Ranking the best NBA moments of 2024

Basketball fans are thankful that the NBA has provided them with such memorable moments throughout the calendar year. Whether it was clutch shots going down in the playoffs, record-breaking memories, or defensive plays to win games, 2024 was a year that NBA enthusiasts won’t soon forget. We’ll count down the top 15 moments from the year. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks squared off in late March in a matchup that featured two teams with playoff dreams. Gilegous-Alexander came up huge by drilling a game-winning shot in the corner, which took the air out of Madison Square Garden. He came back from injury to play in the contest, and told ESPN, “I felt like I was ready.” He sure proved that he was.

Most of the league would get nervous at the thought of Giannis Antetokounmpo driving towards them with the game on the line. However, Wembanyama was undeterred at that prospect in January 2024. With 30 seconds left in the game, the French prodigy blocked the Greek Freak at the rim, as the two unicorns met at the hoop. Antetokounmpo told CBS Sports about Wembanyama, “I’ve never seen anything like him.”

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The game was all but over. The Mavericks had a one point lead with just 2.6 seconds left in a February game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland would have to go the length of the floor to win the game. They didn’t have to, as Strus converted a miraculous shot from 59-feet away. Former Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Sports Illustrated, “He(Strus) wasn’t going to quit and he just kept making play after play on both ends.”

Aaron Nesmith of Indiana was pushing the ball hard down the court to tie the game before the buzzer in March 2024, but Edwards would have none of it. The Timberwolves star leaped so high that he hit his head on the rim, but blocked Nesmith’s layup in the process to secure the victory for Minnesota. “I fell hard right there just then on that block,” he told ESPN. “I think I’m a pretty tough dude, though.”

With the game tied, and three seconds left, the Nuggets put the ball in the hands of Jokic. The only thing was, he caught the inbounds pass at halfcourt, which is a little farther out from where he usually does his damage. It didn’t turn out to be a problem, as the Denver Nuggets center banked in a game-winning heave. In classic Jokic form, he told TNT after the game, “My friend. It went in. I’m happy.”

The Milwaukee Bucks were walking wounded against the Pacers during their first round playoff series. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were forced to miss games, and Middleton stepped up when it mattered most. He made a desperation heave in Game 3 to send the game into overtime to keep the Bucks alive. Fans found out later that Middleton was also injured, as he had offseason surgery on both ankles.

The first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs also gave fans another memorable moment. The New York Knicks seemed like they were going to lose Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers, but an improbable steal and remarkable offensive rebounding gave DiVincenzo two cracks at a game-winning three. He nailed the second try, which sent Madison Square Garden into pure delirium.

The legendary point guard is currently in his 20^th NBA season, and he took a notable leap up the league’s all-time assist list in December. Paul passed Jason Kidd to become second in career dimes, trailing only John Stockton. Paul told USA Today, “It was cool—it’s a lot better since we won, given the fashion that we won.”

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No team in NBA history has ever come back from a three to zero deficit in the NBA playoffs, and that reality is exactly what the Indiana Pacers were set to face in the second round. The trajectory of their season completely changed when Nembhard hit a deep three pointer in Game 3 against the Knicks, which ultimately saved their season.

The Denver Nuggets’ title defense started with a first round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, and Murray made sure that his team closed the door at home. During the closing minute of Game 2, Murray scored six points, including a buzzer beating fadeaway to sink the Lakers. He told ESPN, “I think Anthony Davis was in my way or somebody was in my way, and I just heard everybody scream—and that’s how I knew it went in.”

Basketball fans might look back on 2024 as the year Edwards ascended into a stratosphere as one of the NBA’s best players. Perhaps his most indelible moment came during a March regular season game against the Utah Jazz, when the Timberwolves guard ferociously dunked on John Collins. He told the NBA’s website, “I was thinking I was going to miss it because I wasn’t close to the rim, but somehow God willed it in for me.”

There are few players, if any, in the NBA today with more offensive talent than Doncic. This was on full display during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, as the Mavericks star was isolated in a one on one matchup against Rudy Gobert. He drilled a game-winning three pointer against the Defensive Player of the Year. Doncic told TNT after the game, “I can’t move fast, but I can move faster than him.”

LeBron James and his son Bronny made history in October 2024, as the only father-son duo in NBA history to share the court with one another. LeBron told AP News, “I talked about it years and years ago, and for this moment to come, it’s pretty cool.” The summer was ripe with anticipation for the moment, starting when the Lakers selected Bronny in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving made one of the most improbable shots (let alone game-winners) ever in March 2024. With their game against the Denver Nuggets tied and time winding down, Irving attempted and converted an insane running left-handed hook shot from 20 feet away to clinch the game. He told ESPN, “I thought I got a little closer in the paint, but I looked at it after the game and I was pretty far out.”

The internet had a field day with Tatum after the Boston Celtics won the NBA title in June. Some believed that Tatum’s reaction to winning the title was contrived, and that he may have copied quotes from other championship players during his big moment. Athlon Sports noted that he seemed to “borrow” Kevin Garnett’s classic “anything is possible” line. Regardless, Tatum goes down forever as a champion.

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