Ranking the 10 Best NBA Finals Moments of the Century

The 2026 NBA Finals matchup between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs marks just the second time the two franchises have faced off for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The first and only clash came in 1999, when the eighth-seeded Knicks had their fairy-tale run ended by Tim Duncan, David Robinson and the soon-to-be dynastic Spurs.

In the years since then, the NBA Finals have featured plenty of exciting and memorable moments from a wide variety of players and teams.

We combed through the past quarter-century's worth of NBA Finals to find and rank the best singular moments.

Having an outstanding individual performance is nice, but it doesn't guarantee a player a place on this list. A team making a big comeback or having an emphatic win doesn't fit the bill, either, as neither is truly encapsulated in a singular moment.

Here, we're looking for clutch shots, big plays, and iconic snapshots—many of which have already become etched in NBA lore.

The rankings themselves are subjective, though some preference was given to moments that occurred in critical games of a series or included a clear game- or series-altering play. Replay value was also taken into account, meaning a memorable visual definitely boosted certain moments higher. Most of the best moments also came courtesy of players whose team ultimately won the series, but that wasn't a prerequisite.

Finally, all of the moments listed here happened during an NBA Finals game. Unfortunately, that meant Kevin Garnett bellowing "Anything Is Possible" after the 2008 Finals didn't make the cut.

Before diving into the list, we'll first take a look at an honorable mention. After that, we'll count down from No. 10 to No. 1.

Honorable Mention: Kobe Bryant's Overtime Put-Back in Game 4 of the 2000 Finals

Kobe Bryant suffered a sprained left ankle during Game 2 of the 2000 NBA Finals when Jalen Rose intentionally stuck out his foot so Bryant would land on it while coming down from a jump shot. The injury forced Bryant out of most of Game 2 and all of Game 3.

With the Lakers holding a 2-1 lead, Bryant refused to miss Game 4 under any circumstances. He didn't just play, either; he excelled.

Bryant gutted out 47 minutes in the overtime affair, scoring 28 points. His last two were critical, as he put back a miss by Brian Shaw with 5.9 seconds left to give the Lakers a three-point cushion.

It was a truly gritty, determined performance relatively early in the career of the Black Mamba, and it helped set the stage for what would become a Lakers three-peat. Had Kobe been unable to play, it would have been one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA Finals history.

Instead, he established himself as a tenacious competitor and clutch performer in one of the best moments in recent Finals history.

10. Tyrese Haliburton's Game-Winner in Game 1 of the 2025 Finals

It didn't matter who the Indiana Pacers were matched up against in any round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. At some point, Tyrese Haliburton was going to send them home wondering "What the Hali" had just happened.

Haliburton eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks by driving past Giannis Antetokounmpo for a clutch, overtime layup in Round 1. He then ripped the heart of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Round 2 with a game-winning step-back three with 1.1 seconds left to give the Pacers a 2-0 series lead.

In Game 1 against the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, Haliburton capped a massive fourth-quarter comeback with a long two that bounced off the back rim, soared above the shot clock, and then dropped through the net to force overtime.

He didn't just save the magic for Indiana's Eastern Conference foes, either. In yet another game that the Pacers trailed by 15-plus in the fourth quarter, Haliburton played a massive role in a furious comeback in the final minutes.

Trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder by one and with the clock running down, 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.

The Pacers ultimately lost the series, but 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

For most players, mentioning the clutch three-pointer they made in the final minute of Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Cleveland would be enough to elicit a specific memory.

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 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 Miami Heat were in the first year of their superteam era, and anything short of a title would be considered a failure. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks were surprisingly in the Finals after surviving a loaded Western Conference.

While they were only separated by one game in the regular-season standings, the Heat entered the series as clear favorites, while the Mavs were the underdogs.

With just over seven minutes left in Game 2 and the Heat up by 15, everything seemed to be going according to plan. In short order, Miami would have a 2-0 lead, and the title that seemed like it had already arrived with LeBron James and Chris Bosh would be that much closer to taking its own talents to South Beach.

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.

Meanwhile, that clutch bucket—and many others after it—turned Nowitzki into a legend.

7. Big Shot Bob's Clutch 3 in Game 5 of the 2005 Finals

To this point in the rankings, all of the big moments have occurred relatively early in each series. This moment, though, came in a game that was clearly pivotal both at the time and in retrospect, which adds an extra layer of importance.

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 moments 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 an 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, Iverson emphatically stepped over him, showcasing 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 his dunk attempt. The speed with which Antetokounmpo crossed the paint defied logic, and his recovery block immediately became one of the great clutch defensive plays in Finals history.

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 dubbed "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 caught nothing but net and 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 a Q&A with NBA.com. "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.

Allen's shot felt massive in the moment, and it's still the kind of shot where most fans can remember exactly where they were the moment it happened.

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 gutsy three-pointer right 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 as s--t" in that moment, 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 this play by 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.