Ranking the Best NBA Buzzer-Beaters of All Time
Every NBA player wants to be remembered forever. But only a handful get the chance to be part of an era-defining moment: a playoff buzzer-beater. We have mined the postseason game-winners that transcend a single contest, encapsulating pivot points in legacy, culture and postseason mythology.
A true playoff buzzer-beater carries weight beyond the scoreboard. It can reset an opposing franchise, launch an all-time narrative or deliver a fanbase into the hallowed halls of Valhalla.
Just ask the Indiana Pacers faithful, after Tyrese Haliburton sent Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals into overtime—before more late heroics in the first game of the NBA Finals—with a shot reminiscent of one of the higher entries on this list.
Here is our ranking of the greatest playoff buzzer-beaters ever, ordered by aesthetics, difficulty of shot, stakes involved and historical footprint.
15. Aaron Gordon's Buzzer-Beating Dunk (2025)
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The Stakes: Western Conference First Round, Game 4
Game 4 of the 2025 first-round series between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers was physical, uneven and tense. The Nuggets were down 2-1 and desperate for momentum.
As time expired, Aaron Gordon caught an inbound pass on a designed cut, elevated and slammed home a rare buzzer-beating dunk: a jaw-dropping finish that brought Ball Arena to its feet.
The explosiveness of the dunk gave the Nuggets a dramatic win, evening the series at 2-2.
Denver rode the momentum to take the next game and ultimately the series in 7.
The Nuggets fell in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round, making Gordon’s dunk feel more like a viral moment than a defining one. It was pure athletic spectacle, but lacked championship consequence. That’s why it lands last in these rankings: a highlight for the archives, but not a shift in playoff history.
14. Luka Dončić Arrives with Bubble Step-Back (2020)
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The Stakes: Western Conference First Round, Game 4
The 2020 NBA bubble was already a surreal environment, and Game 4 between the Dallas Mavericks and the heavily favored Los Angeles Clippers added to the mythology.
Luka Dončić, just 21 years old, had already dominated the series despite playing on a bum ankle and without franchise co-star Kristaps Porziņģis. With the Mavericks down 2-1 and in need of a miracle, Dončić delivered: a sidestep, 28-foot step-back three over Reggie Jackson at the buzzer to win the game and tie the series.
The shot capped off a 43-point, 17-rebound, 13-assist performance—his breakout moment on the global stage. It even drew a double-bang from announcer Mike Breen. It was the first time the basketball world realized Dončić wasn’t just a young talent but also a generational closer.
Well, everyone but future Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison.
Though the Mavs lost the series in six games, this shot remains the moment that defined Dončić’s ascension. Unlike Gordon’s dunk, this game-winner elevated a star into a household name.
13. Jimmy Butler's Alley-Oop Lay-In (2023)
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The Stakes: Eastern Conference First Round, Game 5
Entering the 2023 playoffs, few gave the Miami Heat a shot against the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. But by Game 5, the eighth-seeded Heat had taken a 3-1 lead, and Jimmy Butler had earned his nickname, "Playoff Jimmy."
Down by two with seconds left in regulation, Butler called for the lob, slipped behind Jrue Holiday and tipped in the game-tying bucket in mid-air as time expired. The play forced overtime. Miami went on to win the game and clinch the series.
The Bucks had the league’s best record and MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they fell apart under Butler’s relentless will. The Heat rode the momentum to the NBA Finals, becoming just the second No. 8 seed to reach the championship round.
Butler’s lay-in was the signature play of that run, turning him into a playoff folk hero and earning his nickname in blood. While Butler was never able to bring Miami a championship, and left in petty fashion, he will be remembered for his superstar level moments when it mattered most.
12. LeBron James' Runner Tortures Toronto (2018)
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The Stakes: Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Game 3 up 2–0 on the Toronto Raptors in what had been billed as a competitive series. But LeBron James had other plans.
With the game tied and just over eight seconds left, LeBron took the inbound pass, raced coast to coast and banked in a running one-handed floater off the glass as time expired.
He didn’t set his feet. He didn’t need to.
The shot put the Cavs up 3-0 and demoralized a Raptors team already haunted by past playoff failures. It was a turning point not just in the series, but in the LeBron-Toronto narrative that had come to define this matchup.
Cleveland went on to sweep Toronto, and LeBron’s buzzer-beater stood as one of the most instinctual, improvisational game-winners of his career. While it wasn’t a series-ender, it was a soul-crusher.
It ranks above others because of its psychological impact and how completely it broke a 59-win team. Raptors star DeMar DeRozan would be traded the following season for Kawhi Leonard in a deal that will have massive consequences later in this list.
11. Damian Lillard Ushers in Dame Time vs. Rockets (2014)
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The Stakes: Western Conference First Round, Game 6
The Portland Trail Blazers hadn’t won a playoff series in 14 years. Game 6 in 2014 was their chance to exorcise that history. Down by two with 0.9 seconds left, Damian Lillard curled off a screen, caught the inbounds pass and launched a quick-release three that dropped cleanly as the buzzer sounded.
Just like that, the Blazers eliminated the Rockets and ignited a new era in Rip City.
This was Lillard’s first iconic postseason moment, and it announced his arrival as one of the game’s most lethal closers. It was also the big-stage debut of "Dame Time," his signature deliveries in clutch moments.
He finished with 25 points, but none bigger than the final three. The Houston Rockets, led by Dwight Howard and James Harden, were stunned. Portland’s arena exploded. For Blazers fans, it was validation. Retribution for the devastating Greg Oden injury. The LaMarcus Aldridge free-agency departure. This shot ranks above LeBron’s because it ended a series and kick-started a playoff reputation that Lillard has only built on since.
10. Toni Kukoc Ices Knicks (1994)
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The Stakes: Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3
The 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals were already dramatic. It was the Chicago Bulls’ first postseason without Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen had taken the reins.
Well, so far.
Game 3 at Madison Square Garden was tense. Chicago had split the first two games and was fighting to prove it could win without its icon. But the game’s final possession sparked controversy that haunts Pippen's legacy to this day. With 1.8 seconds left and the game tied, Phil Jackson drew up the final play not for Pippen, but for Toni Kukoc.
In an act of unprecedented selfishness, Pippen sat out the play in protest.
Enter Kukoc, a 25-year-old Croatian forward still carving out his place in the league. He calmly took the inbound, turned and hit a fadeaway jumper over Anthony Mason as time expired. The shot gave the Bulls a 2–1 series lead and proved Kukoc could be trusted in the crucible.
The New York Knicks would ultimately win the series in seven, but this moment remains a defining one for its tension, audacity and ice-cold execution.
It ranks here because while it wasn’t a series-winner, it was a bold, high-pressure game-winner on a fractured team in one of the league’s toughest environments. Kukoc delivered when his star teammate refused to play. That says something.
9. Jerry West's 60-Footer (1970)
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The Stakes: NBA Finals, Game 3
The 1970 NBA Finals were a slugfest between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, two teams loaded with Hall of Famers.
In Game 3, with the series tied 1-1, the Knicks led by two with three seconds remaining. No three-point line existed at the time, so when Jerry West took the inbounds pass from well behind half court, it was a desperation heave to tie, not to win. Insane to think about today.
West took one dribble and launched from 60 feet. Nothing but net. It was a miracle. The Forum exploded. The Lakers had forced overtime on the most improbable shot the Finals had ever seen.
They lost in OT, but West’s shot became immortal. It was a play so improbable and so perfectly executed that it’s been replayed for generations.
This ranks because of its magnitude: the Finals, a half-court bomb and as first-hand evidence of the myth of “Mr. Clutch.” Even in a loss, West’s shot became legacy-defining.
8. Ralph Sampson's Prayer in Traffic (1986)
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The Stakes: Western Conference Finals, Game 5
The 1986 Western Conference Finals pitted the upstart Houston Rockets against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The Rockets were up 3–1 in the series but trailed late in Game 5 at The Forum. With the score tied and just a second on the clock, Houston ran a last-ditch play.
The inbounds pass came to Ralph Sampson, who twisted awkwardly in mid-air and launched a wild shot from just inside the paint. The ball bounced on the rim and dropped. Game over. Series over. The Rockets eliminated the Lakers and advanced to their first NBA Finals since 1981.
Sampson’s shot was more improbable than beautiful, but it remained monumental. He outmaneuvered Abdul-Jabbar and Magic in their prime.
The Rockets would fall to the Boston Celtics in the Finals, but this moment signaled a passing of the torch, if only briefly, in the Western Conference. It ranks here for its magnitude but also as a reminder to younger fans of Sampson's unique ability, as a harbinger to the alien game of Victor Wembanyama. Sampson was the NBA's first UFO.
7. John Stockton's Ice-Cold 3 (1997)
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The Stakes: Western Conference Finals, Game 6
The Utah Jazz had never made the NBA Finals. John Stockton and Karl Malone had built years of regular-season dominance but were branded as playoff underachievers. Game 6 of the 1997 West Finals was their chance.
The Jazz had come back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter and had the ball with seconds left and the game tied.
On a high screen from Malone, Stockton broke free and calmly stepped into a three from the top of the key. The ball splashed through as the buzzer sounded. The cool-as-a-cucumber guard raised one arm and pointed skyward as his teammates mobbed him.
That shot sent Utah to its first Finals and ended the Houston Rockets’ hopes for a third title in four years. For a player known more for assists than points, it was a defining individual moment. It was clean, intentional and perfectly executed. Just like Stockton's game. The dynasty Utah never became began right here.
6. Derek Fisher's Turnaround (2004)
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The Stakes: Western Conference Semifinals, Game 5
Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals was already a war. Tied 2-2, the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs were trading body blows in a low-scoring slugfest.
These two teams made up the greatest rivalry of the 2000s. This series had a total of seven Hall of Fame players (Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili, Tony Parker).
With 0.4 seconds left, the Spurs had just taken the lead on a wild Duncan fadeaway over Shaq. San Antonio’s home crowd was in full roar, sensing a 3-2 series lead.
But out of a timeout, Payton delivered a sharp inbounds pass to trusty Derek Fisher, who caught, turned and hit a falling-away jumper. All in under half a second.
It was so quick the officials had to review the footage, confirming the ball left Fisher’s hand just in time. The Spurs were stunned. Fisher sprinted off the court into the tunnel, mobbed by teammates.
The Lakers would win the series in six and reach the NBA Finals. While they ultimately lost to the Detroit Pistons, this remains one of the most technically impossible game-winners ever. It ranks just below Horry because it wasn’t as much of a series-saver, but the degree of difficulty and shock value give it legendary status. There’s a reason it’s still referred to simply as “0.4.”
5. Tyrese Haliburton Channels Reggie Miller (2025)
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The Stakes: Eastern Conference Finals, Game 1
Parody as performance art. In a moment of déjà vu for fans older than 40, Tyrese Haliburton did his best Reggie Miller impression, with the original Indiana Pacers trolling sharpshooter in the building calling the game. Up 14 with 2:51 remaining at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks took their foot off the Pacers’ neck—and paid for it.
It felt like Miller’s 1994 Game 5 all over again—right down to the imitated choke signal he did in front of Knicks superfan Spike Lee. Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith (six threes in the fourth quarter) torched New York down the stretch, and just like that, the Garden lost its magic. New York unraveled: missed free throws, sloppy turnovers and pitiful perimeter defense.
Haliburton’s stepback jumper, with a toe on the line, took a wild bounce off the back iron and seemingly into the MSG rafters before dropping through the net. It sucked the life out of Knicks fans everywhere.
Hali's shot wasn't a game-winner—it was ruled a two and sent the contest into overtime, where the Pacers would win 138-135.
History remembers that even Miller’s heroics couldn’t win the series. Still, this one will have lasting power given both stage it occurred on and the storied rivalry between Indiana and New York.
4. Robert Horry Saves Shaq, Kobe (2002)
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The Stakes: Western Conference Finals, Game 4
Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals was a tipping point. The Sacramento Kings led the series 2–1 and were outplaying the Los Angeles Lakers on their home floor.
With just seconds left, the Kings held a two-point lead. Kobe Bryant drove and missed. Shaquille O'Neal missed the putback. The ball was tipped out to the arc...right into the hands of role player Robert Horry.
Knowing what he had accomplished for the Houston Rockets years before, Kings fans prepared for the worst and got it.
Big Shot Bob, always in the right place, stepped into a clean look and drilled a three as the buzzer sounded. Staples Center erupted. The shot tied things at 2-2 and effectively changed the course of the series. The Lakers would win in seven, advancing to their third straight Finals and winning their third straight title.
Horry’s shot is so high on this list because of the stakes. If he misses, the Lakers likely go down 3–1. The Kings were the better team that year. But Horry saved the dynasty with one flick of the wrist.
He also ended the Kings' best shot at a 'chip in franchise history. Horry, through seven championships with the Houston Rockets, Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, would become the most clutch role player of all time.
3. Dame Waves Goodbye to OKC (2019)
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The Stakes: Western Conference First Round, Game 5
The Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder entered Game 5 with Portland leading 3-1, but tensions were boiling. Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard had been jawing all series, trading barbs and buckets. The Thunder were clinging to hope of extending the series, and Game 5 at Moda Center was tight from start to finish.
Tied at 115 with seconds left, Lillard dribbled near half court, waved off a screen and pulled up from 37 feet over Paul George. Splash. As the buzzer sounded, Lillard waved goodbye to the Thunder bench in what instantly became one of the coldest gestures in NBA history.
The shot won the game and dismantled the last of the Westbrook/Thunder era. Thunder fans still feel the pain. Paul George and Westbrook would both be traded that summer. Portland advanced to the West Finals.
This ranks just above Fisher and Horry because of its finality: it ended a game, a series and an era all in one motion. Plus, it happened to a small-market franchise that rarely reaches these heights. And of course, Lillard, the walking meme.
2. Michael Jordan's Pull-Up over Craig Ehlo (1989)
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The Stakes: Eastern Conference First Round, Game 5
Before “The Shot,” Michael Jordan was known as a transcendent scorer but not yet a winner. The Chicago Bulls were underdogs against the 57-win Cleveland Cavaliers in a decisive Game 5.
Cleveland had beaten Chicago all six times that regular season. With three seconds left, Craig Ehlo scored to give the Cavs a one-point lead. Chicago’s season was hanging by a thread.
Jordan caught the inbounds pass from Brad Sellers, rose over Ehlo, double-clutched in mid-air and hit a foul-line jumper at the buzzer. He leapt in celebration, pumping his fist as Ehlo collapsed to the floor.
His 63-point effort against the imposing Celtics in the 1986 playoffs ushered in his postseason arrival, but the shot over Ehlo was Jordan’s first true playoff moment as a winner and the official beginning of his "greatest of all time" legend. The Bulls didn’t win the title that year, but this shot announced his arrival as a killer postseason closer.
Ehlo's name and basketball career was reduced to the receiving end of Jordan's emergence. A casualty in the legacy of the GOAT.
1. Kawhi Leonard's Rim-Teasing Fadeaway (2019)
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The Stakes: Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 7
It was the only series-ending, Game 7 buzzer-beater in NBA history.
The Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers were tied 90–90 in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Kawhi Leonard had already carried Toronto through a grueling series, but this final possession felt scripted.
He dribbled into the right corner, closely guarded by Joel Embiid, and launched a fadeaway over a 7-foot wingspan. The ball bounced once. Twice. Three times. Four. The entire country held its breath. Then it dropped.
Leonard squatted in the corner, watching it fall. Toronto went on to win the NBA title. The first in franchise history and Leonard's only year with the team. It was an odd pairing that worked.
The Sixers, emotionally gutted, would never quite regroup. It ranks No. 1 because it had everything: the stakes of Game 7, the difficulty of the shot, the legacy implications and the silence that turned into a roar. No other buzzer-beater ended a Game 7 and started a title run. Those who saw were blessed as witnesses to greatness.
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