The 2023 NBA Finals tipped off on Thursday June 1, with the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets facing off for a chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy and be crowned NBA Champions. I’m not nearly as avid of an NBA fan as I used to be but I still enjoy the playoffs and particularly The Finals. Watching the game Thursday night made me think of past Finals and some of the great players and memories throughout the years. Those memories inspired me to write a little about The Top NBA Finals Moments…Of My Lifetime.

10. 2000 Finals, Game 4. Lakers at Pacers

The Jordan era was over and this game went a long way towards ushering in the reign of the newly anointed best in the game, Kobe Bryant. I was never a big Kobe guy, especially earlier in his career. But I began to appreciate him more as the years went on. He ultimately won me over completely in the final game of his career, when he dropped 60. Looking back on it now his Game 4 performance in the 2000 Finals should’ve gotten me on board a lot sooner. Kobe missed most of Game 2 and the entirety of Game 3 with a sprained ankle. The Lakers had won the first 2 games of the series but the Pacers took Game 3 and the momentum was on the verge of shifting. Kobe played 47 of a possible 53 minutes on a bad ankle and took over the game in overtime after Shaq fouled out. It was the birth of The Black Mamba and the beginning of a new Lakers dynasty as they would go on to win 3 consecutive titles.

9. 1987 Finals, Game 4. Lakers at Celtics

The Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry of the 1980’s was one of the most intense in sports history. Both teams were loaded with superstars and this was apparent by the fact that one or the other of the franchises appeared in every single edition of the Finals during the decade. The Lakers took home an impressive 5 championships during the 80’s and the Celtics won 3 of their own. With two such dominant teams it was inevitable that they would meet in the Finals at some point. They did just that 3 times in the decade with the Celtics winning in 1984 and the Lakers getting revenge in 1985, setting up the rubber match in this classic 1987 NBA Finals. Los Angeles was up 2-1 in the series but Boston held a 16 point lead at the half of Game 4 and seemed well on their way to evening the series. But a furious comeback from the Lakers in the second half had them trailing by just one point with seven seconds left in the game. That’s when Magic Johnson took an inbound pass and dribbled just inside the free throw line and launched an improbable sky hook over the outstretched arms of Boston’s two big men, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. The shot arched high into the air and when it came down it was all net. It gave the Lakers the lead and a commanding grip on the series, which they went on to win in 6 games. The “junior sky hook” as the shot would come to be known, is one of the most iconic shots in NBA history and undoubtedly one of the most attempted shots in backyard H-O-R-S-E history. I didn’t watch this shot live as it happened, just numerous times over the years via the replay or it would likely place much higher on my list.

8. 1991 Finals, Game 2. Lakers at Bulls

The Lakers are already a reoccurring theme of this list and Michael Jordan soon will be as well. When you go to six NBA Finals and win six NBA Finals MVPs, there’s a high probability of that. 1991 was the season that the Jordan led Chicago Bulls finally broke through and won the Eastern Conference by sweeping their long time nemesis, the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. This earned them the right to advance to the NBA Finals and take on the Los Angeles Lakers, who were nearing the end of their Showtime era dominance. Jordan and the Bulls seemed to be on a mission and ran into little resistance from Los Angeles in the series. The iconic moment of this Finals and one of Jordan’s most iconic moments personally came in the 4th quarter of Game 2. “The Move” was a breathtaking display of athleticism and basketball creativity. Jordan received the ball near the key, drove the lane and took flight towards the rim with the ball in his right hand. Sam Perkins closed in but made a business decision to not try and block Jordan and risk ending up on a poster in my bedroom. But Jordan sensed Perkins closing in to presumably contest the shot and instinctively switched the ball from his right to left hand in mid-air and completed the layup on the opposite side of the rim. The play-by-play call of the shot by Marv Albert only added to the legend of the moment. If you remember “The Move” you remember Marv’s emphatic call. “Oh! A spec-TAC-ular move by Michael Jordan!”

7. 1992 Finals, Game 1. Trail Blazers at Bulls

The following year’s Finals wouldn’t take long to produce another legendary Michael Jordan performance and moment. In Game 1 of the 1992 Finals, Jordan, who was never really known as a three-point shooter, let loose a barrage of triples in a scoring sequence that was captivating to witness and crippling to the Blazers. Jordan knocked down 6 threes and tallied 35 points in the first half. The final of the 6 triples produced “The Shrug” as Jordan turned to his friend, Magic Johnson, who was commentating the contest, and gave him a shrug, as if to say “What can I say? I’m The Goat.” Jordan’s fantastic on-fire first half festivities fueled a Finals flogging and set the tone for the series. The Bulls won in six games and captured their second of three consecutive championships.

6. 2016 Finals, Game 7. Cavaliers at Warriors

This is the only Finals series on the list with multiple entries and they both occurred in the same game. Needless to say, Game 7 of the 2016 Finals was an instant classic. With the series obviously tied at three games a piece, the Cavs and Warriors faced off in this epic Game 7. With 1:09 left in the game the score was tied at 89. The Cavs used a pick and roll to get the ball into Kyrie Irving’s hands and force a defensive switch by the Warriors with Steph Curry now guarding Kyrie. Kyrie dribble danced with the ball seemingly trying to drive the basket but couldn’t get past Curry. He then took a sidestep just past the 3-point line on the right wing and pulled up for a jumper as the shot clock expired. His shot was true and the Cavs were now up 92-89. Steph Curry missed a 3 of his own with 33 seconds left and the Warriors 73-9 season ended in utter disappointment.

5. 2016 Finals, Game 7. Cavaliers at Warriors

Just about a minute of game time before the previous entry on the list occurred, we were all witnesses to Lebron James’ chasedown block of Andre Iguodala’s would-be layup. After rebounding a missed Cavaliers shot Iguodala raced down court and received a pass from Curry for what seemed to be an uncontested dunk. King James had other ideas. Sprinting from his own end of the court Lebron closed the ground at an incredible pace and took flight. He soared through the air and pinned the shot to the backboard, keeping the game tied and setting the stage for Kyrie’s step back jumper a few moments later. J.R. Smith deserves an honorary defensive assist on the play for somewhat interrupting Iguodala’s intent to dunk the ball and forcing him to attempt a layup instead. The chasedown helped secure the improbable come from behind Finals win for the Cavs after trailing 3-1 in the series. It gave Cleveland their first NBA title in franchise history and is perhaps the most iconic moment of Lebron’s illustrious career.

4. 2013 Finals, Game 6. Spurs at Heat

Three years prior to his return to Cleveland, Lebron James was in his third season with the “super team” Miami Heat. It was also the Heat’s third consecutive trip to the Finals, having lost to Dallas in 2011 and defeated Oklahoma City in 2012. The Heat were down 3-2 in the series and utterly on the brink of losing their second Finals in three years. The Lebron haters were foaming at the mouth. With Miami down by three in the closing seconds of the game Lebron launched a game-tying 3-point attempt that was off target. Chris Bosh grabbed the rebound and quickly dished the ball to Ray Allen who was backpedaling towards the 3-point line in the corner. Without hesitation Allen pulled up and nailed the game-tying 3 with 5.2 seconds remaining on the clock. He got game. Miami went on to win the game in overtime as well as Game 7 and secured a second straight championship. I was not actually watching this moment but rather listening to it on ESPN radio. On the afternoon of Game 6 me and my buddy Willis made a spur of the moment trip to Atlanta to take in a Braves game. We were listening to the play-by-play of the Finals game on the ride home. We sat in stunned silence to what we were hearing. I don’t remember who the Braves played that night but I’ll never forget listening to the final moments of Game 6 of the 2013 Finals.

3. 1997 Finals, Game 5. Bulls at Jazz

With the 1997 Finals between the Jazz and the Bulls tied at 2 games all, a pivotal Game 5 loomed large. Jordan was battling a bout of food poisoning and was suffering from what was described to the media and in turn the television audience, as flu-like symptoms. Knowing the importance of the game, Jordan was determined to suit up and play. He looked like a shell of himself during the first quarter and was visibly unwell. He rallied in the second quarter, scoring 17, but was off his game once again in the third. With the Bulls down 77-69 late in the 4th, Jordan dug deep and found the strength to rattle off 7 points during a 10-0 Chicago run, including a huge 3-pointer with under 30 seconds remaining. The Bulls pulled out the Game 5 victory and finished the series in Game 6 with the aid of a late 3 by Steve Kerr. A moment which just missed inclusion on this list. “The Flu Game” further added to Jordan’s legacy and gave the Bulls their second consecutive title on the way to their Repeat 3-Peat.

2. Game 1, 2001 Finals. 76ers at Lakers

The 2001 Lakers were the defending NBA Champions and the Sixers were huge underdogs heading into the series. Philadelphia had been carried through the playoffs by that year’s NBA MVP, Allen Iverson. For the 76ers to have any chance in the series, Iverson would need to put up big numbers. He did just that in Game 1. The Answer finished the game with 48, none bigger or more memorable than the 3 he hit with 39 seconds in overtime. Iverson was in the corner and hit Tyron Lue with one of his signature crossovers, as Lue sprawled to the floor Iverson stepped back and drained a 3. Lue ended up at Iverson’s feet and A.I. exaggeratedly stepped over him while staring down at him before heading down court. It instantly became one of the most legendary plays in NBA history, largely in part because of who made it. Iverson was one of the most popular players in the league because of his play style and because of his style period. This play ranks so high on my list because at the time these Finals took place I was going through a lot of personal stuff. Fighting some demons, most of my own creation. I’d started writing a daily journal in an attempt to try and help myself work through some things. I remember writing about this play that night before I went to bed. For some reason this play gave me hope, which I desperately needed at the time. The Sixers won the game but would end up getting reverse swept and lost the series in 5 games. I’ll always remember “The Stepover” and what it meant to me and Allen Iverson will always be one of my favorite NBA players.

1. 1998 Finals, Game 6. Bulls at Jazz

Speaking of favorite players, Michael Jordan will always be it. It was established long before this Game 6 performance in the ’98 Finals but I’m sure this game gained His Airness some more points in some fans’eyes. The Bulls were down 86-85 when Jordan maneuvered behind Karl Malone in the post and stole the ball from him. Phil Jackson elected not to call a time out and Jordan dribbled down court and set up for what everyone knew would be the game-winning shot. He crossed Byron Russell over, sending him skidding to his right and pulled up and nailed a jumper with 5.2 seconds left on the clock. The Bulls would make a defensive stop on Utah’s last second attempt and secure their 3rd consecutive title, their second 3-peat. Watching this game and knowing that it might be Jordan’s last in the NBA, gave it a different feeling. Even back then when it happened I knew I was watching the best to ever play the game. Largely because of moments like this. You never doubted that Jordan would make the clutch shot. It’s just what he did. Time and time again during his career, perhaps none bigger than Game 6 of the 1998 Finals…The Top NBA Finals Moment…Of My Lifetime.