What's one of the most memorable games you ever watched?

[jehosafats]

March. 3. 2014. Miami Heat vs Charlotte Bobcats

What made this game memorable was not Lebron's career-high 61 points, or that he wore a face mask while doing it. It was the way Big Al Jefferson dominated the first half. There was no way Miami was winning this game. They were too small. There's no answer for Big Al, who is absolutely demolishing them from every angle. Miami still had the edge going into the half, 60-54. But you can tell they were worried about Big Al. Here they were, their backs naked to the crowd on the road, against a team that has no business contesting the defending champs....

Then came Lebron in the second half, what the game is remembered for - finishing with 61pts, 22 for 33, 8 for 10 from 3pt. He rendered Big Al's virtuoso 38pts / 19 rebs totally forgettable. Hell of a game.

[tmorgan]

I can’t remember the opponent or the exact year (I think it was the 2001-2002 season, tho), but I was in the building (Rupp Arena) when Tayshaun Prince had a crazy heat check day during a home game for UK. He pulled up for a couple threes that went in smoothly, so he kept shooting from further out. I can’t remember if he missed one in the sequence, but he made six or seven total in a few minutes and the last couple were from nearly half court. Crowd was going absolutely bananas.

[Ruma85]

Lakers vs Boston, Game 7, Kobe's 81, Kobe's last game. Luka's 60 20 10 game. Etc...

[NO-KG-AI]

I remember where I was and my exact reactions for Jordan’s “shot” in 98, KG getting his ring, and when the Cavs/Warriors were to the wire in game 7 of that comeback.

Those are the 3 games I feel like I remember most vividly, from the specific plays, the calls, and the emotions I was feeling, and the spots I was literally standing as it happened.

[Tracymcgoaty]

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[NO-KG-AI]

I also remember the 35 ppg Kobe season and how insane some of those runs felt, leading into the 81 point game. Felt wild in real time

[durden_tyler]

Jason Williams ECF G6 clinching game by Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons. Validation that my favorite player, who was by not any means a star, was not a scrub and can contribute to getting the W in big moments. As a player fan of "role" players, these kind of moments at least satisfied my fandom the previous 20 or so years in watching the game.
"

[KGtabake]

EuroBasket final between Serbia and Lithuania in 1995.

[Sgt Major]

Partizan and Serbia/Yugoslavia games aside - finals of the 2008 Olympics between USA and Spain, probably the best game of all time.

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[Mr Peanut]

Three games spring to mind.

2016 Finals Game 7 Cavs vs Warriors. NBA games are usually on in the middle of the day in my part of the world, and it so happened that myself and a few friends all randomly had the day off work for various reasons so went and watched it together at a sports bar in town. None of us are really into sports gambling but we all put a reasonable amount of money on the Cavs paying $2.70 to win which obviously worked out well and led to a lot of drinks after. It was a memorable game for many reasons but has always stuck with me as a peak life moment due to the circumstances.

2014 Finals Game 3 Spurs vs Heat. I think it was game 3 where the Spurs just looked like offensive gods and made so many crisp passes and beautiful shots to get a comfortable win over the favored Heatles. I remember watching it and being in awe of how polished the Spurs looked. Also was watched in a bar while on a road trip with friends that added to the experience.

Dec 19 2015 Pistons vs Bulls 4OT game. I didn't watch this live as I had taken my niece to the zoo that day but was following on ESPN app/Twitter. Was insane that it kept being tied at the end of each OT and took until the 4th OT to separate the teams. Relatively speaking, it was a cool time to be a Pistons fan as we had been a terrible team for the past 7 years and things were finally looking up with a Drummond/Reggie Jackson/KCP core (feels weird to say that now lol). That game also had big implications as if we had lost and the rest of the season's results stayed the same the Bulls would have got the 8 seed and we wouldn't have made the playoffs (we got swept anyway, but it was nice to break the drought).

[Ugly0598]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/PI6iQgMp-nA?si=6ARR14-SBvnDqWRW[/youtube]

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[Optms]

Kobes 81 still the most memorable of the last 30 years. Disbelief across all the NBA world as it was happening.

[flranger]

Luka/Mavs owning the Suns in 2022 West Semi's Game 7

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[-Luke-]

Probably Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, as it was one of my first real memories as an NBA fan. MJ with the title-deciding shot, which was also the last shot of his career (the Michael Jordan who later played for the WIzards is a different person).

Game 2 of the 2011 Finals is also very memorable to me. Heat pretty much dominating and Mavs down by 15 if I remember correctly. If the Heat win that game, they win the series in 5 or 6 in my opinion. Great comeback by the Mavs.

2016 Finals Game 7 also has to be mentioned. Wild game with a wild ending.

[rand]

Team USA vs Serbia in the 2024 Olympic Semifinals.

Only counting those I saw in person, the 2016 Warriors over the Spurs in San Antonio to get win #72. With only one more game in the regular season, GS had to beat a 67-win, +11.2 net rtg Spurs team on the road to have a chance of breaking the Bulls' win record.

[bledredwine]

1995 Bulls vs Knicks on Jordan’s return when he put up 55. The defense was awesome
, it was hyper aggressive so there were some crazy plays and it was such a thrilling time because that was the biggest sports news in the world.

It was his fifth game back and down to the wire. He made a game winning assist after drawing a double. It was an absolute thriller that either team could have won.

[maradro]

Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals

Drove 5 hours with a friend, from Chile to Argentina, to watch this game... Forced to stay until the series ended

Other notables for me:

Argentina - usa 2002 (was living in the us at the time and invited a bunch of American friends thinking it was a fun excuse to get together, ended up mocking them mercilessly)

Spurs Lakers 2003-4, early season, Tim and Tony out, Manu took the 4 hofmen Lakers to the brink

Game 5 03-04 spurs Lakers, we lost but the game was insane, especially the end

I think those and malice in the palace are the most memorable for me, obviously being a spurs/argentina fan there were more great games but those are at the top

[web123888]

I’ve been watching since the 90’s and agree with the nostalgic sentiment that today’s game sucks compared to the past, but I thought last year’s Nuggets-T-Wolves Game 7 was one of the best playoffs games I’ve ever seen. Gave me throwback vibes of those of those epic Spurs/Mavs or Lakers/Kings 00’s type series.

[Hornet Mania]

October 29th, 2014. The night when the Hornets finally came back home.

After falling behind by 24 points the newly rechristened Charlotte Hornets mounted the biggest comeback in Charlotte professional basketball history, tying the game with a Kemba Walker 3pt shot at the end of regulation. In OT Kemba hit another long shot with a second left to set the final margin, 108-106.

I rooted for the Bobcats a bit, but the Hornets coming back was a dream come true after growing up in the Charlotte area during the 80s and 90s. I'll always remember being excited for this game all day, the Hornets leaving was tough as a young man so the time until 1am just seemed to crawl by. I'll also remember having to keep myself from shouting in jubilation at about 4am when Kemba won it in OT, since the wife and kids were fast asleep, silently fist pumping and hopping around my living room like a kid again. It was a really special night.

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Skip to 1:20 for the frantic final minute of regulation.

[PaulKellerman]

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First NBA game I actually watched

As well:

Game 6 2013 Finals

Game 5 2021 Finals

Game 5 2016 WCF

Game 7 2005 NBA Finals