Who Has The Most Game-Winning Buzzer Beaters In NBA History?
We all know that feeling. Your team is down by one with seconds ticking away. The ball is in your best player’s hands. They take a dribble and pull up from three… and the shot is good! The buzzer sounds and your team has won the game!
We’re talking about game-winning buzzer beaters, and in this blog post, we’re counting down the top 10 players with the most in NBA history. From MJ to LeBron to Kobe,
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. He was a dominant force on the court, and his game-winning shots are the stuff of legend. In his career, Jordan hit some of the most clutch shots in NBA history, and he has the most game-winning buzzer beaters of all time.
His iconic shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1989
It was May 7, 1989. The Chicago Bulls were up against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fifth and final game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The score was tied at 103 with three seconds left on the clock. The Cavs had possession of the ball, but Bulls fans were confident that their team would pull through and win the game.
And then, it happened.
Cavaliers player Craig Ehlo tried to inbound the ball, but Michael Jordan leapt into the air and stole it away. He took a few steps forward and then jumped again, releasing the ball just before the buzzer sounded. The shot went in, giving the Bulls a 105-103 victory and sending them to the conference finals.
It was an iconic moment in NBA history, one that is still remembered fondly by basketball fans all over the world. And it solidified Michael Jordan’s reputation as one of the greatest players of all time.
His game-winner against the Utah Jazz in 1998
Michael Jordan hit one of the most famous shots in NBA history when he sunk a jumper over Bryon Russell to give the Chicago Bulls a 87-86 lead with just seconds remaining in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. The Bulls went on to win the game and the series, giving them their sixth championship in eight years.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant has the most game-winning buzzer beaters in NBA history. He has hit 8 buzzer beaters in his career, the most recent being a game-winner against the Charlotte Hornets in 2015. Kobe’s 8 game-winners is a record, and it is a testament to his clutchness and ability to hit big shots in pressure situations.
His game-winner against the Phoenix Suns in 2006
With the score tied at 106 and just four-tenths of a second left in the game, Kobe took an inbounds pass from Smush Parker, dribbled to his right and launched a jumper over Shawn Marion that sank through the net as time expired, giving the Lakers a 108-106 victory.
His game-winner against the Orlando Magic in 2007
With the Lakers trailing by one and 4.6 seconds left in the game, Kobe Bryant hit a fadeaway jumper over the outstretched arms of Trevor Ariza to give the Lakers a 101-99 victory. The game-winner was eerily similar to the one he hit against the Phoenix Suns in 2006, as both were over-the-shoulder jumpers with a defender in his face.
LeBron James
LeBron James has the most game-winning buzzer beaters in NBA history. He has hit eight of them, including two this season. That is two more than any other player in NBA history. The second most is by Kobe Bryant with six.
His game-winner against the Indiana Pacers in 2013
LeBron James hit a last-second game-winner against the Indiana Pacers in 2013, giving him the most game-winning buzzer beaters in NBA history. The shot, which was caught by a fan in the front row, was described by James as “one of the best feelings I’ve ever had on a basketball court.”
His game-winner against the Chicago Bulls in 2015
With the game tied at 103 and just seconds remaining in regulation, LeBron James hit a fadeaway jumper over Jimmy Butler to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 105-103 victory over the Chicago Bulls. The buzzer-beater was LeBron’s 12th game-winner in his career, and it moved him into sole possession of second place on the NBA’s all-time list, behind only Kobe Bryant (15).
Dwyane Wade
In his 16 seasons in the NBA, Dwyane Wade has hit some of the most iconic buzzer-beaters in league history. Among his most famous are a 2006 game-winner against the Charlotte Bobcats, a 2009 shot to beat the Chicago Bulls, and a 2010 game-winner against the Boston Celtics. All told, Wade has 10 game-winning buzzer-beaters in his NBA career.
His game-winner against the Charlotte Hornets in 2009
It was Wade’s second game-winning buzzer-beater of the season. His first came against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 27, 2009. With the score tied at 101, Wade took an inbounds pass with two seconds left and hit a jumper over defender Gerald Henderson to give the Heat a 103-101 victory.
His game-winner against the Golden State Warriors in 2016
It was the stuff of legend. After a controversial no-call on what appeared to be a Wade foul on Klay Thompson, the two went down the other end and Wade drilled a contested jumper over Thompson to give the Miami Heat a one-point lead with 5.9 seconds remaining. The Warriors would go on to lose in heartbreaking fashion, and it was all thanks to Wade’s game-winner.
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony has the most game-winning buzzer beaters in NBA history. He has hit 12 of them in his career. That is four more than the next player on the list, LeBron James.
His game-winner against the Charlotte Bobcats in 2014
With the game tied at 90 and just seconds remaining in regulation, Anthony caught an inbounds pass from Cole Aldrich, quickly turned and launched a fadeaway jumper that splashed through the net as time expired. The bucket put an exclamation point on a 35-point performance for Anthony, who also added eight rebounds and four assists in the win.
His game-winner against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017
Carmelo Anthony hit a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017, cementing his place in NBA history. Anthony finished with a game-high 32 points, including the go-ahead basket with just seconds remaining. The win was the sixth of Anthony’s career, and it came on the heels of a clutch performance against the Portland Trail Blazers in which he scored 30 points.
