Name some of your favorite or notorious NBA playoff NBA memories

[Mr. Friscus]

The Heat/Knicks playoff brawls of 97’ and 98’.

Was that when Jeff Van Gundy was clinging onto (I think it was) Alonzo Mourning's leg?

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Who remembers the "Dream Shake"... Hakeem fakes David Robinson out of his boots in the 1995 WCF.

 

[msgkings322]

Sometimes when teams are in big playoff series on the road, they will open their arena to fans and have them watch the game on the arena screens...it's almost like being there, concessions are open, the place is packed, everyone is cheering and booing just like you are there.

Me and the family went to what was then Oracle Arena in Oakland for game 6 in 2016 Warriors vs Thunder, the Klay game when he went off and got them to game 7 (which they won at home)....that was really fun, in some ways better than live because on the screen you get better views

 

[RobToxin]

Allen Iverson almost single-handedly preventing the Lakers from completely running the table in the 2001 playoffs.

 

[trojanfan12]

Allen Iverson almost single-handedly preventing the Lakers from completely running the table in the 2001 playoffs.

lol

That step over on Ty Lue. lol

 

[The Q]

Magic's "junior, junior skyhook" to beat the Celtics.

McHale clothesline of Rambis which changed the momentum of the series.

Kobe to Shaq for a monster dunk to finish off the comeback vs. the Blazers that led to their 1st title.

Someone already mentioned Magic playing all 5 positions vs. the Sixers when Kareem was out with a sprained ankle.

The "one lucky shot deserves another" game when Duncan and D-Fish hit shots in the last couple of seconds (Fishers was at 0.04 lol).

Some non-Lakers memories...

Suns vs. Celtics in 1976...triple overtime game and Garfield Heard hitting "the shot Heard around the world" to send the game to the 3rd overtime.

Suns vs. Bulls triple overtime that was the Barkly, KJ and Majerle Suns team.

MJ's "push off" vs. the Jazz to seal that one.

He also fouled Malone on the stealb

 

[Mr. Friscus]

He also fouled Malone on the stealb

Jordan got the Brady treatment back then from the refs

 

[The Q]

Jordan got the Brady treatment back then from the refs

Which is ridiculous in any sport

 

[Albuquerque Rams]

He also fouled Malone on the stealb

I'll take "Things that didn't actually happen" for $800, Alex.

 

[The Q]

I'll take "Things that didn't actually happen" for $800, Alex.

It did

The play before he pushed off

 

[Shanemansj13]

THE SHOT, THE BLOCK and the GLOVE (KLove defense on Steph). I made up “the glove” but it works lol

Ohh and about 1,000 other Lebron playoff moments

 

[Ojb81]

1994 playoffs, conference semis between the Bulls and Knicks. Derek Harper and Jojo English threw down, turned into a huge brawl right in front of then-commissioner David Stern lol. I just remember Harper body slammed English to the ground and the crowd going nuts.

 

[The Q]

THE SHOT, THE BLOCK and the GLOVE (KLove defense on Steph). I made up “the glove” but it works lol

Ohh and about 1,000 other Lebron playoff moments

Goaltending

 

[Wazmankg]

Jerry West's 60 footer that tied it at the buzzer.. the Knicks won it in OT though.
Magic's game 6 performance as a rookie.
Bird stole the ball.. and won the game and flipped the series in 87
Laimbeer's foul on Kareem that wasn't which cost them game 6 and the title in 88.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Goaltending

That was absolutely not goaltending.

 

[Mebert]

I'm split. I like for players to decide games, but the arm was clearly extended. Also, it is just a testament to the weakness of the SG throughout the 90's decade that Bryan Russell was the guy to guard mike.

Byron Russell defense was very good, it was the rest of his game that was lacking. He was Andre Roberson, and not a bad option for gaurding MJ.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Byron Russell defense was very good, it was the rest of his game that was lacking. He was Andre Roberson, and not a bad option for gaurding MJ.

He was outmatched by a lot. I'm not saying Mike didn't outmatch most people... but on the most elite stage Mike had an easy time with Russell. He wasn't challenged like he was against Gary Payton.

 

[Mebert]

He was outmatched by a lot. I'm not saying Mike didn't outmatch most people... but on the most elite stage Mike had an easy time with Russell. He wasn't challenged like he was against Gary Payton.

If the bar for not acceptable is "outmatched by MJ" than your list of acceptable is around 0.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

If the bar for not acceptable is "outmatched by MJ" than your list of acceptable is around 0.

I'm talking about guys who could relatively guard him, or score enough to offset him.

Russell was neither.
- 1996-97: 10.8ppg, 4 rebounds, 1.5 assists
- 1997-98: 9ppg, 4 rebounds, 1.2 assists

Jordan dominated his position, partially because he was so good, but partially because in the 90's the shooting guard position was so bad historically, compared to other positions.

Look at positions in the 90's when Jordan was on top
PG: Magic, Stockton, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Penny Hardaway, Tim Hardaway, Kevin Johnson
SF: Grant Hill, Dominique Wilkins, Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin
PF: Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Shawn Kemp, Dennis Rodman, Larry Johnson, Chris Webber
C: Hakeem, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaq, Alonzo Mourning

And then you have Shooting Guard:
MJ, Clyde Drexler, Reggie Miller, Joe Dumars... and then... Hersey Hawkins? Byron Scott? Jeff Hornacek? John Starks? Ricky Pierce? Dan Majarle?

Jordan came around at the perfect time: During the post-80's swell of decreased team difficulty in the NBA as well as playing at the position with the weakest opposition. I'm not gouging him for his talents, those are his and they are amazing. I'm saying he didn't have a nemesis who could match him like all the other greats had. Russell vs. Wilt. Kareem vs. Wilt/Bill Walton, Magic vs. Bird. Lebron vs. KD/Kawhi, Giannis/Mello/Pierce etc.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm split. I like for players to decide games, but the arm was clearly extended. Also, it is just a testament to the weakness of the SG throughout the 90's decade that Bryan Russell was the guy to guard mike.

See, I just don't get that logic. People like to say the refs swallowing their whistle late in games is to "let the players decide the game", but the refs calling a legit foul late in the game is "letting the players decide the game".

Mistakes are part of the game, players committing fouls at inopportune times is part of the game, refs calling fouls is part of the game.

So, if a player commits a foul and the refs call it...that's still the players deciding the game.

If anything, if a player commits a foul and the refs choose to swallow their whistles...the refs are deciding the game because they allowed one player to gain an advantage over another by committing an illegal act.

In the case of MJ's push off...it gave him an advantage over Russell...the refs choosing not to call it was them deciding the game.

I get that we would have lost an "iconic moment"...but if the foul is called...we get a more honest outcome.