Quiet Achievers: unheralded players who’ve beaten the buzzer in the NBA playoffs

The NBA Playoffs are known for the best players taking and in many cases, making, the biggest shots of the game. It’s usually the moments that legends are made of, but sometimes that script can deviate from the norm. In other instances, a player who was not expected to cement a victory steps up and saves the day. Statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference, and each moment is available for viewing on YouTube.

For all intents and purposes, it seemed like the Boston Celtics’ 2022-2023 season was over. The Miami Heat had a lead with three seconds left, and were about to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

However, Celtics guard Derrick White converted a putback just before the buzzer to keep Boston’s dreams alive. ESPN said the basket should be respected in Celtics' lore.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

The Los Angeles Lakers were in the middle of a dynastic run in the early 2000s, but their prospects of winning a third consecutive title were hanging in the balance. That was until Robert Horry caught a deflected rebound and drilled a game-winning three in the fourth tilt of the 2002 Western Conference Finals.

This kept the Lakers in it, and they’d eventually win the series, and the title. Horry looked back on the memorable three pointer with Basketball Network.

It can be difficult to stay ready on a team with Michael Jordan on it, and he was known for coming through in crunch time on the offensive end.

However, in Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals, Jordan found a wide-open John Paxson, who nailed a three-pointer to clinch Chicago’s third straight title. Former Bulls player Horace Grant recalled the circumstances leading up to the shot with Sports Illustrated.

The Bulls found themselves locked in a tight contest with the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals. The Jazz predictably swarmed Jordan in the game’s waning moments, and he kicked it out to another shooter.

This time, it was Steve Kerr, who drilled a shot at the top of the key to help clinch the series for the Bulls. NBC Sports Bay Area reminisced about the shot with Kerr, who is currently the head coach of the Golden State Warriors.

The 1997 Houston Rockets were all-in, as they brought star players together who were in the twilight of their career. Despite all of the talent on the floor, it was a role player who shockingly found the ball in his hands that swished the game-winner. Eddie Johnson’s quick thinking and shooting gave the Rockets the victory in Game 4 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals.

It’s hard to think about what can reasonably be accomplished in 0.4 seconds, but apparently, winning a playoff basketball game is one of them.

Los Angeles guard Derek Fisher threw up a miraculous shot with that much time remaining in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals, and it somehow went in. It helped propel the Lakers to a series victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Fadeaway World counts this contest as one of the NBA's greatest games.

It may take fans a few moments to remember what happened in the NBA Bubble during the 2020 NBA Playoffs, but Toronto Raptors forward O.G. Anunoby hit a three pointer against the Boston Celtics to give the Toronto Raptors a victory.

Kyle Lowry’s pinpoint inbounds pass also deserves credit, as SB Nation pointed out.

Fans of the 1990s Indiana Pacers would argue that center Rik Smits was more than just a role player, and they might be right. However, he usually wasn’t called upon in crunch time, but stepped up in a major way in Game 4 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals. He got Orlando Magic center Tree Rollins to bite on a pump fake, and Smits calmly drained the shot from the elbow.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

It was a helter-skelter play in a crazy basketball game. Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals went into triple overtime, thanks to Phoenix Suns’ player Gar Heard’s unbelievable shot at the conclusion of double overtime. It was a high-arching fadeaway with one second left that somehow went through the hoop.