Worst NBA Playoff Chokes of All Time

An epic choke can happen to even the best professional basketball players, several of whom appear on this list of worst chokes in NBA postseason history.

Worst NBA Playoff Chokes of All Time

It’s the dreaded word that no athlete wants to hear even once in his career. Choke. It’s also one of the most difficult to explain. How does an athlete who has performed so well for so long to reach the highest level of his profession suddenly lose it in the clutch?

Psychologists tell us that air passages close in pressure moments for any number of reasons. It may be due to a fear of failure. Or an inability to cope with expectations. Or a misplaced desire to be perfect when just plain good is more than enough. Whatever the case, it can happen to even the best professional basketball players, several of whom appear on this list of most epic chokes in NBA postseason history.

30. Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas stopped by Anderson Varejao

Series: 2006 Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Winner outcome: Cleveland Cavaliers in six

Choke time: Game 6

Bottom Line: Gilbert Arenas

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas attempts shot over Dallas Mavericks Erick Dampie

Agent (Double) Zero gave new meaning to his nickname when he doinked a pair of free throws with a one-point lead and 15 seconds left in overtime. After the first miss, the Cavaliers’ LeBron James tapped him on the chest and whispered, “If you miss these free throws, you know who’s gonna win it.’”

Well, we do now. When a career 80 percenter clangs two in a row late in an elimination game, that’s the hoops definition of “choke.”

29. Nate Robinson, Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls' Nate Robinson drives to the basket

Series: 2013 Eastern Conference semifinals

Winner outcome: Miami Heat in five

Choke time: Game 4

Bottom Line: Nate Robinson, Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls guard Nate Robinson in stance

In a record performance, Krypto Nate was seriously devalued in a near must-win situation at home. The toy cannon misfired on all 12 of his field goal tries (and turned the ball over four times) in a 88-65 stinker that left the Bulls on the brink of a summer vacation. Per Elias, this was the worst oh-fer without point since the advent of the 24-second shot clock.

28. Boris Diaw, San Antonio Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins and San Antonio Spurs power forward Boris Diaw go after loose ball

Series: 2013 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Miami Heat in seven

Choke time: Game 6

Bottom Line: Boris Diaw and Co-Conspirator

The Spurs were on a cusp of a league title, but nooooo, Gregg Popovich had to be the smartest person in the arena as usual. Mr. Happy inserted Diaw in place of Tim Duncan (30 points, 17 rebounds) as part of a small-ball line-up not once but twice in the final 28 seconds of the fourth quarter. (Tim Duncan, people!)

LeBron James and Ray Allen immediately drained 3-pointers to tie the score, both off offensive rebounds that Duncan could have prevented. The Heat completed the Lazarus job in overtime then won the seventh game, too.

27. Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks

Series: 1995 Eastern Conference finals

Winner outcome: Indiana Pacers in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks

If one sequence defined the 1990s Knicks wannabes, this was the one. They had rallied to pull within 97-95 and owned the ball with five ticks left in regulation play. That’s when Ewing made a nifty spin move and loped down the lane for a point-blank finger-roll attempt. The Knicks send it to overtime! Um, no, sorry, Knicks lose.

Somehow, the ball struck the back of the rim and bounced harmlessly to the floor while thousands held their heads around the country. (Pssst, Patty, it’s called a dunk.)

26. Chicago Bulls Bench

Series: 1975 Western Conference finals

Winner outcome: Golden State Warriors in seven

Choke time: Games 6 and 7

Bottom Line: Chicago Bulls Bench

The Bulls had two chances to win one game and advance to their first-ever NBA Finals. Their bench responded with five points in 75 minutes in consecutive losses. That’s five points total. One, two, three, four, five.

(We won’t name names, Rowland Garrett, Matt Guokas and Nate Thurmond.)

25. Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns

Phoenix Suns forward Charles Barkley sits dejected

Series: 1995 Western Conference semifinals

Winner outcome: Houston Rockets in seven

Choke time: Game 5

Bottom Line: Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns

Charles Barkley in action against Buck Williams

In what might have been his best chance to finally win it all, Barkley and the Phoenix Suns owned a 3-1 lead in the series and three-point lead through three periods in the potential clincher. Then the Loud Mouth of Rebound did the unthinkable — he went stone cold silent for nearly an hour.

The big lug scored three points after halftime and missed two free throws late in a 103-97 overtime loss that carried over to the next two games. Overall, he bricked five free throws and turned the ball over six times, not to be critical or anything.

24. Karl Malone, Utah Jazz

Series: 1997 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Chicago Bulls in six

Choke time: Game 1

Bottom Line: Karl Malone, Utah Jazz

If the Jazz were to have any chance against Michael Jordan and his supporting cast in the series, then a quick strike on the road was a good place to start. Lo and behold, Malone was in position to break an 82-all tie with nine ticks left in the fourth quarter. Except that he had already gagged on 7-of-13 attempts in the game. Clang! Clang!

You-know-who stuck a 19-footer at the buzzer, and the Bulls were on the way to their second of three consecutive league titles. Now you know why one guy has six league championship rings, and the other has not one.

23. Jerry Sloan, Chicago Bulls

Series: 1973 Western Conference finals

Winner outcome: Los Angeles Lakers in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Jerry Sloan, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls were two points and 26 seconds away from their first NBA Finals date in history. The frenetic Lakers defense harassed them into four passes at the perimeter. After what seemed like an eternity, the ball found its way into the hands of Sloan at the free throw line, where he … wait for it ... passed to Bob Love?!

The shot clock expired, and so did the visitors in a 95-92 gut punch, one that they had led by seven points with three minutes left to play.

22. Dick Garrett and Johnny Egan, Los Angeles Lakers

Series: 1970 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: New York Knicks in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Dick Garrett and Johnny Egan, Los Angeles Lakers

Johnny Egan puts pressure on Walt Frazier

The Lakers had a gift-wrapped opportunity to secure their first NBA title on the West Coast since Knicks center Willie Reed hobbled by a bum right thigh. While Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain did their parts, Walt Frazier (36 points, 19 assists) absolutely destroyed Garrett and Egan (eight points, one assist combined) in the point guard matchup.

The least Clyde could do is pay them reparations for his legacy, don’t you think?

21. Ray Allen, Boston Celtics

Series: 2010 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Los Angeles in seven

Choke time: Games 3 and 7

Bottom Line: Ray Allen, Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics' Ray Allen watches in front of the Los Angeles Lakers bench

Gang Green seized the momentum in a Game 2 victory on the road. Then, Allen tore it down brick by brick by brick … 13 in a row without a bulls-eye, the second-worst in NBA Finals history. (Dennis Johnson is on the way.)

Sugar Ray had a chance to atone in the seventh game, only to turn sour again (3-of-14 FGAs, four turnovers) in an 83-79 loss that was eminently winnable.

20. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry dribbles against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant

Series: 2016 Western Conference finals

Winner outcome: Golden State Warriors in seven

Choke time: Game 6

Bottom Line: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell Westbrook reacts after being guarded by Stephen Curry

The Thunder took an eight-point lead against the 73-9 Warriors into the fourth quarter. Then, Durant and Westbrook combined to shoot 3-of-14 in the field and turn the ball over six times to snatch a 108-101 defeat from the jaws of victory.

The visitors melted down a bit earlier in the seventh game — Westbrook went scoreless with two turnovers in a horrific third quarter — after which K.D. said to hell with it and signed with the Warriors as a free agent.

19. Scottie Pippen, Portland Trail Blazers

Series: 2000 Western Conference finals

Winner outcome: Los Angeles in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Scottie Pippen, Portland Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers signed Pippen largely because of his grit and guile and ability to lead men. Yet with his new team only minutes away from an NBA Finals berth, Pip was front and center in an epic free fall — zero points, zero assists, three fouls, one turnover, minus-17 rating in the fourth quarter.

Maybe the guy had a bad headache? The visitors were outscored 31-13 in a 89-84 loss that has haunted the franchise ever since.

18. Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls

Scottie Pippen looking out with Michael Jordan

Series: 1989 Eastern Conference finals

Winner outcome: Detroit Pistons in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls

We were courtside when Pippen produced two points on 1-of-10 in the field and four rebounds in what amounted to Game 7 of the NBA Finals, something he blamed on a migraine headache and double vision. Perhaps he meant Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer?

What we don’t get is that, if he was so incapacitated, would coach Phil Jackson have played him 42 minutes? If you think that Michael Jordan is still pissed about this, you would be correct.

17. Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics

Series: 1994 Western Conference first round

Winner outcome: Denver Nuggets in five

Choke time: Games 4 and 5

Bottom Line: Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics

Before the playoffs began, the word was out on the SuperSonics — slow the pace and take care of the ball, and they were ripe for picking. But nobody outside Colorado thought that the youngest team in the league would be the ones to do it. And nobody but nobody thought the Sonics would become the first and last 63-plus-win team to bow out in the first round.

As the alleged team leaders, Kemp and Payton deserved much of the blame. Yet there was plenty to go around on a team that scored a total of nine points in a pair of overtimes in the final two games. Hey, look — Dikembe Mutombo just blocked another shot!

16. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki fights for rebound against Golden State Warriors' Baron Davis

Series: 2007 Western Conference first round

Winner outcome: Golden State Warriors in six

Choke time: Game 6

Bottom Line: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki and teammate Jason Terry look on

Before Nowitzki finally broke through four years later — thank you, LeBron James! — he had the rep of a choker. This is where it began in earnest. On the heels of a brilliant regular season, Dirty and his 67-15 team were the victims of a one-versus-eight upset in round one.

The guy was especially small in the final game — he bricked all six of his threebies and 11-of-13 FGAs overall — after which he reportedly attempted to punch a wall. Rumor has it that he missed that, too.

15. James Harden, Brooklyn Nets

Houston Rockets' James Harden pressures as San Antonio Spurs' Danny Green moves ball

Series: 2017 Eastern Conference semifinals

Winner outcome: San Antonio Spurs in six

Choke time: Games 5 and 6

Bottom Line: James Harden, Brooklyn Nets

Houston Rockets' James Harden walks to bench

The Beard was off by more than a whisker in the postseason to blame it on an excessive workload. Here’s Exhibit A. In overtime of the crucial fifth game, with Spurs star Kawhi Leonard unavailable, the alleged Most Valuable Player candidate responded with three botched shots and as many turnovers in a 110-107 setback. Then the guy mailed in a 10-point, six-turnover performance in a 39-point loss at home in the finale.

Or we could have picked Game 7 of the 2017 conference finals when he contributed 10 of the 27 consecutive bricks that his team heaved from beyond the arc.

14. Kobe Bryant and Other Los Angeles Lakers

Series: 2004 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Detroit Pistons in five

Choke time: Practically the entire series

Bottom Line: Kobe Bryant and Other Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe Bryant in struggle with ball against Wallace

This wasn’t the monstrous upset that some make it out to be, but there was no excuse for the Lake Show to score 77, 95, 68, 80 and 87 in the five games. Start with Bryant and his 34 percent field goal percentage on nearly 23 FGAs per game, but don’t stop there.

Fossils Karl Malone and Gary Payton resembled wax figures at Madame Tussauds. Oh, and wasn’t coach Phil Jackson supposed to have all the answers? At least some of the answers?

13. Any Golden State Warrior

Series: 1976 Western Conference finals

Winner outcome: Phoenix Suns in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Any Golden State Warrior

If this game hadn’t been cloaked in mystery, it would be higher in the order. Were Warriors teammates to blame for their passive response to Suns rookie Ricky Sobers after his assault of team captain Rick Barry in the first period? Was it Barry for his attempt to get them involved in the third quarter rather than take the game over? Or was the result preordained months earlier when veteran floor leader Butch Beard was traded because the general manager didn’t get along with his wife?

When we asked coach Al Attles for an explanation a while back, all he would say was, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

12. J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith drives on Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry

Series: 2017 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Golden State Warriors in four

Choke time: Game 1

Bottom Line: J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers

JR Smith and Kevin Love try to defend against Draymond Green

The underdog Cavaliers had little chance to win this series, but if Smith hadn’t dribbled out the final five seconds of a tie game after his offensive rebound off a missed free throw, they might have won a game. “I thought we were ahead,” the 31-year-old veteran tried to explain afterward.

We think irate teammate LeBron James (51 points) would have done some serious damage if the game hadn’t been nationally televised. The guy sucked from the first jump — 10 points on 3-of-10 in the field, game-low minus-22 rating.

11. Darryl Dawkins, Philadelphia 76ers

Darryl Dawkins battles against Maurice Lucas

Series: 1977 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Portland Trail Blazers in six

Choke time: Game 2

Bottom Line: Darryl Dawkins

The Sixers had the Trail Blazers right where they wanted them. Or so it appeared. Then Dawkins got involved in an ugly brawl late in a Game 2 victory and stormed off in a huff, claiming that teammates didn’t have his back. This after a 107-89 victory, mind you.

Worse yet, the dunderheaded center threw a roundhouse that inadvertently struck teammate Doug Collins above the right eye. A groggy Collins wasn’t the same thereafter. Neither was a fractured team that didn’t win another game.

10. LeBron James, Miami Heat

Miami Heat's LeBron James and Dallas Mavericks' Tyson Chandler go after rebound

Series: 2011 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Dallas Mavericks in six

Choke time: Game 4

Bottom Line: LeBron James, Miami Heat

Miami Heat's LeBron James wipes brow against Dallas Mavericks

Only months earlier, King James announced that he would take his services to Miami to win “not five, not six, not seven...” league championships. Could have fooled us. In his Heat debut, Bron-Bron was either bad or indifferent or both in all four losses in the final round.

He was especially pathetic in the crucial 86-83 setback that got the Mavericks back in the series — eight points on 11 field goal attempts and four turnovers in 45 minutes.

9. Hal Greer, Philadelphia 76ers

Series: 1965 Eastern Division finals

Winner outcome: Boston Celtics in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Hal Greer, Philadelphia 76ers

Celtics center Bill Russell would have been the lowercase goat if John Havlicek hadn’t saved his butt and that of the Celtics dynasty. After Russell threw an inbounds pass that struck a guide wire for a turnover — Celtics fanboy Bill Simmons blamed Wilt Chamberlain — Greer short-armed the inbounds pass that Havlicek picked off to secure a 110-109 victory.

But shouldn’t coach Dolph Schayes have had his best passing big trigger the play at the baseline? That would have been center Johnny Kerr, who stood 7-inches taller than Greer and couldn’t possibly have done worse.

8. Nick Anderson, Orlando Magic

Clyde Drexler drives past Orlando Magic guard Nick Anderson

Series: 1995 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Houston Rockets in four

Choke time: Game 1

Bottom Line: Nick Anderson, Orlando Magic

Nick Anderson loses ball to Hakeem Olajuwon

In his prime, Anderson was a solid two-way player who should be remembered as such.Instead, he’s known as Nick the Brick, the guy who somehow botched four free throws in 0.6 seconds to set the tone for the championship round.

Some would argue that this entry should be higher on the list. We contend that Hakeem Olajuwon and Clutch City weren't about to be denied. One more free throw would have all but iced the opener and prevented a sweep but not much else.

7. Dennis Johnson, Seattle SuperSonics

Washington Bullets Elvin Hayes reaches in to grab loose ball from Seattle Supersonic Dennis Johnson

Series: 1978 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Washington Bullets in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Dennis Johnson, Seattle SuperSonics

Seattle Supersonic Dennis Johnson makes pass under the board

In a winner-take-all showdown, Johnson failed to connect on any of his 14 field goal tries in a 105-99 defeat, the worst oh-fer in NBA Finals history. D.J. also was amiss (4-of-16) in a blowout loss on the road.

So, why did coach Lenny Wilkens allow the 23-year-old to struggle through 38 minutes on a day when veteran sidekick Downtown Freddie Brown went off for 21 points in only 31 minutes?

6. Mel Counts, Los Angeles Lakers

Series: 1969 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Boston Celtics in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Mel Counts, Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers trailed by seven points midway through the fourth quarter but had momentum and the sellout crowd on their side. Then, Princeton flunky Bill van Breda Kolff made the single dumbest decision in postseason history — the coach pulled Wilt Chamberlain and inserted Counts in his place. Whaa?!

Even at 32 and with five fouls plus a tweaked right knee, The Big Dipper was better than Counts (and virtually any other center) on his worst day. Except the notoriously stubborn VBK was so intent to prove his genius, he allowed the big guy to stew on the bench for the rest of the game. Counts bricked 9-of-13 field goal tries, the creaky old Celtics stole another league championship, and van Breda Kolff became known as the coach who couldn’t win with Wilt, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West.

5. John Starks, New York Knicks

Series: 1994 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Houston Rockets in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: John Starks, New York Knicks

When Starks erupted for 16 points in the fourth quarter of a Game 6 loss, it was the worst thing that could have happened to him and his team. The Michael Jordan wannabe got the convoluted idea that he could actually will a championship.

In Game 7, the loose cannon misfired on 9-of-10 field goal tries in the fourth quarter and 16-of-18 overall — zip-of-11 from behind the arc. His final attempt in the 90-84 loss struck nothing but air, the perfect conclusion to a most imperfect performance.

4. Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons

Series: 1987 Eastern Conference finals

Winner outcome: Boston Celtics in seven

Choke time: Game 5

Bottom Line: Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons

Isiah Thomas fights for rebound against Boston Celtics

“They’re gonna choke.”

Those were the prophetic words of Celtics center Robert Parish after the Bad Boys scored a 26-point TKO in Game 4 to knot the series. Sure enough, with a 107-106 lead and five seconds left in the fourth quarter, Thomas threw an inbounds pass that Larry Bird picked off then fed Dennis Johnson for a lay-up that turned around the series.

Of course, had the visitors called a time-out beforehand, they would have inbounded the ball at mid-court and not in their own end, and this all-time gag job wouldn’t have happened. It prevented what could have been the first leg of a historic Pistons four-peat.

3. Andy Phillip, Fort Wayne Pistons

Series: 1955 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Syracuse Nationals in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Andy Phillip, Fort Wayne Pistons

The debut of the 24-second shot clock featured the most controversial (and forgotten) finish in NBA Finals history. It started when Fort Wayne Pistons star George Yardley was called for a palming violation with the score tied and 16 seconds on the clock. (Yes, kids, there was a time when the NBA enforced all the rules for all the players.)

A Frankie Brian foul allowed the Nats to take a 92-91 lead. Then, Phillip was stripped of the ball with three seconds left to close the deal. Afterward, Yardley claimed that the future Hall of Famer was on the take, a charge that was never investigated. Hard to tell whether this was a fix or a choke, so how about we call it both — a foke?

2. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Series: 2016 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Cleveland Cavaliers in seven

Choke time: Game 4

Bottom Line: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Kyrie Irving drives against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green

There were lots of co-conspirators in this epic choke, but we chose Green because he toppled over the first big domino. The live wire had reached the allotment of flagrant fouls, so he absolutely had to be on his best behavior.

Instead, with his team ahead by 10 points late in a 108-97 victory, he allowed LeBron James to sucker him into a one-game suspension. Poof! The Dubs proceeded to blow a 3-1 lead in the series and went from a historic 73-9 team to all-time underachievers in the process.

1. Frank Selvy, Los Angeles Lakers

Series: 1962 NBA Finals

Winner outcome: Boston Celtics in seven

Choke time: Game 7

Bottom Line: Frank Selvy, Los Angeles Lakers

The Celtics dynasty was littered with lucky breaks, but here’s the most significant of all. After Selvy scored four points to tie the score at 100-all in the final minute of regulation, the two-time All-Star short-armed his favorite shot, an open 12-foot jumper at the left wing. You know the rest.

At most, a Lakers victory would have provided the impetus for a dynasty of their own. At the very least, the Celtics championship run is halted at four in a row, the Lakers get the gorilla off their backs, the legacies of Jerry West and Elgin Baylor are that much greater, and someone named Frank Selvy becomes a legend for all time.