One-shot heartbreaks

[SpursDynasty]

Just for fun....what do you all think is the biggest one-shot heartbreak (deciding shot of the series) in the past couple of years for any NBA team? (Not just the Spurs)

1. 2002 Western Conf. Finals, Lakers vs Kings: With Sacramento up 2-1 in the series, the Lakers miss a shot in the closing seconds, and Vlade Divac idiotically bats the ball out to Horry, who drains a three at the buzzer, giving the Lakers a 100-99 win, tying the series at 2-2. Had Sacramento won, they would have taken a 3-1 series lead. Lakers win series.

2. 2003 Playoffs: Game 5, Semi-finals, Lakers vs Spurs, if Horry's three at the end of the game goes in for the Lakers (it went in and out), LA takes a 3-2 series lead. It goes about 99% in, then mysteriously out, someone in heaven loved the Spurs that night. Spurs go up 3-2 with a 96-94 win. Spurs win series.

3. 2004 Playoffs: Game 5, Semi-finals, Lakers vs Spurs, Derek Fisher's 0.4 shot, giving LA a 74-73 win and this time, they take the 3-2 series lead. Spurs lose series.

4. 2005 Playoffs: Game 5, Pistons vs Spurs, NBA Finals: Pistons lead by 2 points in overtime, with the series tied at 2-2 in the Finals. Big Shot Bob returns after a three year absence, draining a three in the closing seconds to give the Spurs a 96-95 OT win, Spurs take 3-2 series lead.

5. 2006 Playoffs: Game 6, Lakers vs Suns, first round: Lakers hold a 3-2 series lead over Phoenix, with 105-102 lead with 29 seconds left in regulation. 29 seconds away from advancing to the next round for the Lakers, Tim Thomas pump fakes and drains a 3 with 6 seconds left to send the game into overtime .Suns win the game, tying the series at 3-3, and eventually win the series.

6. 2006 Playoffs: Game 5, Clippers vs Suns, semifinals: With the series tied at 2-2, in overtime, Raja Bell ties the game with 1.1 seconds left. Clippers narrowly miss taking a 3-2 series lead, Suns eventually win the series.

7. 2006 Playoffs: Game 7, Spurs vs Mavericks, semifinals: With SA leading 104-101 with 32 seconds left away from advancing, Dirk Nowitzki ties the game with a 3-point play with 21 seconds to go. Mavericks eventually win the series.

Which is the biggest heartbreaker for a team? Can anyone think of any other recent one-shot heartbreakers that I left out here?

[David Matthew]

Horry against the Kings. Trust me, Sac Town has never been the same.

[Mr. Body]

Vlade Divac idiotically bats the ball out to Horry

Wasn't idiotic. Just unlucky.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

.4 could arguably be #1


especially consider the shot TD hit right before.


It went from one of the greatest moments in Spurs playoff history (TD's shot) to one of the worst

It could be #2 heartbreak shot at the very least

[T Park]

If Hedo would've backed up Vlade better, the issue would be moot.

[ca®lo]

yeah. i think .4 could be #1.. considering what it took and how the spurs celebrated after they made the shot.

same with manus foul on dirk. manu supposedly made the game winning 3.

[Leetonidas]

.4 was the worst to me because Tim Duncan's shot previous to it was insane.

[Spurminator]

The Manu play is overrated. The Spurs still had another play plus overtime to take back the game and they failed. If Manu doesn't make that foul, the Mavs are still only down one point with plenty of time to foul a Spurs Free Throw shooter and score again (and again and again as they were doing against our Small Ball lineup).

I hate seeing Manu get Bucknered over that crap. Dumb play, but by no means an automatic game-killer.

[MrChug]

.4

No question. Even other teams' fans felt that one.

[Chris]

As much as I hated .4, Horry's shot against Sacramento completely devastated the entire city as stated before. It was their only shot at winning a title thus far.

[Obstructed_View]

As much as I hated .4, Horry's shot against Sacramento completely devastated the entire city as stated before. It was their only shot at winning a title thus far.
I agree. They still boo him. That flagrant by Miller was just to get in good with the fans.

[joeyjfive]

IMO .4 definitely is number 1, when that shot went in it absolutely sucked the life outta me, I just sat down on my couch and couldnt believe what I just saw.

[Budkin]

The Manu play is overrated. The Spurs still had another play plus overtime to take back the game and they failed. If Manu doesn't make that foul, the Mavs are still only down one point with plenty of time to foul a Spurs Free Throw shooter and score again (and again and again as they were doing against our Small Ball lineup).

I hate seeing Manu get Bucknered over that crap. Dumb play, but by no means an automatic game-killer.

This is the same way I feel about the play. Yeah it was not smart but who is to say that the Spurs would have made their free throws in crunch time?

[Budkin]

IMO .4 definitely is number 1, when that shot went in it absolutely sucked the life outta me, I just sat down on my couch and couldnt believe what I just saw.

That was one of the worst nights of my life. I just couldn't believe they allowed the shot. Catching, turning, and shooting is just an impossible feat in .4 seconds.

[Summers]

.4 without question.

[Taco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3iV4aYvopM

[ggoose25]

.4 hurt. it hurt real bad.

[ggoose25]

after watching taco's clip, that looked really painful too. They might be a tie now

[baseline bum]

It's gotta be Rob's shot against Sac. 0.4 isn't #1, only because the Spurs won the title the year before and the year after it, so the Spurs recovered pretty nicely from it. That three in game 4 sent the Kings on a downward spiral that they're still stuck in 5 years later. What really makes that shot by Rob such a killer was that Sacramento was up 23 in that game.

[Obstructed_View]

Yep, if the Kings end up in some other city, the Horry shot will probably be pointed out as the beginning of that process.