Five Seconds Left and the Game in the Balance...Who?

[chumdawg]

Just a fun little thread... Who do you want with the ball in his hands?

I take McGrady first (and it isn't even close), Steve Nash second, and Kobe Bryant third. Honorable mentions go to Rasheed Wallace and Iverson.

You?

[spreedom]

Dirk is a 4th quarter assassin in general, not sure about THE shot though..

Kobe for sure. He's played in more big games than any other player in the league that would ever be in position to take such a shot.

[Murphy3]

Don't think I'd take Rasheed...
In general, with little time left on the clock, it's usually a good idea to have the ball in a guard's hands...
Doug Christie probably..

[mary]

Without putting too much thought into this, I'd probably go

1 Kobe
2 Reggie Miller
3 Robert Horry

[Arne]

1)Larry Bird or Michael Jordan
2)Someone who is passing the ball to Reggie who comes off a screen.
3)Chauncey Billups
4)Kobe Bryant

But wtf, chum?

McGrady had this one great game, but besides that I don't think he'S achieved nearly as much as Kobe or Chauncey in such situations.

Iverson had one of his first end of the game buzzer-beaters of his career last season. He's just not clutch. I can only remeber two buzzer-beaters. And one of them was in an international game from halfcourt. Plz show me some situations, where he carried his team in the last 5 seconds. Because I just can't remember.

And Rasheed Wallace and Steve Nash don't belong up there for me as well. Steve's just not better than Dirk in such situations and in Detroit it's always Chauncey who has the ball during the last seconds.

[Dtownsfinest]

1) T-Mac
2) Duncan
3) Nash
4) Iverson
5) Kobe

T-Mac is deadly in the clutch. I don't have to remind people of what occured last season when T-Mac was facing probably the best defense in the league at the time and scoredx 13 points in 35 seconds. Unheard of.

[mavs413]

1. Kobe - Seen him do it more times than anyone playing today.
2a. Wade - He can take Anyone off the dribble and has improved his outside shooting.
2b. Lebron - For the same reasons as Wade, but he can also get up and shoot over most.

[AxdemxO]

T-Mac
The guy is the only player that is unstopable when he is in a zone.
U can say whatever about Kobe, Iverson, or whoever but neither of them come close to T-Mac.

Last year in the one game against SA and in the playoffs against us. He was doing whatever he wanted. You could just tell that he would score the moment he got the ball in his hands no matter who or how many players were on him.

[dirno2000]

1) Kobe - Nobody in basketab has his flair for the dramatic. He's not that great of a 3-point shooter but he always seems to hit them when he needs go.
2) T-Mac - So much elevation on his jump shot that he can get a good look anytime he wants.
3) Dwayne Wade - One hard dribble and pull up...just like Jordan used to do

Honerable Mention: Mo Williams who has knocked two game winning three's for the Bucks this season.

[bernardos70]

I'll have T-mac take the last shot of the game, cause when this bastard has it stuck on auto, he'll hit threes until he can't physically pick up the ball. I remember one game back when he was in Orlando where he went for 50+, and when he was fouled at midcourt he just heaved the ball from right there on the spot while being held down and the ball still went in. He can create off the dribble or from the outside. So he's my choice.

[mary]

T-Mac's a pretty good choice...in a regular season game.

[Arne]

Ok you guys are praising T-mac in this thread way too much. Tell me about some clutch situations in which he shone before that ONE San Antonio game which was, no doubt about it, BRILLIANT!

I mean guys like Reggie or Kobe have done that kind of stuff over years and years. And all of a sudden T-mac is considered the best clutch player in the league only because of ONE FREAKING GAME!

Chauncey Billups:

5/16/04 vs. New Jersey in Game 5 of Eastern Conference Semifinals:
Billups sent the game into overtime with a half-court three at the buzzer. The game marked the fourth triple-overtime contest in NBA playoff history.

5/16/03 at Philadelphia in Game 6 of Eastern Conference Semifinals:
Chauncey Billups forced the game into overtime by making two free throws then scored nine of Detroit’s 12 points in overtime. Detroit went ahead six with two Billups three-pointers and a Tayshaun Prince fast break dunk, but the Sixers answered as Allen Iverson scored six straight points to tie the game at 89-all with 1:12 remaining in overtime. Billups dribbled around the perimeter, stepped back behind the three-point line and nailed the game-winning three with 15.2 seconds on the clock.

4/13/03 at Memphis:
Nailed the game-winning 18-footer with 45.7 seconds remaining and secured the lead with two free throw makes during the final 20 seconds in the second overtime to defeat Memphis.

3/26/03 vs. Atlanta:
Detroit trailed 93-91 with 11.6 seconds in regulation when Billups drove to the basket and drew the foul with 7.0 seconds on the clock. He would make both free throws and send game into overtime. Tied at 99 with 8.6 seconds remaining, Billups received the inbound pass, faked the drive, stepped back and nailed the game-winning three with 0.2 ticks on the clock. Pistons won in overtime, 102-99.

3/9/03 vs. Golden State:
The Pistons were down one with 5.8 seconds remaining and Billups drained a three at the buzzer, giving Detroit the 107-105 victory.

1/10/03 at New Orleans:
In overtime, nailed a three to even the score at 94, and answered a P.J. Brown lay-up with another three to give Detroit a one-point lead. Tied at 99, Billups drew the foul on Jerome Moiso and made both free throws to give Detroit a 101-99 victory in OT.

12/20/02 vs. Cleveland:
Pistons trailing 100-97, Billups sank a three with 3.9 ticks on the clock to force the game into overtime. In overtime and tied at 107, Billups blocked Dajuan Wagner’s shot and Ben Wallace grabbed the rebound to give Detroit the opportunity to win, which they did 109-107.

12/18/02 at Cleveland:
Tied 103-103 in overtime, Billups went on to score eight straight points to help topple Cleveland 111-106.

[dirno2000]

It was T-Mac tonight as he drove by Devin George to score the game winning layup with .3 seconds on the clock...not sure why Phil didn't have Kobe on him...

[mary]

I didn't see the game but the Rockets must have done a helluva job denying Kobe the ball.

13 shots? You've got to be kidding me.

[chumdawg]

Because what good would it have done!

I really underestimated TMac before I watched that series he played against us last year. Now he's one of my favorite non-Mavs in the NBA. Actually, I could probably count on one hand the number of non-Mavs (or non-former-Mavs) in the league that I like. TMac and Iverson head the list. Sheed makes it, too. And I guess that's about it.

[dirno2000]

I didn't see the game but the Rockets must have done a helluva job denying Kobe the ball.

13 shots? You've got to be kidding me.

I watched the 2nd half. The Rox play small lineups so the Lakers were trying to get the ball to Kobe in the post. when he did they ran a 2nd defender at him and he had to pass the ball out of the double team. This worked until about the middle of the 3rd when the Rox make their big run.

On the perimeter they switched the pick and roll and had the big chase Kobe.

I should have Tivo'd the game for Avery

Because what good would it have done!

Maybe but seeing Kobe and T-Mac going one on one for game point would have been high drama.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Kobe then T-mac, Kobe is better at making crazy shots when double covered. But it's close.

[sike]

the rapist

[grndmstr_c]

If you asked me last year I'd have said whoever is best at passing the ball to Reggie Miller. If you ask me he just had a supernatural ability to suppress all conscious activity in those situations.

Now, though, McGrady. He's able to get closer to his natural shot under duress than any other player in the league, so even if there are better shooters (and there are) I like McGrady's percentages better than those guys' in that kind of situation for the simple reason that, if you're a defender, you've got a better chance of disrupting their shooting form to the point that their accuracy drops off than you do of significantly altering Tracy's form.

[chumdawg]

Chauncy goes one-for-two on game winners tonight. But of course, it only takes the one!

What a game those Pistons and Grizzlies played. My goodness!

[alby]

regular season or playoffs?

playoffs = Horry.

[endtroducing MASKED]

Kobe by a jillion points.

[aexchange]

tmac
billups
kobe
dirk

[Milles]

Have to go with Nash, especially if he gets fouled, he makes his foul shots.
Tmac
Billups, same reason as Nash
Kobe

[alby]

what about love for wade, this guy is clutch