Can they top this? 10 best moments from NBA’s 2013 postseason

1. Ray Allen’s shot in Game 6

You can make a good argument this is the biggest shot in NBA history. It impacted the resumes of at least eight future Hall of Famers – Allen, of course, as well as teammates LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, as well as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

If the shot misses and the Spurs win the title, Popovich further cements his case as the greatest coach in NBA history, while Duncan claims his fifth title and Ginobili and Parker each claim a fourth title. On the other side, James, Wade and Bosh only would have earned one title in three years in the Finals as favorites, which would have led to endless speculation about the future. Instead, Allen’s shot went in, and the Heat went on to claim a second straight title.

And then there’s how the play happened. How Allen had the presence of mind to catch the ball, get his feet set behind the line and get a shot up is simply incredible.

2. Tim Duncan’s missed layup in Game 7

Unless you were a Heat fan, this was an excruciating play to watch. Duncan, who became one of the greatest players in NBA history by doing everything with machine-like efficiency somehow missed a short hook over a much smaller Shane Battier, then badly whiffed on the tip-in.

Seeing the emotion on his face afterwards – something we never see from Duncan – tells you all you need to know about the play.

3. Back-to-back baskets at end of Nets-Bulls Game 4

Everyone will remember this game for Nate Robinson going absolutely bonkers in the fourth quarter and overtime to help the Bulls engineer a big fourth-quarter comeback and eventually claim a victory in triple overtime to give them a 3-1 lead in the series.

But the most dramatic moments came in the final 12 seconds of the first overtime, when Robinson and Joe Johnson traded heroics. First up was Robinson, who hit one of the more absurd shots ever – a one-handed runner from about 20 feet over Deron Williams that clanged in off the backboard with two seconds remaining and sent the hometown United Center crowd into an absolute frenzy.

Then Johnson further burnished his clutch reputation by taking the inbounds pass, dribbling into the lane and sinking a runner to send the game into double overtime.

4. LeBron driving to the rim in Heat-Pacers Game 1

After Paul George hit a crazy 3-pointer to tie the game at the end of regulation, the Pacers took a lead at the end of overtime and appeared poised to steal the first game of the conference finals on the defending champions’ home court.

But then Pacers coach Frank Vogel took defensive dynamo Roy Hibbert off the floor, Paul George overcommitted on his closeout to defend James on the inbounds pass, and the rest … well, the rest is history.

5. Hibbert stoning Carmelo at rim in Knicks-Pacers Game 6

As the Knicks were trying to send this series back to Madison Square Garden for Game 7, Carmelo Anthony saw an open lane to the hoop midway through the fourth quarter and went up for a dunk. Hibbert had other ideas, stopping Anthony in his tracks and simply overpowering him to keep the ball out of the hoop, leading to arguably the most iconic photograph from last year’s playoffs.

6. Patrick Beverley colliding with Russell Westbrook

The entire playoffs changed when Beverley, a reserve point guard for the Rockets known for being a terrorizing defender, went in for a steal on Westbrook and clipped his knee. It was a freak accident, but the result was Westbrook being lost for the remainder of the playoffs – effectively taking out the second- or third-best contender for the title – and leading to Westbrook having three surgeries on the knee over the past season after having never missed a practice, let alone a game, up to that point in his career.

7. Manu’s game-winner in Spurs-Warriors double OT

At the end of a wildly entertaining game to open the second-round series, Golden State was on the verge of stealing home court away from San Antonio and clung to a one-point lead with 3.4 seconds remaining.

8. Chris Paul’s runner off the glass in Clippers-Grizzlies Game 2

For the second straight season, the Clippers and Grizzlies met in the first round. The Clippers had the ball at the end of regulation and the score tied with a chance to send the series back to Memphis with a 2-0 lead.

After Paul got the ball at the top of the key with the league’s best defensive guard, Tony Allen, matched up on him, he managed to turn the corner just enough to flip a one-handed shot up off the glass – and around Darrell Arthur’s outstretched arm – and through the hoop as time expired, giving the Clippers what turned out to be their final win of the postseason.

9. Tony Parker’s insane shot from his knees in Spurs-Heat Game 1

As the clock in Game 1 of the Finals, Parker had the ball at the top of the key with a chance to extend San Antonio’s two-point lead. When Parker slipped with James covering him and the shot clock going down under five seconds, it looked as if it would just end with a shot-clock violation and the Heat getting the ball back with a chance to tie or win.

But Parker somehow kept his dribble, got to his feet and threw up a shot milliseconds before the shot clock expired…

10. Andre Miller winning Nuggets-Warriors Game 1 at buzzer

Score tied. End of regulation. Opening game of the first-round series between the Nuggets and Warriors in Denver. Andre Miller in a one-on-one with rookie forward Draymond Green at the top of the key. Miller saw his opportunity and took it. His flip with 1.3 seconds remaining kept home court, at least temporarily, in Denver’s control.