2019 NBA Playoffs: where does Kawhi Leonard’s epic buzzer-beater rank on all-time list?
- From Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry to the likes of Derek Fisher, we look at the all-time greatest game winners
- Leonard’s shot was an instant classic, but is it top of the class?
Kawhi Leonard’s bouncing ball buzzer-beater that sent the Toronto Raptors through to the Eastern Conference Finals was as epic as it was nail-biting. Talk about suspense. But is it the greatest game-winning shot of all-time in the National Basketball League?
Here’s five to debate endlessly as the clock winds down:
5. Derek Fisher against the San Antonio Spurs
There’s nothing better than watching someone other than the guy who is supposed to take the final shot, take the final shot, and nail it. Steve Kerr made a career with one shot for the Chicago Bulls as Michael Jordan was getting hounded on defence and double-teamed relentlessly. And how about Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2004 Western Conference Semi-finals? Kobe Bryant, who looked like he was ready to pass out on the bench during the timeout, spread the love and let Fisher take the final shot to win the game.
4. Space Jam
Ok, it’s a movie, but how can we not put this one on the list? Michael Jordan, playing for the Tune Squad against the Monstars in 1996. Down by one, with seconds left on the clock, enter Bill Murray in a very Bill Murray-esque cameo. Jordan receives a beautiful two-ear pass from Bugs Bunny and takes off from centre court. He then stretches out like Gumby and drops in the game winner. Oh, also, Murray delivers the line of the movie during the final timeout: “Whoa, I don’t play defence.”