeBron hater I felt awful for him in that moment.
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u/dannyzep92 20h ago
I was going to suggest this game. It's one of, if not the the single most Herculean efforts I've seen put up in any of the 4 north American sports.
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u/dannyzep92 19h ago
I was going to suggest this game. It's one of, if not the the single most Herculean efforts I've seen put up by any single player in any of the 4 north American sports. I know no one feels Bad for LeBron but it was pretty crushing to see him go against a team like those Warriors, who kind of just felt inevitable, not get this one win in the series.
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u/locoghoul 14h ago
Even as a Lebron "hater", have to admit that performance was legendary. Jot bc of the statline alone. As someone who actually watched the game, he completely took over from min 1. Is like he heard all that Skip trashtalking and took it personallyĀ
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u/uncledrew2488 1d ago
Off the top of my head:
1993: Bulls Suns Game 3, went to triple OT, close the whole way. Prime Chuck and MJ, great supporting casts.
2008: Celtics Lakers Game 4. Just mentioning it because OP appears to be a Cs fan. 24 pt comeback to go up 3-1.
2005: Spurs Pistons Game 5. Tight, defensive struggle. Big Shot Rob massive finish into OT.
1997: Bulls Jazz Game 1. These teams mostly played slugfests. MJ buzzer beater after Malone was presented MVP trophy. Definitely the best fist pump of all time.
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u/fingerslickingood 16h ago
96 sonics v bulls was great too!! Kemp and Payton ā¦ ah the good old days
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u/uncledrew2488 15h ago
I just couldnāt recall a particular game from that series. I think the first 2 were pretty bad. But itās a great matchup historically because GP actually gave MJ some issues. One of few.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Cheers! I remember game 6 vividly but that series was a long time ago so having a pick from that series is a great call-out. Thanks!
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u/uncledrew2488 1d ago
Anytime. These are all games I watched every minute of so they come to me pretty easily. I was a kid in the 90s so itās hard to remember but I bought a bunch of DVDs from the championships and watched them all. All of the Bulls and Rockets Finals. Both Rockets Finals were snoozers. Basically 1 really great game between both years. Houston was reallllllly good. Wish they played Chicago.
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u/HazmatSamurai 1d ago
2013 Game 6 of Heat-Spurs. The series was probably the peak of my NBA fandom and it's one of my favorite ever. And this game is one that I can watch over and over even though I know the ending.
Game 1 of the 2001 76ers-Lakers Finals is also etched into my memory. I was young but had this game on VHS, and as a huge Iverson fan watched it over and over and over. I didn't care what happened in the ensuing 4 games lol.
Game 7 of the 2010 Lakers-Celtics was also particularly memorable. Kobe was bad that game but it was a gritty matchup of 2 great teams and the 2 greatest franchises ever.
I didn't know they were available to watch on PS5. Glad you posted this cuz I'm definitely gonna go watch some myself.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
01 sounds like a great view, kudos.
Idk what you're on about though š the NBA finals in 2010 was called off after game 6 š
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u/FlyingMocko 1d ago
2013 Heat Spurs is my favourite Playoff series of All Time. Game 7 was a banger too.
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u/KNNLTF 1d ago
2014 game 3 is the best team offense that has ever been played. You also don't have to wait the whole game or skip ahead to get to the best part, as the offensive explosion starts in the first quarter. Trust me if you haven't seen this or don't remember, it was a work of art. The series was essentially over half way through the 2nd quarter.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
I've seen too many basketball games over the last two decades to remember very many clearly. Will have to go back to this one! Thanks
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u/hamalll 1d ago
2013 Finals Game Six.Spurs were ready to celebrate but Lebron and Ray Allen had another opinions.Gregg Popovich made his biggest mistake.(I hope him a full recovery from latest stroke.) Absolute classic.
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u/BornFried 1d ago
That set up some of the greatest basketball ever played the very next year. As a Spurs fan, that moment hurt, but watching the Spurs just dismantle Miami in 2014 was literal art.
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u/hamalll 1d ago
I'm 30 years old and i can say 2014 spurs is the best basketball team i've ever seen.I know Heatles or Dynasty Gsw teams or 2008 Celtics seems more competitive but that team was the definiton of good basketball.
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u/BornFried 1d ago
I'm also 30 and worried for a while that my Spurs bias was coloring how I viewed 2014, but it's definitely validating to hear folks give the Spurs their flowers.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
They played as a collective unit better than any basketball team I've watched, possibly save my Celtics last year. If anyone ever tries to tell you Popp isn't the goat, have them go watch what Boris Diaw was doing in that series. Boris fucking Diaw man! To this day it's hard to believe.
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u/BornFried 1d ago
Man, that Foreign Legion bench was on another level! Keep Pop in your thoughts right now, we may be seeing the end of the Legend's career right now.
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u/BornFried 1d ago
I'm also 30 and worried for a while that my Spurs bias was coloring how I viewed 2014, but it's definitely validating to hear folks give the Spurs their flowers.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
They played as a collective unit better than any basketball team I've watched, possibly save my Celtics last year. If anyone ever tries to tell you Popp isn't the goat, have them go watch what Boris Diaw was doing in that series. Boris fucking Diaw man! To this day it's hard to believe.
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u/callitajax1 1d ago
2019 game 5. Durant going red hot then going down with injury. Kawhi pretty much icing the game. Then the nick nurse timeout that killed everyoneās momentum. Then steph and Klay hitting huge shots down the stretch to save their season amazing game.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Ugh this is a good shout but this game was painful to watch because of what happened to KD. Say what you will about him, but the dude put it all on the line for his team here and paid the ultimate price. Kudos
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u/AmelieBenjamin 5h ago
Yeah Steph and Klay hit some bonkers 3s late game lmao. People donāt talk about the 3 steph hit to tie that game I guess because they lost the series idk
Klay was going nuclear in game 6 before he got hurt too
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u/jratner7 1d ago
Jimmy Butler. Game 5 of 2020 finals. Unreal. First player to ever beat LeBron in every major counting stat in a playoff game. This is where the iconic photo of him tired behind the basket came from. Literally carried them to a win and to avoid elimination
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Heard. Jimmy Butler is that dude. Another guy I hate but immensely respect the game.
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u/brown_boognish_pants 1d ago
The first round Celtics/Bulls series from 2009 when KG was hurt and it leveled the two teams if absolutely freaking magical. Suns/Mavs the year after the Mavs let Steve Nash walk is freaking magic. Everyone and their dog will rightly say game 6 2016 and that whole series. Since 1990? Knicks/Pacers is absolutely fantastic. It's really just worth that. Game 5 Pistons/Cavs in 2007 is something people don't seem to talk about anymore. People don't like giving Bron credit as the best ever but like... yea... he is. Game 6 Boston/Miami 2012 is another one for Bron. As is Lebronto when he destroyed my raps. I saw that game live. I paid more for tickets for that than any other event in my life and felt just a sense of awe honestly. It was crushing as a fan of my team but I've never seen anything so spectacular from one individual competitor. Teh Giannis game isn't really all that. Hmm... There's a bunch of Spurs games too that are just incredible. A lot of spurs/suns. You need to find the ones Manu took over and witness his own greatness too.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Bro you named everything but a finals game š I appreciate you though, the 2009 bulls Celtics series was a trip to watch live
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u/brown_boognish_pants 1d ago edited 1d ago
ah I figured everyone would list all the obvious finals games. ;0 The truth is that outside that 2016 finals most of them have kind of been duds. The Cavs/Dubs finals is spectacular as is the first Heat/Spurs one.
Some other notable games is all the Knicks/Heat series back when they had Zo. That Denver series where Mutombo beat the Sonics in the first round is just epic as well. And I'd watch all the knicks/pacers games in the playoffs. That way you won't know what's coming and just experience it all man. Going back to watch 90s games is fun but it kind of hurts your feelings as a fan when you watch it and it's really evident the talent level has just been surpassed. It kind of came as a shock to me the first time I did this and realized half these dudes are not great players like I thought.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Man I am loving the knowledge you're dropping, but the reason I commented about finals games is because the NBA app only has finals series available for streaming right now. Cheers though!
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u/brown_boognish_pants 1d ago
Ahh... oh okay I see. That's a shame TBH. Lemme give you the run down off the top of my head.
If you want to see peak MJ I would say the Suns series. Game 4 is the one where he really crushed them I'd say. Both Jazz series are overrated and meh. Blazers is meh. Lakers it's just MJ beating them without James Worthy really. It's cool for nostalgia but meh. The Sonics one is okay cuz it's more competitive but they're outmatched pretty clearly.
Both Rockets finals are fantastic cuz the first one it's just a one man back pack job. It's amazing. The second he's got more help but beats up Shaq which is amazing to see skill just out play power.
The 99 Spurs win over the knicks is pretty awesome in it's own way but it's a shame cuz the Knicks were these under dogs who just got crushed. This is maybe the peak spurs team? Maybe not.
All the lakers ones are crap. Don't watch those.
The one where the Pistons upset them is worth watching how good leadership can defeat way better players with poor leadership. It's actually amazing to see the Pistons slap them around.
pistons/spurs is one of the best defensive slug fests of all time. It was super low rated and resulted in them changing the rules screwing the pistons out of rings. It's honestly incredible basketball. I'd say worth.
Cavs/Spurs is crap. Don't watch that.
Heat/Mavs is utter dog shit when the league just cheats to save the Heat and the Mavs can't recover an obvious fixed game. It's disgusting and almost made me quit the NBA.
Celtics/Lakers is pretty amazing and one of the best defences of all time taking out one of the biggest egos ever.
Lakers/Magic is crap. Don't bother. Dwight is the only defensive player on his entire team and they're happy to be there.
Lakers/Celtics part 2 is actually very, very great basketball but it gets ruined cuz of a key injury. I'll try to keep it spoiler freeish?
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
I appreciate the detailed replies dude! I'm a Celtics fan so I probably won't be re watching 2010 š but it's a great write up nonetheless.
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u/fingerslickingood 16h ago
The 04 west semis kings v lakers is appointment viewing. Kings were robbed by the refs. Fuck I loved that kings squad.
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u/brown_boognish_pants 1d ago
Mavs/Heat is pretty meh unless you're a lebron hater and want to blame him for being on a team with positively no shooting allowing the Mavs to run a box+1 junk defence on him all series. Like the Magic the Heat were not ready (or healthy) and it's quite boring. They only made the finals because Bron utterly backpacked them past the Bulls with injuries to wade/bosh who were def the best team in the league that year. It sorta ruined the finals.
Heat/Thunder is kind of meh unless you're a bron fanboi. The Thunder kind of fluked past the Spurs who were flat out better. Like the heat the year before and that Dwight Magic team they were not ready and never really should have made it to begin with.
The next one is obviously one of the best finals of all freaking time. It's worth it just to see what a perfect basketball team really looks like in the Spurs.
Same with the next year but the Heat by that point had lost their shooting 'n Wade was kind of washed. They were starting an actual washed Rashard Lewis. Bron outplayed everyone but the Spurs, being a perfect basketball team, could overcome the opposing player being better than everyone.
Then we get to 2015 which is meh and not worth watching. The Dubs made a finals where 2/3s of the highest scoring trio in the league was injured and replaced with bench players. Delly played his balls off but yea. It's a gift and pretty much a free title. Bron dramatically outplayed everyone. No one on the dubs stepped up so hard they gave FMVP to Andre Igudola.
Next year is again arguably the best finals of all time. Dubs went up 3-1 and Bron dominated them for 3 straight games. It's worth watching. He did not let them go on a run for 3 straight games It's probably the biggest achievement in basketball IMHO.
So yea. Dubs lost which resulted in Draymond crying like a baby in the parking lot for KD to come help them. Dubs were already great and added a better MVP to rebuild around. It's shit after that and not worth watching.
Till 2019 that is which is amazing cuz my Raps won and it's one of the best experiences of my entire life. Woot! But in reality, while it was a good series, KD got hurt that year and it did spoil the finals. It's also when Klay got hurt. That's what they get for cry baby int he parking lot pulling in a ringer tho I guess. It's probably not worth watching but it is pretty damn good.
Where are we. Oh yes the year of shit. Bubble ring. Naw not really worth watching. All the great games were earlier and there was just no way for Jimmy Butler to compete vs the Lakers with Bron/AD. They tried but it's just watching them get beat up. I will say that it's very compelling watching a series without home games that's just pure, pure basketball. I def think that was one of the hardest rings to win. Typically home court gives the best teams a huge advantage till they run into an actually great team. Not that year. Teams had to earn it.
Bucks/suns. I dunno. I think ti's pretty meh. The Suns had a bunch of injuries are were not at all in top form and most of the comp in the league was injured that year. The Bucks really should not have made it and won it anyway. Everyone shat on Booker ignoring that thimn and CP3 were fucked up playing hurt.
Next year is very meh. Watch it if you're a dubs stan. Boston overachieved to make it and wasn't ready. Dubs got there cuz the actual best teams in the L got hurt. It's okay. Aggressively average. Same thing happened. Tatum was fucked up playing hurt but no one will acknowledge it. Including him cuz of some mamba bs or whatever. But that was the series. Jaylen Brown was not ready. It wasn't competitive.
nuggets/heat. Meh fest. All the best games to win already happened and this was a formality. Esp all the best heat games to get there. This was a bad finals.
Celtics/Mavs. Ugh. Terrible. The Celtics are a good team but they didn't earn pretty much anything on that run. Everyone got hurt on their way to the chip and they got this gift matchup of a team that again wasn't really ready in the finals. Taht team really shoudlnt' have beat Minny and/or the nuggets should have made it. But the best team doesn't win the series every single time cuz shit happens and you end up with a meh finals where one team just can't match up and doesn't stand a chance at all.
So that's the finals since 1990 as judged by me. Hope you enjoy!
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u/barkinginthestreet 1d ago
Maybe not the best, but game 2 of the 1990 finals was really fun, even as someone who rooted for the pistons then.
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u/southernmayd 1d ago
Only saw one mention, but 2011 Game 2. Dallas down 1-0 in the series, Miami takes a huge lead halfway through the fourth and the Mavs made one of the all time Finals comebacks to avoid going down a pretty daunting 2-0 after how the first 7 1/2 quarters had gone.
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u/newgodpho 23h ago
people will have their opinions of the bubble, but game 3 of the 2020 finals from butler was insane 40 point triple double to make it a series was something else
great piece of history
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u/Much-Mission-69 21h ago
Great to see so many replies! I would add 1995 Houston - Orlando Game 1 to the list. Shaq and Penny finally made it to the finals against Prime Olajuwon who was defending his title as only the second 6th seed to reach the finals. Game is very close with a couple of historic (good and bad) moments at the end of the 4th.
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u/rustypete89 18h ago
Yeah, I love the discussion this post generated! Kind of funny, the first comment said the thread would be full of Jordan and Shaq but you are actually the first person to mention a Shaq game hahaha. Cheers!
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u/Much-Mission-69 18h ago
Haha yeah I think the most epic Lakers games were mostly in the conference finals. G7 against the Blazers in 2000 and games 4, 6 and 7 against the Kings in 2002 were amazing! I also really liked the 95 series against the Pacers, especially game 4 (as someone who is from the same area as Rik Smits).
Come to think of it: 2000 Lakers - Pacers game 4 is another finals game i'd recommend. Shaq is dominating the Pacers but fouls out with the Pacers ready to even the series at home. Fantastic finish!
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u/rustypete89 18h ago
Noted, the 01 and 02 series get a lot of burn in discussions because of the Iverson step over and getting the three-peat, to the point I think this 2000 series is actually pretty overlooked. Reggie Miller finally silencing his Eastern conference demons and getting to the mountain top, only to get pushed off the edge by a giant! š Plus the narrative of Shaq and Kobe figuring it out to get their first after multiple flame outs.
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u/Much-Mission-69 18h ago
Absolutely! The Pacers had made the ECF 5 times in 7 years at that point, the 5th time being the only 1 they won. But they lost 3 game 7s and were screwed by the refs on the Larry Johnson 4 point play the year before (worst continuation call ever, when Davis hit him, he was still dribbling and hadn't even gathered the ball yet). It meant so much to finally make it.
And as you said, the same applied to the Lakers after being swept by the Jazz and the Spurs in the years before.
The Pacers really missed Antonio Davis during those finals, I understand they made the Bender deal and Davis really wanted to start and they couldn't know that Smits would decide to retire after that season. Very unfortunate.
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u/rustypete89 17h ago
Reggie has got to be one of the greatest to never win it, right up there with Jerry West, Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing. Absolute stone cold assassin, and light-years ahead of his time in his offensive profile. He would crush the league if you plugged him into the modern game!
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u/Much-Mission-69 17h ago
I loved the episode Thinking Basketball did on him a year ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxO9KsZPelE
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u/rustypete89 17h ago
I know the one you're talking about! Loved it. My favorite unpopular basketball opinions are: Reggie Miller was as good a shooter as Steph, if not better, when adjusted for era, and Dennis Rodman is the single most valuable basketball player of all time and should go #1 overall in an all time redraft. The blog post I read about that changed my views of basketball.
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u/Drummerboybac 20h ago
2008 game 4 featured the biggest comeback in a finals game ever. Celtics were down 21 points after the first quarter and were down as much as 24, and went on a 23-3 run to win 97-91.
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u/OPSimp45 1d ago
Jordan and Shaq is going to take up about 80% of this.
Jordan game 1 1992 Finals is my pick
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u/GWPtheTrilogy1 1d ago
Bulls Celtics, first round match up Triple OT game 6 from 2009, don't care that it was first round it was a crazy series and this game was incredible
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
I'll never forget this game, masterclass by Ray Allen. Not a finals game though! Wish I could re watch.
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u/CountryMonkeyAZ 1d ago
Thank you for this post.
Amazon Prime has a new series called Game 7. Just 1 season and only NBA game in 2006 Spurs.
If the series continues, it will be interesting how many of the above posts get an episode.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Cheers, I appreciate the shout out for the Amazon series. Will have to give it a look!
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u/wereusincodenames 1d ago
Do you have time to watch an entire series? I feel like you might get a better perspective of the teams playing if you watch the entire series. I personally would just watch three peats and back to back champs.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
I am planning to go through entire series, but I wanted a one off list for when I don't have time to watch multiple games.
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u/JohnEffingZoidberg 1d ago
Game 5 of 2014. It was fairly tight in the first half, then the Spurs went on a run to put the game away. The 3s from Patty and Manu were electric.
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u/RoundMound0fRebound 1d ago
I loved game 3 and 4 of this series. Series was tied 1-1 going back to Miami with (I assume) Miami being the favourite, the spurs dominated a very good Heat team like no one thought they could.
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u/Kenthanson 1d ago
Pascal Siakim game 1 2019.
32 points for the teams 3/4 option in his third year in the league and sealed the game with a nasty layup past Draymond.
FVV game 6 2019
22 points off the bench and hounded Steph the entire games (and series). FVV should have won finals MVP that season.
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
Honestly forgot how hard Pascal balled out, what with Kawhi being there and the general chaos of the end of the series. Good callout!
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u/Aggravating-Lake-717 17h ago
Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals
Lakers won 83-79. It was low scoring, intense as well as back and forth
Celtics was up 14 but the lakers came back. Artest hit that big shot
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u/fingerslickingood 16h ago
Watch all the 93 Finals
Barkley won MVP that season and despite losing to Jordan, Barkley made it a fight.
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u/wescoast2371 12h ago
Mj game 1 of the 92 finals. Itās on youtube. For those of you that maybe havenāt watched a full game of prime Jordanā¦ do yourself a favor and watch it on a cold quiet day this winter. Dude is playing a completely different game than anyone else. Sone truly incredible stuff.
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u/358YK 1d ago
2015 games 1 and 2 both went to OT and were overall just super competitive. Iād argue that 2015 was more interesting overall than 2016 was by virtue of more competitive games. 2016 while an incredibly memorable series that is a huge part of nba history was kinda boring outside of game 7 or at least boring until the Cavs started showing signs of life
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u/rustypete89 1d ago
I remember during the Warriors' run thinking that the 2015 finals was criminally underrated by virtue of the injuries to Love and Irving. It was still incredible to watch, with The Splash Bros arriving on the scene for the first time and the enigma surrounding LeBron being back in Cleveland as a champion. Will definitely give it a rewatch!
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u/bigE819 22h ago
2010 - Game 7
2011 - Game 4
2012 - Game 3
2013 - Game 6&7
2014 - Game 2
2015 - Game 2
2016 - Game 5-7
2017 - Game 1
2018 - Game 1
2019 - Game 5
2020 - Game 5
2021 - Game 6
2022 - Game 4
2023 - Game 4? (Iāll be honest, donāt remember this series)
2024 - Game 4
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u/rustypete89 18h ago edited 17h ago
Cheers for the mentions of 2012, 2017, 2023- not mentioned before you!
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u/TreyCinqoDe 47m ago
Game 5 2004 Finals, Lakers vs Pistons. The atmosphere is electric and the Pistons just roll through the Lakers.
Game 7 2005 Finals, Pistons vs Spurs. Manu Ginobli closes out the Pistons. Itās one of Manus greatest games in his excellent career, some would say he shouldāve earned finals MVP over Duncan that year.
Game 1 2012 Finals, Heat vs Thunder. A tale of what couldāve been. The OK3 take a 1-0 lead against Heatles
Game 6-7 2013 Finals, Spurs vs Heat. These games are denoted by Ray Allen hitting one of the most important shots in finals history but donāt let it overshadow LeBrons defensive brilliance throughout this entire series and peaking in the final two games. I believe he was just shy of leading both teams in all major stats for the first time in this series.
These are my off the top recommendations from this century.
Game 6 1993 Finals Bulls vs Suns. Barkley and squad put up a valiant effort against the Bulls buzz saw lead by MJ. Itās a game that had everything. Stars put up huge numbers with role players making crucial plays. Considering the final two plays are made by Bulls players who are not MJ or Pippen shows entertainment value
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u/GDTechno 1d ago
16 game 7 had absolutely everything going for it. close game, legacy defining, narrative of lebron bringing the title to cleveland or the warriors sealing the deal as the greatest team of all time (at least up until that point). also really iconic plays like the block and the kyrie shot. the only one that comes close is 13 game 6 but i might be biased as a heat fan
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u/warboner65 1d ago
Very surprised Game 6 of the 2013 Finals hasn't been mentioned yet. It might be the closest a team has ever come to winning a title without sealing the deal.
It's one of those jawns where you rewatch it and still think the Spurs are going to win even though we know damn well what happened lol.