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: 1997 Finals, Game 6
The Series Situation: Chicago Bulls lead Utah Jazz, 3-2
The Play: With the clock ticking under 10 seconds and the game tied at 86, Jordan drove the left side of the court and found himself double-teamed by Byron Russell and John Stockton. After a pump fake and step-through, Jordan passed to a wide-open Steve Kerr, who hit a 17-footer to give the Chicago Bulls their fifth championship of the Jordan era.
The Significance: The greatness of Michael Jordan was as much about seeing him employ his singular physical gifts as it was about seeing Jordan utilize his mental acuity. With one shot remaining to win his fifth NBA championship, Jordan recalled an earlier possession where Stockton had double-teamed him. Jordan warned Kerr to be ready, and Kerr seized the moment, knocking down the series winner. Kerr would later say it was the most memorable moment of his NBA career. That the Utah Jazz were willing to abandon Kerr, one of the NBA’s best shooters, speaks volumes about Jordan.
— Lang Whitaker
Lang Whitaker has covered the NBA since 1998. You can e-mail him here or follow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
