NBA
The Most Significant NBA Shots of the Decade
Taking a look at the most iconic shots of the 2010s
USA TODAY Sports
As the 2010s begin to fade and the NBA enters a new age of basketball, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest and most iconic shots of the decade that defined this era in the NBA.
With so many legacy-altering achievements on the line, this bucket takes the cake as the most significant of the decade. The layers to the shot are staggering. In one corner is David, a Cavaliers team on the brink of completing the first ever 3-1 Finals comeback and bringing Cleveland its first championship in 52 years. In the other Goliath, a 73-9 (best regular season record ever) Warriors juggernaut, looking to cement themselves as the greatest team in NBA history. With a minute remaining and the score tied at 89, Kyrie Irving launched a step-back three-pointer over the outstretched fingertips of Steph Curry, who was the first-ever unanimous MVP in NBA history. Splash. In front of a raucous Golden State crowd, is there a ballsier shot in NBA history?
This era’s version of “the shot heard ’round the world,” Irving changed the landscape of the NBA when he drained that three. If he misses and the Cavs lose, Kevin Durant never joins up with the Warriors and the next three seasons are drastically different. Does Kevin Durant stay in OKC or go elsewhere? Does Kevin Love get put on the trading block? LeBron’s legacy might be perceived completely different. It seems crazy to say that there was more than a championship on the line when Irving took that shot, but it’s the truth.
This is the definition of a do-or-die shot. Miami’s backs were against the wall on the brink of elimination and time running out. With 11 seconds left, LeBron launched a three to tie from the left wing. No good. Chris Bosh got the offensive rebound (a career-defining play), kicked it out to a backpedaling Ray Allen, who cashed a three-pointer with just 5.2 seconds remaining. The Heat would win in overtime and comeback in the series to take Game Seven, delivering LeBron his second championship, this one with no Lockout asterick.
If Allen misses, the Spurs are 2012-13 NBA champions. Lebron’s 11-26 shooting night is plastered over SportsCenter, including his four costly turnovers in the fourth quarter and overtime. Do the Spurs come into next season with the same hunger that propelled them to that year’s championship? Maybe the Heat are the ones who bring the fire into 2013-14, and the title years are swapped. Known for his insane preparation, Allen was ready when it came time to take the biggest shot of his career. It took 18 years for it to happen, but will live on forever.
When Kawhi Leonard arrived in Toronto, he seemed like nothing more than a hired gun just passing through town. The latter part of that statement ended up being true, but when he hit the series-winner to sink the 76ers in the 2nd round, he became more than just a one-year rental. He cemented himself as a national hero, delivering Canada its only iconic NBA moment and later it’s first major sports championship since 1993.
This one might not be the first shot that comes to mind, but there’s no doubt it was one of the most important plays of the decade. With the Big 3 looking to win their 2nd title in 3 years, the Lakers had the lead in the final minutes, but the Celtics still had hope… until Kobe’s double team turned into a rare opportunity for Ron Artest to rise up to the occasion. Metta World Peace delivered, giving Kobe his 5th and final Championship and prevented Boston’s Big 3 from ever winning a second Finals.
Up as much as 15 with a little over seven minutes remaining, it looked like the Heat had taken control of the 2011 Finals with a potential 2-0 series lead. Dallas then went on a 22-5 run to close the game with Dirk Nowitzki scoring the last nine points for Dallas, including a go-ahead, herky-jerky lefty layup with 3.6 seconds remaining. Now tied at one game apiece, this win completely changed the complexion of the series and put the Heat on notice: the Dallas Mavericks would not go quietly. The Mavs would go on to win the series that became the lowest moment in LeBron James’ legendary career.
Lillard’s series winner in 2014 may have been a more important shot (down 2 with Game 7 in Houston looming), but this one takes the cake for its sheer audacity. With the game tied at 115, Lillard launched a side-step, 37-footer right in the grill of Paul George, who finished third that season in DPOY voting. The only thing cooler than the shot was Lillard’s wave goodbye to the Thunder’s bench that signified not only the end of OKC’s season but also their end of title contention, because this series loss broke up the Westbrook-George era in Oklahoma City and set up two other franchises (Rockets and Clippers) with new franchise players for future iconic shots to be had.
Arguably the best first-round matchup ever, this series was a slugfest between the defending champs Spurs and the uber-talented Clippers. A back and forth series till the end came down to a hobbled Chris Paul banking in one of the toughest in-traffic shots ever, over the fingers of defensive legend Tim Duncan no less. The Clippers would be stunned by Houston in the next round, but this shot put the “Is Chris Paul clutch” argument to rest.
The biggest bucket of Kevin Durant’s career (so far), this shot is one of great consequence but even greater symbolism. A walk-up three that he’s hit a million times before, it pushed the Warriors to an overwhelming 3-0 series lead. In all likelihood they were winning it if they were just up 2-1 (they blew out the Cavs the first two games), but this shot represented something bigger. After years of being in LeBron’s shadow, KD wrestled away the championship belt from King James while simultaneously further establishing the three-point revolution as the norm in the NBA.
The Warriors were chasing history this season, and to set the regular-season wins record, they had to pull some wins out of thin air. That’s exactly what Steph Curry did with this shot, the most iconic regular season bucket of the decade. With the game tied in overtime, Curry flung a 37-foot bomb in the closing seconds to put the Warriors up three with echos of the legendary call “BANG! BANG!” going through the nation’s TV sets. With this shot, he tied the NBA record for three-pointers in a game with 12, stunned the collective basketball world, and almost broke Twitter. It was the peak of one of the greatest individual regular seasons of all-time; Curry would go on be the first-ever unanimous MVP in NBA history with this as his defining MVP moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2GJ2PwXQ4E
The story of the NBA in the 2010s can’t be fully told without mentioning Damian Lillard’s name, as evidenced by his two shots that made this list. Originally up 3-1 in the series, if the Trail Blazers lost this game they’d be facing a Game 7 back in Houston with zero momentum. Enter Dame time. In only his second year in the league he cashed a buzzer-beating three, pulling off perhaps the most incredible catch-and-shoot buzzer-beater ever. Portland would lose in the next round to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs, but this shot established Dame Dolla as one of the league’s next faces for years to come.
Like this article? Share with your friends!
