biggest choke in nba history?

[mehyaM24]

nba player or team,what do you consider the biggest "choke" in history?

[navy]

Lebron 2011
Kobe 2004
Wilt entire career Bait

[mehyaM24]

Lebron 2011
Kobe 2004
Wilt entire career Bait

nice white text :lol

kobe's game 7 a few years back >>>> 2004 finals

6-24

[97 bulls]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCoQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fm.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DYQ1bd 2g3p1Y&ei=4vsyU9PtBNKJogSx7oL4AQ&usg=AFQjCNEeEJZKf8I3tHXQtm5phP3SE6LrxA&sig2=kZAPG5NYARlMWVM_J0O36w

[SilkkTheShocker]

Dallas in 2006 was really bad.

Same with losing to the And 1 Mixtape tour in 2007 after winning almost 70

[shady6121]

Spurs 2013 NBA Finals Game 6

[Milbuck]

Lebron in 2011.

[oarabbus]

Dallas in 2006 was really bad.

Same with losing to the And 1 Mixtape tour in 2007 after winning almost 70


lol that wasn't a real game though

[SilkkTheShocker]

Lebron 2011
Kobe 2004
Wilt entire career Bait

These also. Can't forget Portland in 2000 either

[mehyaM24]

jordan 8 turnovers vs orlando
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFs16GWXT_w

losing to a team that would get swept in the finals LOL i say that is up there too.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Magic '84
Jordan '94
Kobe '04, '08, '10, '12
Lebron '11
Wilt - too many to count
Karl Malone - '97, '98
Ewing - '95
Rose - '11 - though he's not really a superstar
Durant - '13

[SilkkTheShocker]

lol that wasn't a real game though

GS had talent, but no one expected Dirk to get shutdown by Stephen Jackson. That team was playing Al Harrington at center for chunks of time.

[navy]

Spurs 2013 NBA Finals Game 6
How did I miss this one. It just happened last year. :rockon:

[SilkkTheShocker]

Spurs 2013 NBA Finals Game 6

It would have been a bigger deal if it was any other team but the Spurs. They have a humble superstar and small market team, so no one gives a shit apparently.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

It would have been a bigger deal if it was any other team but the Spurs. They have a humble superstar and small market team, so no one gives a shit apparently.

What makes that choke even worse is that the game was rigged in the Spurs' favor.

[AlphaWolf24]

In no order...

Pacers Knicks Spike Lee game....everyone on the Knicks was shook.

Nick Anderson in 95' ..a great shooter like Nick shouldn't brick 4 straight FT's...

Tragic Johnson in 84'...:mad:

Lebron in 2011' he just didn't want the ball at all???:confusedshrug:

note: James Harden in 12' was shook as hell.....dude flat out was missing consecutive layup after layup.....shooked...shucked.....shoked.....dude was not himself at all.

[SilkkTheShocker]

What makes that choke even worse is that the game was rigged in the Spurs' favor.

Agreed. That 3rd quarter was as sketchy as it got. The refs did everything they could to give the Spurs that f.ucking game. Didn't SA get like three And 1s in a row at one point?

[navy]

note: James Harden in 12' was shook as hell.....dude flat out was missing consecutive layup after layup.....shooked...shucked.....shoked.....dude was not himself at all.
To be fair, he was a role player off the bench at that time. But that performance was cringe worthy. I had no problem whenever he got the ball. :oldlol:

[mehyaM24]

Magic '84
Jordan '94
Kobe '04, '08, '10, '12
Lebron '11
Wilt - too many to count
Karl Malone - '97, '98
Ewing - '95
Rose - '11 - though he's not really a superstar
Durant - '13

kobe's 2012 vs okc right?

that is 95 jordan btw. his game in the finals(1992 vs blazers), where he went scoreless the last 10 minutes of the 4th quarter is up there. so is his game 5 vs the pistons. guy only took 8 shots LOL

[SpecialQue]

Lebron 2011
Kobe 2004
Wilt entire career Bait

So Kobe was the clear leader of that team then, right?

[navy]

So Kobe was the clear leader of that team then, right?
No. He just thought he was.

[tmacattack33]

So Kobe was the clear leader of that team then, right?

Nope, but he thought he was. Which is why it was such a terrible series for him and his teammates.

[tmacattack33]

No. He just thought he was.

Jinx

[AlphaWolf24]

To be fair, he was a role player off the bench at that time. But that performance was cringe worthy. I had no problem whenever he got the ball. :oldlol:


True..that's why it get's overlooked...he wasn't the 1rst option or even the 2nd...

But considering how well he played that season...and what we know now...

I remember watching that series waiting for him to engage himself and play like he played all year....

but you could tell he was sweating like Kobe on a Colorado road trip...

[SilkkTheShocker]

Game 4 of the 2008 Finals was a gigantic one. How big was the Lakers' lead at one point?

[SilkkTheShocker]

To be fair, he was a role player off the bench at that time. But that performance was cringe worthy. I had no problem whenever he got the ball. :oldlol:

I wouldn't say he was a role player. He won the 6th man of the year award, right?

[Angel Face]

Lebron stans talking about chokes. :oldlol:

[HoopsFanNumero1]

kobe's 2012 vs okc right?

Can't recall the exact game number, but Lakers pretty much had it won until Kobe just threw the ball away multiple times.



that is 95 jordan btw. his game in the finals(1992 vs blazers), where he went scoreless the last 10 minutes of the 4th quarter is up there. so is his game 5 vs the pistons. guy only took 8 shots LOL

Yeah, I meant the '95 series against Magic. The Pistons series is up there too :lol

[sportjames23]

jordan 8 turnovers vs orlando
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFs16GWXT_w

losing to a team that would get swept in the finals LOL i say that is up there too.


Knew this fakkit would bring up MJ. MJ living in your mind rent-free, bitch.

[SilkkTheShocker]

These Jordan stans are an insecure bunch. Their favorite player is gone forever so all they can do now is act bitter over a message board.

[SpecialQue]

These Jordan stans are an insecure bunch. Their favorite player is gone forever so all they can do now is act bitter over a message board.

You're making it sound like he died or something. :lol

[mehyaM24]

These Jordan stans are an insecure bunch. Their favorite player is gone forever so all they can do now is act bitter over a message board.

ignore that loser. guy just follows me around and repeats the same thing :oldlol:

[TheMan]

Lebron stans talking about chokes. :oldlol:
:no: If anything, they're experts on this subject.

[CelticBaller]

Dallas in 2006 was really bad.

Same with losing to the And 1 Mixtape tour in 2007 after winning almost 70
This and the 2011 Heat

[JUDGE WITNESS]

You're making it sound like he died or something. :lol
that is the impression you get from jordan apostles

[sd3035]

Bran '11

[guy]

Lebron 2011 and its not even close. Some players may have a bad series. Some players/teams may have a half or a game where they disappear, or give up a huge comeback in a quarter or half, or miss easy shots or free throws at the end of a close game. I can't recall a player basically vanishing for 4-5 straight games.

[Jailblazers7]

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/nanderson.jpg

[chazzy]

Lebrons 2010 is underrated. It happened just before the decision and the 2011 finals so people forget about it, but he had that bizarre game 5 and his numbers plummeted for the last 3 losses in a row

[ninephive]

What makes that choke even worse is that the game was rigged in the Spurs' favor.
I know. As a Spurs fan, I was like, "YES! Joey Crawford is reffing Game 6!!!!! There's no way he swallows his whistle in the last 5 seconds of overtime and doesn't call Manu getting raked across the arm or Danny Green getting bodied out of bounds on the 3!." I was really happy when Joey came out of his ban, and then to ref the biggest game in Spurs history...even better!

[aburre21]

How can Dirk losing to a team lead by Baron Davis in the first round AND to an 8th seed not be considered the biggest choke job of all time?




In 2010 Bron lost to the Celtics with multiple hall of famers
In 2011 he lost to that Mavs with multiple Hall of Famers on a team he had just joined


Who Dirk lost to? Exactly!

[HoopsFanNumero1]

I know. As a Spurs fan, I was like, "YES! Joey Crawford is reffing Game 6!!!!! There's no way he swallows his whistle in the last 5 seconds of overtime and doesn't call Manu getting raked across the arm or Danny Green getting bodied out of bounds on the 3!." I was really happy when Joey came out of his ban, and then to ref the biggest game in Spurs history...even better!

We've been through this before :no:

[Cold soul]

Lebron 2011 NBA Finals.

[red1]

1. lebron 2011
2. kobe 2004

[red1]

3. kobe game 7

[CelticBaller]

3. kobe game 7
He still ****ing won ;(

[FLDFSU]

I know. As a Spurs fan, I was like, "YES! Joey Crawford is reffing Game 6!!!!! There's no way he swallows his whistle in the last 5 seconds of overtime and doesn't call Manu getting raked across the arm or Danny Green getting bodied out of bounds on the 3!." I was really happy when Joey came out of his ban, and then to ref the biggest game in Spurs history...even better!

Just make your free throws and the finals is yours. Spurs choked.

[maybeshewill13]

Leflop 2011

[FLDFSU]

How can Dirk losing to a team lead by Baron Davis in the first round AND to an 8th seed not be considered the biggest choke job of all time?




In 2010 Bron lost to the Celtics with multiple hall of famers
In 2011 he lost to that Mavs with multiple Hall of Famers on a team he had just joined


Who Dirk lost to? Exactly!

Basically. And if Lebron choked in 2010, then Wade and Howard did too. The Celtics got to play 3 (or 4 with Rondo) on 1 for the entire Eastern Conference playoff run.

And the people wonder why the Heat's big three was formed.

[red1]

He still ****ing won ;(
wouldnt have happened if kg was healthy

[brooklynsfinest]

the raptors last night

[ninephive]

Just make your free throws and the finals is yours. Spurs choked.
Agreed, it is still the biggest choke ever. It just doesn't go down as a choke if they call those 2 obvious fouls.

[Prometheus]

Tim Donaghy in 2002. Chokin on dat whistle.

[jzek]

Kobe 2006:

* up 3-1 against the Suns
* Suns force a game 7
* Kobe scores 32 pts or something like that in the first half
* realizes his team sucks during halftime and doesn't want to carry them throughout the playoffs anymopre
* ATTEMPTS something like 2 FGs the entire second half
* demands to be traded in the summer

:facepalm

How can you be a fan of this guy? Not to mention he RAPED a woman and the only reason he didn't go to jail was he gave the girl so much money she didn't go through with the legal process.

[JT123]

Durant in 2012. His team is heavily favored against Miami by both ESPN and Vegas, and he could only win one game? :wtf:
Dude had a top 5 player in Westbrook, a DPOY candidate in Ibaka, and sixth man of the year James Harden. Any real superstar would win that series with as much help as Durant had.

[oarabbus]

wouldnt have happened if kg was healthy


:wtf:

:biggums:

You can't win and choke. That's empty choking.

[red1]

:wtf:

:biggums:

You can't win and choke. That's empty choking.
kobe sucks bro

[SpecialQue]

kobe sucks bro

Can't read this without hearing a foot stomp.

[oarabbus]

Can't read this without hearing a foot stomp.



Dunno why it took so long but finally got your username.


:applause:

[MadSolar]

Durant in 2012. His team is heavily favored against Miami by both ESPN and Vegas, and he could only win one game? :wtf:
Dude had a top 5 player in Westbrook, a DPOY candidate in Ibaka, and sixth man of the year James Harden. Any real superstar would win that series with as much help as Durant had.
You're trying way too hard. Durant was great. Same can be said with Lebron in 2009,2010,2011.

[Jlamb47]

2011 Lebron was the BIGGEST CHOKE EVER.
There is a bunch of chokes but nothing like this. He freaking left his hometown he promised hed bring a ring to, to just come to Miami with 2 players in there prime one superstar one all star to LOSE.
Everyone expected him to win his first ring and hyped this up to the max, cuz everyone was saying he finally was going to win a ring and he didnt. He dissappeared harder then any superstar ever. His numbers changed big time too

[red1]

Can't read this without hearing a foot stomp.
I speak from my heart. And in my heart I know kobe is a rapist

[HoopsFanNumero1]

2011 Lebron was the BIGGEST CHOKE EVER.
There is a bunch of chokes but nothing like this. He freaking left his hometown he promised hed bring a ring to, to just come to Miami with 2 players in there prime one superstar one all star to LOSE.
Everyone expected him to win his first ring and hyped this up to the max, cuz everyone was saying he finally was going to win a ring and he didnt. He dissappeared harder then any superstar ever. His numbers changed big time too

Word.

[zoom17]

no one mention the blazers choking a 15 point lead in the 4th quarter in game 7 of the 2000 wcf.

[JT123]

2011 Lebron was the BIGGEST CHOKE EVER.
There is a bunch of chokes but nothing like this. He freaking left his hometown he promised hed bring a ring to, to just come to Miami with 2 players in there prime one superstar one all star to LOSE.
Everyone expected him to win his first ring and hyped this up to the max, cuz everyone was saying he finally was going to win a ring and he didnt. He dissappeared harder then any superstar ever. His numbers changed big time too
This is nothing but a bunch of hindsight BS. No one picked the Heat to win the Championship until they actually got to the Finals. When Bron first went to Miami everyone was talking shit about how Wade and Lebron wouldn't be able to play together, and that the Lakers and Celtics were still the teams to beat. Most people didn't even think the Heat would get past Chicago! Nice try, but us Lebron fans actually remember what happened that season.

[chazzy]

This is nothing but a bunch of hindsight BS. No one picked the Heat to win the Championship until they actually got to the Finals.
Your first sentence is a proper response to your second sentence

[FLDFSU]

This is nothing but a bunch of hindsight BS. No one picked the Heat to win the Championship until they actually got to the Finals. When Bron first went to Miami everyone was talking shit about how Wade and Lebron wouldn't be able to play together, and that the Lakers and Celtics were still the teams to beat. Most people didn't even think the Heat would get past Chicago! Nice try, but us Lebron fans actually remember what happened that season.

Yep. Revisionist history at its finest. Majority thought the Heat would lose to Boston...and the rest thought the Heat would lose to Bulls. And that was at the end of the regular season.

Prior to the season, the Lakers, Spurs, Boston, and even Orlando was favored in a 7 game series.

[T_L_P]

http://teamsites.nba.com/2010/news/features/10/02/survey-predictions/index.html

33% of the GMs predicted the Heat to win it all (63% picked the Lakers and 3.7% picked Boston).

70.4% of the GMs predicted the Heat to win the Eastern Conference.

Yeah, such revisionist history.

[JT123]

http://teamsites.nba.com/2010/news/features/10/02/survey-predictions/index.html

33% of the GMs predicted the Heat to win it all (63% picked the Lakers and 3.7% picked Boston).

70.4% of the GMs predicted the Heat to win the Eastern Conference.

Yeah, such revisionist history.
We aren't talking about GM surveys, we are talking about the opinions of ESPN "experts" and the opinions of most fans. All I remember hearing was "Lebron and Wade are too similar, Bosh is overrated, Spo is clueless, their bench is full of D leaguers."
Like I said, the Heat actually accomplished more in their first season together than most expected them too.

[SpecialQue]

Dunno why it took so long but finally got your username.


:applause:

:cheers:

[T_L_P]

Dirk 07
Kobe all of 04 Finals
LeBron 11
Duncan 13
Blazers 2000 WCF game 7
Kings 2002 WCF game 3, gave up 22 point lead in 4th.

:oldlol: Duncan 13 being among the biggest chokes in NBA history :facepalm

He had a great game, and he was the best Spur player that series.

The entire team choked in game 6, and Parker / Manu had much bigger choke jobs than Duncan.

Just :facepalm

[SilkkTheShocker]

2008 Finals Game 4 is being mad underrated.

[T_L_P]

It's more of an HM. It's just that gimme. Other than that he outperformed LeBron most of the game. But man that gimme.......That was a huge choke job.

I guess. I mean, he choked the shot, no question, but I can think of a lot bigger chokes than that. :confusedshrug:

[Y2ktors]

Spurs 2013 NBA Finals Game 6

Recent memory tell me this ^^^^^.

[LAZERUSS]

Magic '84
Jordan '94
Kobe '04, '08, '10, '12
Lebron '11
Wilt - too many to count
Karl Malone - '97, '98
Ewing - '95
Rose - '11 - though he's not really a superstar
Durant - '13

No need to spend a great deal of time on this, but go ahead and give us just a few examples of Wilt's "choke jobs" then...

[LAZERUSS]

In no order...

Pacers Knicks Spike Lee game....everyone on the Knicks was shook.

Nick Anderson in 95' ..a great shooter like Nick shouldn't brick 4 straight FT's...

Tragic Johnson in 84'...:mad:

Lebron in 2011' he just didn't want the ball at all???:confusedshrug:

note: James Harden in 12' was shook as hell.....dude flat out was missing consecutive layup after layup.....shooked...shucked.....shoked.....dude was not himself at all.

Yep, "Tragic" Johnson in '84.

All he did in the '84 Finals was to average 18.1 ppg, lead his team in rebounds at 7.7 rpg, hand out 13.6 apg, and shoot .560 from the field. BTW, Kareem shot .481 from the floor in that series, as well. If you want "choke jobs", he would be among the leaders. And if losing is considered a "choke job", then Hakeem and his EIGHT first round exits has to be among the leaders,too.

[LAZERUSS]

And how about Kobe in his Finals?


99-00
Regular season 22.5 ppg .468 FG%
Finals 15.6 ppg .367 FG%
FG% in thelast Game of Series .296 FG%

00-01
Regular season 28.5 ppg .464 FG%
Finals 24.6 ppg .415 FG%
Last Game .389

01-02
Regular season 25.2 ppg .469
Finals 26.8 ppg .514
Last Game .438

03-04
Regular season 24.0 ppg .438
Finals 22.6 ppg .381
Last Game .333

07-08
Regular season 28.3 ppg .459
Finals 25.7 ppg .405
Last game of the series, .318

08-09
Regular season 26.8 ppg .467
Finals 32.4 ppg .430
Last game of the series, .435

09-10
Regular season 27.0 ppg .456
Finals 28.6 ppg .405
Last game of the series, .250 from the floor.


Other noteables:


97-98
Swept by Utah 4-0.
Kobe averages 10.0 ppg on a .367 FG%

98-99
Swept by San Antonio 4-0
Last game of the series : Kobe 16 points on a .438 FG%

02-03
Lose to Spurs in WCF's, 4-2.
Last game loss by a score of 110-82 (Kobe with 20 points in a season in which he averaged 30 ppg)

03-04 Finals
Heavily favored Lakers lose to Pistons, 4-1.
In the clinching game five loss Kobe shoots .333 in a 100-87 loss (and LA was down 23 going into 4th quarter)

04-05
team goes 34-48 and misses playoffs

05-06
Regular season 35.4 ppg .450
Playoffs 27.9 ppg .497
Last game (7) 24 points in a 121-90 loss (after blowing a 3-1 series lead)

06-07
Team goes 42-40
Loses in first round to Suns, 4-1.
Last game of that series, Kobe shoots .394 from the floor

07-08
Lakers are blown out by Celts in Finals.
In game four the Lakers blow a 23 point lead, and lose, in a game in which Kobe shot .316 from the field.
In the clinching game six loss, the Lakers lose by a Finals record margin of 131-92. Kobe shoots .318 from the floor.

10-11
Lakers with HCA are swept by the Mavs, 4-0.
In the clinching game four loss, LA loses 122-86, and Kobe shoots .389 from the field.

[navy]

Yep, "Tragic" Johnson in '84.

All he did in the '84 Finals was to average 18.1 ppg, lead his team in rebounds at 7.7 rpg, hand out 13.6 apg, and shoot .560 from the field. BTW, Kareem shot .481 from the floor in that series, as well. If you want "choke jobs", he would be among the leaders. And if losing is considered a "choke job", then Hakeem and his EIGHT first round exits has to be among the leaders,too.
Magic Johnson has admitted to choking that series in the 4th quarters....

[LAZERUSS]

Magic Johnson has admitted to choking that series in the 4th quarters....

"Big Game James" Worthy, who probably elevated his game in his Finals career more than any other all-time great, basically threw away game two with a horrible pass, and then missed a FT in the waning seconds of game four. Both games went into OT, and the Lakers blew both of them.

For the series, Worthy averaged 22.1 ppg and shot .638 from the field.

[tpols]

Yep, "Tragic" Johnson in '84.

All he did in the '84 Finals was to average 18.1 ppg, lead his team in rebounds at 7.7 rpg, hand out 13.6 apg, and shoot .560 from the field. BTW, Kareem shot .481 from the floor in that series, as well. If you want "choke jobs", he would be among the leaders. And if losing is considered a "choke job", then Hakeem and his EIGHT first round exits has to be among the leaders,too.
Lebron averaged 18/7/7 on good efficiency in 2011.. and everyone knows he choked hard.

Chokings about context.. those stats tell us nothing

[LAZERUSS]

Lebron averaged 18/7/7 on good efficiency in 2011.. and everyone knows he choked hard.

Chokings about context.. those stats tell us nothing

You're kidding right?

Lebron came into the the Finals in 2011 with regular season averages of 27 ppg,
7.5 rpg, 7.0 apg, .510 FG%, and a .759 FT%. In the Finals he dipped to 17.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 6.8 apg, .478 FG%, and a .600 FT%.

Magic came into the '84 Finals after a regular season of 17.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 13.1 apg, .565 FG%, and an .810 FT%. Again, in the '84 Finals... 18.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 13.6 apg, .560 FG%, and a .744 FT%.

So, while Lebron hid in the '11 Finals, Magic was unstoppable in the '84 Finals.

[Stringer Bell]

Lebron in 2011 Finals was far worse than the 1984 Finals performance by Magic. And Worthy for that matter.

Magic had key screw-ups in games 2 and 4 of the 84' Finals. Worthy had a big screw-up in game 2 as well. But both of them played very well in the series otherwise. The games would not have been close if they hadn't been playing so well. Worthy had 29 pts on 11 of 12 shooting in game 2, and had 30 pts on 14 of 17 shooting in game 4. He had like 10 points in OT. Magic was putting up monster numbers in those games too. 27, 10, 9 on 10-14 FG in game 2. 20, 11, 17, on 8-12 FG in game 4.

Lebron, on the other hand, underperformed (to say the least) throughout whole games, and routinely disappeared throughout the 4th quarters. And 3 of the games they lost were very winnable. They choked away a 15 point lead in game 2 and Lebron did nothing in those last few minutes. They lost by 3 in game 4 when Lebron scored 8 points....in the whole game on 3-11 shooting. They were up 3 by 3 minutes left in game 5 when Dallas went on a 8-0 stretch in which Lebron had 2 missed shots and an offensive foul.

There's a difference between playing very well throughout the game and having some errors late in the game (and the games were still winnable regardless) as opposed to giving underwhelming performances for 3 quarters and then disappearing in the 4th. Or playing perhaps the worst game of your career in a game that could pretty much wrap up the series for you, and your team still only loses by 3.

If Lebron played in 2011 like Magic did in 1984, the Heat win easily. It doesn't even go down to the wire like that. If Magic in 1984 played like Lebron did in 2011, the Celtics defeat the Lakers in less than 7.

[stalkerforlife]

Lebron 2011.

Kobe 2004? How can you choke while injured and going through a rape trial?

Lebron had no reasonable excuses.

[Stringer Bell]

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/nanderson.jpg

Phoenix blowing a 3-1 lead in the 1995 WC Semifinals. With Home Court Advantage.

Portland blowing a 15 point lead in game 7 of the 2000 WC Finals. If they hadn't blown that, then we'd be talking about the Lakers. They would have blown a 3-1 lead with Home Court Advantage.

Seattle in 1994, the first seed, blowing a 2-0 lead to Denver and losing in 5.

[riseagainst]

06 lakers losing in 7 after being up 3-1

[SouBeachTalents]

LeBron in the 2011 Finals
Nick Anderson
1994 Sonics
2000 Trail Blazers
2006 Mavs
2013 Spurs
Ewing in '95

[Stringer Bell]

Lakers vs. Boston, 2008 Finals, Game 4.


Magic '84
Jordan '94
Kobe '04, '08, '10, '12
Lebron '11
Wilt - too many to count
Karl Malone - '97, '98
Ewing - '95
Rose - '11 - though he's not really a superstar
Durant - '13

I think some of these are a little too harsh.

Already talked about Magic in 84'...Jordan in 95', well he screwed up in game 1 no doubt, and he and the whole team fell apart late in game 6. Jordan had a couple of monster games in that series though...The Bulls were weak at the 4 spot which hurt them with rebounding and interior defense. That hurt them more than Jordan's "rustiness".

Kobe was atrocious in the 04' Finals (outside of game 2), no doubt. Shaq was very efficient and playing well, yet Kobe continued to try to take over games and had brickfest after brickfest. 2010? No doubt he stunk up the joint in game 7 with his shooting, as did most of the players. It's not like he had a bad series overall though. Obviously it helps that the Lakers won. 2012? He was still averaging 31 a game, but the Thunder were just a lot better? 2008, well I sort of agree. The Lakers pulled off a horrendous choke job in game 4, and Kobe was definitely part of that as he didn't play well.

Definitely agree with Lebron in 2011.

Ewing in 95? He got destroyed by Rik Smits in game 1, although Mason had the complete brain-fart by passing it the one player who was actually standing upright, the guy on the OTHER TEAM. Ewing was also getting destroyed in game 5 by Smits, but kept the series going with his game winner after taking 5 steps. The missed layup? Yah I suppose you can say that was a choke job. It would have forced OT. I thought the 94' Finals was worse. Good shot-blocking and rebounding, but absolutely dreadful offense. 19 PPG on 23 FGA per game. Very costly since two of the defeats were so close, with Ewing going like 9 for 30 in one of those losses.

I think Malone sometimes catches a bit too much flack for those defeats in the finals (more so in 1998). He did play very well in the last 2 games. But he's such a scumbag POS, so whatever. I love watching the deadbeat dad, hebephile Failman lose in the postseason.

I won't blame Russell too much for getting beat by Michael Jordan of all people in the clutch, but someone should have give him some help on that first layup that cut the lead to 1. He blew past Russell....no help defense.

[jayfan]

Man, it kills me to say this about (otherwise) 'Mr. Clutch', and one of my all-time favorite players, but Isiah's pass that Bird intercepted at the end of game 5 was a pretty big moment of choke. By his own admission, he just panicked in that frenzied moment. Completely changed the fate of that series.




.