We have been treated to some unbelievable playoff series over the years. What about the first-round series between the Celtics and Bulls in 2009? Or the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and 76ers? Or any of the series of the 2020 bubble playoffs at Disney World?
It's the playoffs where teams and players write history, and after 79 years of ABA/NBA Playoffs, there are countless unbelievable moments to cherish. Derek Fisher's Game 5 winner against the Spurs in 2004, Klay Thompson dropping 41 points on the OKC Thunder in an elimination game, and Derrick Rose's game-winning three-pointer against the Cavaliers in 2015. We've been spoiled.
But none of those incredible moments has made our top 10 of the greatest moments in NBA Playoffs history. For this list, we have only included moments from the first round, conference semifinals, and conference finals. So, without further ado, here are Flashscore's 10 best moments from NBA Playoffs history.
To check out the 10 best moments from NBA Finals history, read our article HERE >>>
10. John Havlicek's game-winning steal (G7, 1965 Eastern Conference Finals, Celtics vs 76ers)
With a spot in the NBA Finals on the line and the era-defining Boston Celtics leading the 76ers by just one point in game 7, John Havlicek, also known as 'Hondo', sealed the series for the C's by stealing the legendary Hal Greer's inbound pass with five seconds to go.
The clutch play will forever be inextricably linked to Johnny Most's iconic, high-energy commentary: "Greer's putting the ball into play, he gets it out deep AND HAVLICEK STEALS IT! Over to Sam Jones! Havlicek stole the ball! It's all over! It's all over! Johnny Havlicek is being mobbed by the fans! It's all over! Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!"
9. Kobe Bryant lobs it to Shaquille O'Neal (G7, 2000, Western Conference Finals, Lakers vs Trail Blazers)
The feud between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most infamous in NBA history, but there's no denying their extraordinary partnership on the court. Against Portland's equally infamous 'Jail Blazers,' the Los Angeles Lakers, who'd lost a 3-1 series lead, found themselves down 15 with 10:28 left in the final quarter. And that's when the magic happened.
Phil Jackson's Lakers staged an incredible comeback and retook the lead with 2:12 to go. The exclamation point came from Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who made the STAPLES Center explode with a crushing alley-oop to take a 5-point lead in the final minute. The 89-84 win sent the Lakers to their first Finals and championship since 1991.
8. 'We Believe Warriors' send #1 Mavericks home (G6, 2007 Western Conference first round, Warriors vs Mavericks)
We could write chapter after chapter about the 2006-07 Golden State Warriors, dubbed the 'We Believe Warriors'. The ending to Game 5 was incredible, but we're sticking with their series-sealing Game 6 against Dirk Nowitzki's top-seeded Dallas Mavericks.
The 'We Believe Warriors' became the first 8th-seed in NBA history to eliminate the top seed in a best-of-7 series when Baron Davis, Matt Barnes, Jason Richardson, and Stephen Jackson made light work of Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse and co. in a 111-86 Game 6 win. A fairytale for the ages.
7. Tyrese Haliburton's miracle shot to force OT (G1, 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, Pacers vs Knicks)
The 2025 Indiana Pacers' playoff run was littered with incredible moments, most of them created by the magical Tyrese Haliburton. 'Hali' hit miracle three after miracle three, but his buzzer-beater in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks takes the cake.
Down 2 points and with 7.3 seconds to go in Madison Square Garden, Haliburton received the inbound pass from Aaron Nesmith and ran up the court to try and find the half-second he needed to work his magic. Haliburton ran, spun, and shot as time ran out. The ball bounced high up from the rim and, as Hali's miracles work, dropped back to Earth as a swish.
The Pacers celebrated as if it were a game-winning three-pointer, which it wasn't by inches, as Haliburton turned to the Knicks with a choking gesture, mimicking Reggie Miller's iconic move from the 1990s. Hali forced overtime, in which the Pacers beat the Knicks 138-135 to kickstart an unforgettable Eastern Conference Finals series.
6. Robert Horry's game-winning buzzer-beater (G4, 2003 Western Conference Finals, Lakers vs Kings)
You don't get the nickname 'Big Shot Rob' for no reason. Robert Horry, the only six-time NBA champion who wasn't part of the iconic Boston Celtics of the '50s and '60s, was known for showing up when it mattered most and sinking some of the most important shots in league history.
It's exactly what he did in the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings. With the Los Angeles Lakers 0.8 seconds away from going down 3-1 in the series, the ball fell favourably to a wide-open Robert Horry at the top of the bucket. There was only one possible outcome: 'Big Shot Rob' sank the buzzer-beater to tie the series, which the Lakers would win in 7.
5. Larry Bird steals IT's inbound pass (G5, 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Celtics vs Pistons)
It was a titanic battle in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals: Isiah Thomas' 'Bad Boy Pistons' against the Larry Bird-led Celtics. Coming off the back of a 145-119 loss in Detroit, the first-seed Celtics were about to go down 3-2 in the series when Isiah Thomas inbounded a pass on his own with five seconds to go.
The Pistons ran off in ecstasy when the ball bounced out of play seconds earlier, but felt their hearts sink when Larry Bird grabbed just his third steal of the series by picking IT's pass and giving it to Dennis Johnson, who made the lay-up and handed the Celtics the lead with just one second remaining. The Boston Garden erupted in pandemonium as the Celtics won 108-107.
4. Reggie Miller's 8 points in 9 seconds (G1, 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Pacers vs Knicks)
You could count nearly every entry on this list as a player single-handedly winning their team a game, but more than anyone else, Reggie Miller can say that he won the Indiana Pacers the opening game of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks.
With 19.7 seconds on the clock and the Pacers down six points, Reggie Miller took over like it was no man's business. A three, a steal, another three, a rebound, a foul, two hit clutch free throws - 9 points in 8 seconds. The 9 points the Pacers needed to overcome the Knicks and seal game 1, but most of all, the 9 points that sealed Reggie Miller's status as one of the most clutch players in NBA history.
3. Kawhi Leonard's bouncing series-winner (G7, 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Raptors vs 76ers)
"OHHHHH! Game! Series! Toronto has won!"
Commentary that stands synonymous with the incredible game-winner Kawhi Leonard hit in 2019. The Eastern Conference Semifinals went all the way to Game 7, with Leonard's Raptors taking on Joel Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers in Toronto. With 4.2 seconds remaining and the score tied at 90-90, Leonard received the inbound pass and went on a journey to the corner, where he threw up an off-balance jumper from inside the arc.
The next couple of seconds felt like minutes had gone by. Kawhi crouched in the corner of the court, side-by-side with Embiid, watching breathlessly as the ball took bounce after bounce after bounce. The silence in the Scotiabank Arena was deafening right before the ball dropped, making the place erupt, and the Raptors reached their second-ever Eastern Conference Finals.
2. Ralph Sampson sinks miracle buzzer-beater (G5, 1986 Western Conference Finals, Rockets vs Lakers)
One second separated Pat Riley's 'Showtime Lakers' from potentially saving their season in overtime of Game 5 of the 1986 Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets. One second - the second Ralph Sampson took to etch his name in NBA history.
Rodney McCray inbounded from the centre line and just threw it in the bucket. Ralph Sampson, one half of the lethal 'Twin Towers' duo with Hakeem Olajuwon, was the recipient of the inbound pass, and, guarded by none other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, tipped it towards the basket as time expired.
Two bounces were all it took for Sampson's tip to pay off and send the Rockets to their second NBA Finals in franchise history, while the 'Showtime Lakers' left The Forum dispiritedly following a 4-1 series loss.
1. Damian Lillard seals series from the logo (G5, Western Conference first round, Trail Blazers vs Thunder)
Game 5 of the first-round matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Portland lead the series 3-1 and could end it in their own Moda Center. The game is tied at 115 apiece as the clock dwindles. The time? Dame Time.
Damian Lillard gets the ball after Al-Farouq Aminu grabs the defensive rebound that gives the Blazers the game's final possession. Lined up against MVP and DPOY candidate Paul George, Lillard milks the clock before taking a deep, deep shot from the logo. The ball travels 37 feet through the air, and Lillard drains it.
Lillard waved OKC goodbye after a chippy first-round series, and the shot caused a massive domino effect with the Thunder going into rebuild mode right after. Paul George, who moved to the Clippers that offseason, couldn't leave it to make one last comment about Lillard and the Blazers: "That's a bad, bad shot," he said after the loss. "I don't care what anybody says. That's a bad shot. But hey, he made it. That story won't be told that it was a bad shot. We live with that."
Agree to disagree.
FAQ
What is the highest-scoring game by an individual in NBA Playoff history?
Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls holds the all-time single-game scoring record in the NBA Playoffs with 63 points in Game 2 of the 1986 Eastern Conference first round.
How many Game 7 series-winners have been decided by a buzzer-beater?
Only one. Kawhi Leonard of the Toronto Raptors decided the 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals by hitting a buzzer-beater in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Why is Larry Bird’s 1987 "Steal" considered the ultimate Conference Finals moment?
Larry Bird's steal against the Detroit Pistons turned an almost-certain loss into a win, giving the Celtics the lead with just one second remaining.
What was the Win Probability of the Pacers during Tyrese Haliburton’s "Choke Sign" game in 2025?
The Indiana Pacers had a win probability of about 12% in the final minute of Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks.
Who is the youngest player to win the Magic Johnson or Larry Bird Trophy (Conference Finals MVP)?
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics is the youngest-ever Conference Finals MVP after winning the Larry Bird Trophy aged 24 years and 87 days.