The 2016 NBA Finals will mark the 70th championship series in league history. Countless memorable moments have taken place on the NBA’s grandest stage and after much discussion, we present some of the top moments in Finals history.
The Game: 2001 NBA Finals, Game 1
The Series Situation: Philadelphia 76ers against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers
The Play: Allen Iverson utilized his trademark crossover dribble against Los Angeles Lakers guard Tyronn Lue, then stepped back and hit a fadeaway jumper as Lue fell down. Iverson then took an exaggerated step over the prone Lue on his way back up the court.
The Significance: This play was an anointing of Iverson’s place among the all-time greats, and as much about the player as it was the play. Iverson had just turned in his lone MVP season, averaging a league-leading 31.1 ppg. Iverson then carried the Sixers to the NBA Finals for the first time in nearly two decades, and to many of Iverson’s fans, it seemed as if there were more appearances to come. Iverson finished the game with 48 points as the Sixers won in overtime, 107-101. The Lakers then won four straight games to win the title, and Iverson never made it back to the NBA Finals.
Lang Whitaker has covered the NBA since 1998. You can e-mail him here or follow him on Twitter.
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