Top 5 Basketball Games Of All Time

Basketball is the most unpredictable and thrilling sport type, where each game can turn into a splendid show just in a blink of an eye. The best NBA teams are the masters in delivering a beautiful and dynamic picture that can charm the viewers from the first glance and till the last minute of the game.

In this article we will embrace the most memorable basketball matches that went down the history, are still rewatched by avid basketball fans, and can even bring genuine pleasure to those who are not really into sports.

Lakers — Philadelphia

•  1980

•  Score: 4-2

The series of NBA matches of 1980 brought the new basketball star of the world —  Magic Johnson. Johnson was in the Lakers team in a status of a junior, and even though he had a certain reputation already, nobody could expect such a brilliant performance on a court. He became the star of the NBA season and brought his team an ultimate victory. This match is worth seeing as this has become a historical moment for Johnson, and his activities during the games are still considered as one of the best examples of accurate basketball performance.

Chicago Bulls — Phoenix

• 1993

• Score: 4:2

The sixth match of the NBA finals in 1993 became one of the most thrilling examples of harsh confrontation between Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, the best players of the nineties. Chicago Bulls were the leaders of that season, so there was no doubt that Chicago Bulls with their splendid star Michael Jordan will become the winners of the match over Phoenix, even though it was a domestic game for the latter. 

However, great suspense was added to the match due to the very relaxing behaviour of the Chicago Bulls team: as they were completely sure of their winning result, they were not struggling hard. The only player who was fully involved in the game was Michael Jordan, but the others did not seem to be really enthusiastic. With such an approach from the side of the Bulls, Phoenix got the hope to finally overcome them in the 6th game of the series, but in the very last minutes, the spectators were freaked out to see that Michael Jordan has set up a Blind Pig combination and finished the game with 4:2. 

This match was one more proof that Michael Jordan was one of the greatest basketball stars of his time and in the whole history: his performance was brilliant even when he totally lost any motivation and without much struggling, he has managed to beat the leading basketball players of that time.

Chicago — Utah

•  1998

•  4:2

Speaking of Michael Jordan, it is essential to mention his last game which became a triumphal finish of his career. This is a memorable match as it became the end of the Epoque for all basketball fans — there could hardly be found such a strong athlete who was always in perfect shape and could alone beat all opponents, no matter how his partners behaved.

Generally, if you watched this game, and loved it, it is strongly recommended to get acquainted with the other Final series in which Michael Jordan took part.

Golden State Warriors — Oklahoma Thunder

•  2016

•  0:2

Warriors were the permanent favourite among the fans, and almost every best sports betting website gave the lowest odds for their victory — 73 wins over different teams was the ultimate result during the last decade. The match of the 2015-2016 basketball season with Oklahoma became the quintessence of the mastership of all team members and especially Stephen Curry, who made the most beautiful downtown shot from eight meters.

Los Angeles Lakers — Indiana Pacers

•  2000

•  120:118

The main figures of this game became well-known to anyone Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. It was the first match Kobe Bryant had after the trauma he got at the beginning of the season, and the Los Angeles fans were a bit worried about his performance. However, Kobe has managed to overcome all the expectations that were laid on him. His game in this match turned into a real thriller as his clutch shots went one after another.

It was not that smooth for the Los Angeles team, though. At first, it seemed that Indiana performed much stronger, and a range of severe fails was made by Kobe Bryant and O’Neal. Finally, there was a foul recorded from O’Neal’s side, and he left the court before the game ended. Some fans, though, decided that this was an act of support to Indiana from judges, as after the key player was disqualified it seemed that the outcome of the match is already evident. All of a sudden, Kobe Bryant took the centre position and has managed to score several times, which became crucial for the opponents and made the LA Lakers champions and this match one of the key moments in the history of basketball.