Iverson3
06-02-2023, 09:34 AM
Only six players have made multiple game-winning buzzer beater shots in the NBA playoffs. Who's made the most?
It's not a surprise to anyone in Ohio. The king is The King, LeBron James, of Akron -- by far.
#3. Jo Jo White (tie)
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 2
- Years scored: 1974, 1977
- Team scored for: Boston Celtics
As another player who suited up for the Boston Celtics, Jo Jo White was expected to be great in the playoffs.
The Kansas graduate unconventionally nailed his first playoff game-winner at the free-throw line. White made two free throws with no time remaining on the clock to give the Celtics a 106-104 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 Eastern Conference semifinals. The Celtics went on to win their 12th NBA championship that season.
In 1977, the 6-foot-3 point guard sank another buzzer beater in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers to give the Celtics a 113-111 win, although the Celtics lost the series in seven games.
Jerry West
Jerry West is shown here driving between defenders and past Los Angeles Lakers teammate Wilt Chamberlain (13) in the background.
Bettmann // Getty Images
#3. Jerry West (tie)
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 2
- Years scored: 1962, 1963
- Team scored for: Los Angeles Lakers
Honored as the figure in the NBA's logo, Jerry West had one of the most illustrious careers in league history. A part of his legacy was his ability to nail game-winning shots.
Known as "Mr. Clutch," West made a layup to beat the buzzer in Game 3 of the 1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. His shot gave the Los Angeles Lakers a 117-115 win, but Boston won the NBA championship in seven games.
In 1963, West knocked down his second playoff buzzer beater in a 101-99 win over the St. Louis Hawks in Game 2 of the West Division finals.
While it wasn't game-winning, West also hit a 60-foot buzzer beater in 1970 to force overtime against the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks went on to win the game 111-108 to take a 2-1 series lead en route to the franchise's first NBA championship.
Michael Jordan
Chicago Bulls' guard Michael Jordan takes a jump shot against the Detroit Pistons.
Focus On Sport // Getty Images
#2. Michael Jordan
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 3
- Years scored: 1989, 1993, 1997
- Team scored for: Chicago Bulls
One of the best basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan had no hesitation in taking his team's last shot in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. In 1989, the 6-foot-6 guard drained "The Shot" in that game to eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jordan created another historic moment against the Cavaliers in 1993 with a buzzer beater in Cleveland to give the Bulls an Eastern Conference semifinals series victory in four games.
The North Carolina product used his clutch gene again in the 1997 playoffs with a jumper to give the Chicago Bulls an 84-82 win over the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Chicago. The Bulls went on to win the NBA championship with a 4-2 series victory over the Jazz.
LeBron vs. the Raptors
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James takes, and makes, a game-winning NBA playoff buzzer beater against the Toronto Raptors in 2018. James has hit five of these to date, by far the most in NBA history. No one else has made more than three playoff buzzer beaters.
Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
#1. LeBron James
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 5
- Years scored: 2009, 2013, 2015, 2018 (2)
- Teams scored for: Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat
LeBron James — the second active player on this list — has the most playoff buzzer beaters.
Also considered one of the best to ever dribble a basketball, the 6-foot-9 forward has been making game-clinching shots in the playoffs since 2009. That year, James nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 96-95 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
In 2013, James shocked the Indiana Pacers with an overtime game-winning layup to give the Miami Heat a 103-102 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat eventually won the NBA Finals in seven games.
In 2015 — his first season back in Cleveland — James hit a 21-footer as time expired to give the Cavaliers an 86-84 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Cavaliers went on to win that series and the Eastern Conference crown before falling to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
Three years later, James won two separate games with buzzer beaters to solidify his greatness.
The first came against the Pacers once again. In Cleveland's first-round playoff series, James nailed a game-winning 3-pointer over Thaddeus Young in Game 5 for a 98-95 victory.
He picked up where he left off in the next series against the Toronto Raptors by making a driving, off-glass floater in Game 3 to give the Cavaliers a 105-103 win. Cleveland went on to win the series 4-0 before later falling, once again, to Golden State in the NBA Finals.
https://www.knoxpages.com/sports/the-king-of-clutch-lebron-is-no-1-in-nba-playoff-buzzer-beaters/article_882db0a4-e372-11ed-a613-7fd301094398.html
It's not a surprise to anyone in Ohio. The king is The King, LeBron James, of Akron -- by far.
#3. Jo Jo White (tie)
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 2
- Years scored: 1974, 1977
- Team scored for: Boston Celtics
As another player who suited up for the Boston Celtics, Jo Jo White was expected to be great in the playoffs.
The Kansas graduate unconventionally nailed his first playoff game-winner at the free-throw line. White made two free throws with no time remaining on the clock to give the Celtics a 106-104 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 Eastern Conference semifinals. The Celtics went on to win their 12th NBA championship that season.
In 1977, the 6-foot-3 point guard sank another buzzer beater in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers to give the Celtics a 113-111 win, although the Celtics lost the series in seven games.
Jerry West
Jerry West is shown here driving between defenders and past Los Angeles Lakers teammate Wilt Chamberlain (13) in the background.
Bettmann // Getty Images
#3. Jerry West (tie)
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 2
- Years scored: 1962, 1963
- Team scored for: Los Angeles Lakers
Honored as the figure in the NBA's logo, Jerry West had one of the most illustrious careers in league history. A part of his legacy was his ability to nail game-winning shots.
Known as "Mr. Clutch," West made a layup to beat the buzzer in Game 3 of the 1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. His shot gave the Los Angeles Lakers a 117-115 win, but Boston won the NBA championship in seven games.
In 1963, West knocked down his second playoff buzzer beater in a 101-99 win over the St. Louis Hawks in Game 2 of the West Division finals.
While it wasn't game-winning, West also hit a 60-foot buzzer beater in 1970 to force overtime against the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks went on to win the game 111-108 to take a 2-1 series lead en route to the franchise's first NBA championship.
Michael Jordan
Chicago Bulls' guard Michael Jordan takes a jump shot against the Detroit Pistons.
Focus On Sport // Getty Images
#2. Michael Jordan
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 3
- Years scored: 1989, 1993, 1997
- Team scored for: Chicago Bulls
One of the best basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan had no hesitation in taking his team's last shot in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. In 1989, the 6-foot-6 guard drained "The Shot" in that game to eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jordan created another historic moment against the Cavaliers in 1993 with a buzzer beater in Cleveland to give the Bulls an Eastern Conference semifinals series victory in four games.
The North Carolina product used his clutch gene again in the 1997 playoffs with a jumper to give the Chicago Bulls an 84-82 win over the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Chicago. The Bulls went on to win the NBA championship with a 4-2 series victory over the Jazz.
LeBron vs. the Raptors
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James takes, and makes, a game-winning NBA playoff buzzer beater against the Toronto Raptors in 2018. James has hit five of these to date, by far the most in NBA history. No one else has made more than three playoff buzzer beaters.
Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
#1. LeBron James
- Number of playoff buzzer beaters: 5
- Years scored: 2009, 2013, 2015, 2018 (2)
- Teams scored for: Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat
LeBron James — the second active player on this list — has the most playoff buzzer beaters.
Also considered one of the best to ever dribble a basketball, the 6-foot-9 forward has been making game-clinching shots in the playoffs since 2009. That year, James nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 96-95 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
In 2013, James shocked the Indiana Pacers with an overtime game-winning layup to give the Miami Heat a 103-102 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat eventually won the NBA Finals in seven games.
In 2015 — his first season back in Cleveland — James hit a 21-footer as time expired to give the Cavaliers an 86-84 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Cavaliers went on to win that series and the Eastern Conference crown before falling to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
Three years later, James won two separate games with buzzer beaters to solidify his greatness.
The first came against the Pacers once again. In Cleveland's first-round playoff series, James nailed a game-winning 3-pointer over Thaddeus Young in Game 5 for a 98-95 victory.
He picked up where he left off in the next series against the Toronto Raptors by making a driving, off-glass floater in Game 3 to give the Cavaliers a 105-103 win. Cleveland went on to win the series 4-0 before later falling, once again, to Golden State in the NBA Finals.
https://www.knoxpages.com/sports/the-king-of-clutch-lebron-is-no-1-in-nba-playoff-buzzer-beaters/article_882db0a4-e372-11ed-a613-7fd301094398.html