Ahead of a crucial game four featuring the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, today marks a day in history where we honor and mourn those who died serving our great country. Today, let’s take a look at the best Memorial Day moments in NBA history.
1985: The Memorial Day Massacre
The 1980s brought on great battles between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. While the Lakers would lose in seven games the year prior at the hands of the Boston Celtics, they would bounce back in an attempt to topple their dynasty rival.
Unfortunately, the matchup would end in infamy as the reigning champs would dismantle the ambitious Lakers team in a 148-114 blowout loss. The Boston Celtics would go on to set not one, but two records against their opponent. Most points in an NBA Finals game half (79), as well as most points scored in an NBA Finals Game (148).
While game one was an absolute decimation on the Los Angeles Laker’s part, they would go on and obtain their destined revenge in a series that took six games and ultimately call themselves NBA Champions yet again.
1991: Michael Jordan Sweeps the “Bad Boy” Pistons
Michael Jordan is revered as if not the best, of the top two best to play the game of basketball. It doesn’t go without saying that there were many obstacles standing in his way. One being Detroit’s finest, the “Bad Boy” Pistons.
Coming off back-to-back years hoisting the NBA Championship and toppling the Chicago Bulls for three straight postseasons, the Bulls and Pistons would have yet another go at it. This year would hold a much different outcome.
After slugging it out with one another, the Chicago Bulls would go on top of their then-conference nemesis 3-0. A moment Bulls fans were long desiring was finally abroad and on the Pistons’ home court, the final blow was delivered in a 115-94 routing which led to Michael Jordan and the Bulls first ever NBA Finals appearance.
The Chicago Bulls would then go on and defeat the Los Angeles Lakers and bring the Championship to Chicago for the first time in franchise history.
1996: Jordan Sends Orlando and Shaquille O’Neal Packing
In an Eastern Conference Finals showdown that featured the consistent and dominating Chicago Bulls team and an up-and-coming Orlando Magic team that had just been swept in the NBA Finals at the hands of the back-to-back champion Houston Rockets.
This was the year Michael Jordan had come out of retirement and brought the Championship back to Chicago. While the year served its ups and downs, only one team remained that stood in the way of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls 4th finals appearance in six years.
Many were expecting a hard-fought battle between the two teams. After all, we had just witnessed a three-year-dominating run by the Orlando Magic led by future Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal. Instead, in usual Jordan fashion, the Bulls decimated the stifling Magic team in 4 games, all of which had an average marginal victory of 17 points.
While it wasn’t exactly revenge for Jordan, the Bulls franchise sure loved watching the Magic go on home after suffering a Semi-Conference Finals exit to the Magic the year prior.
This would also mark the last game Shaquille O’Neal would go on to wear an Orlando Magic uniform.
1998: Reggie Miller’s Game Winner
Fast forwarding a few years, but staying in Michael Jordan’s world, we were given an Eastern Conference matchup featuring the struggling Chicago Bulls team who managed to make it this far yet again, and a dominating Indiana Pacers team led by Reggie Miller.
Despite everything the Bulls as an organization was dealing with, they jumped out to a commanding 2-0 lead over the Pacers and looked destined to go up 3-0 against a team in desperate need of an answer.
In a back-and-forth game, the Bulls were leading 105-104. The clock showed 2.2 as the Pacers were in dire need of a bucket and while the controversy of the legitimacy of the shot has been questioned for years in regards to an alleged push-off featuring Miller and Jordan, Reggie Miller raised up to take the game-winning shot and got nothing but net. 0.7 seconds were left on the clock and the Pacers survived a thrilling game three.
While the Indiana Pacers would go on to lose the series in 7 games, we were still given one of the most memorable shots in NBA History and entertained throughout the entire series.
1999: Memorial Day Miracle
Stepping into the Western Conference Finals we saw the rise of two teams. The San Antonio Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers.
In a game two matchup, the Spurs would hold a 1-0 series lead against the Trail Blazers; however, things didn’t look to be in San Antonio’s favor this night.
After being down by as many as 18 early in the third quarter, the Spurs began to claw their way back and make it an actual contest. Jumping to 12 seconds remaining in the game in a one-point lead for the Trail Blazers, Damon Stoudamire was sent to the line to shoot two free throws. Hitting one of the two, Portland would have an 85-83 lead over the Spurs.
A timeout was called to advance the ball in the Spurs’ favor. After the ball was nearly swiped by a Trail Blazer, the shot was given to Sean Elliott. Avoiding the out-of-bounds line, Elliott rose and took a three-point shot that would give San Antonio its first lead in the entire game. The fans erupted as this would go on and put the San Antonio Spurs ahead in the series by 2-0 where they would ultimately sweep the Portland Trail Blazers, creating a dynasty that would last for decades.
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