15 Times NBA Role Players Stepped Up When It Mattered Most
No matter how bright a superstar’s light may shine, there comes a moment when the game tilts and someone unexpected has to step up. In NBA playoff history, these role players may not be the first names fans remember, but they often delivered the plays that mattered most.
Ray Allen – Game-Tying Three in Game 6, 2013 NBA Finals
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
With 5.2 seconds left and the Miami Heat down three, Chris Bosh grabbed an offensive board and found Ray Allen, backpedaling to the right corner. During Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals, Allen launched a contested three that tied the game and forced overtime. Without that shot, LeBron James’ legacy might have ended with one ring.
Robert Horry – Buzzer-Beater in Game 4, 2002 Western Conference Finals
Credit: X
In 2002, the Lakers trailed by two after missed attempts by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. As the ball bounced out in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, Robert Horry caught it cleanly beyond the arc and knocked down the game-winner. That buzzer-beater tied the series 2-2 and shifted the momentum, which earned him the nickname “Big Shot Bob.”
Jason Terry – Clutch Three in Game 5, 2011 NBA Finals
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Dirk Nowitzki was being smothered by Miami’s defense in Game 5 of the 2011 NBA Finals, so Jason Terry took matters into his own hands. Up four with 40 seconds left, he drilled a deep three right in LeBron James’ face. That shot extended Dallas’ lead to seven and helped seal the game.
Steve Kerr – Game-Winner in Game 6, 1997 NBA Finals
Credit: ebay
Tied at 86 with five seconds left, everyone expected Michael Jordan to take the last shot in the 1997 NBA Finals. Instead, he passed to Steve Kerr at the top of the key. Kerr didn’t hesitate. His midrange jumper put Chicago ahead, and they held on to win. This resulted in the Bulls securing their fifth title.
Mike Miller – Shooting Surge in Game 5, 2012 NBA Finals
Credit: Instagram
Mike Miller barely saw playing time in the 2012 Finals, but Game 5 was different. While playing through multiple injuries, he hit seven of eight three-pointers and scored 23 points. His outburst helped the Heat clinch the series against the Thunder, while giving LeBron James his first NBA championship. Erik Spoelstra reportedly planned to use Miller for just four minutes that night.
Derek Fisher – 0.4 Second Winner in Game 5, 2004 Western Semifinals
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
After Tim Duncan hit a tough jumper to put the Spurs up with 0.4 seconds left, the Lakers needed something nearly impossible to win the 2004 Western Semifinals. And that ‘impossible’ was Derek Fisher. Off an inbound from Gary Payton, Fisher caught and released the ball in one motion. The shot went in, and officials confirmed it beat the clock.
Ron Artest – Surprise Three in Game 7, 2010 NBA Finals
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Kobe Bryant struggled from the field, so Ron Artest stepped up in a gritty, low-scoring Game 7 in the 2010 NBA Finals. Late in the fourth quarter, he received a pass from Bryant and launched a surprise three over Paul Pierce. It went in and gave the Lakers a six-point cushion.
Calvin Booth – Go-Ahead Layup in Game 5, 2001 First Round
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Calvin Booth scored just three points in the entire game in 2001, but two of them mattered most. With under 15 seconds left and Dallas trailing Utah by one, Michael Finley passed out of a double-team and found Booth for a go-ahead layup. Karl Malone missed a potential game-winner on the other end.
Robert Horry – Game-Winner in Game 5, 2005 NBA Finals
Credit: Facebook
Tied 2-2 in the series, the Spurs needed someone to step up in overtime. Robert Horry, already known for his postseason heroics, hit five threes in the second half, including the game-winner from deep with 5.9 seconds left. The shot gave San Antonio a 3-2 lead over Detroit and set them up to win the series in seven.
Nate Robinson – 34-Point Comeback in Game 4, 2013 First Round
Credit: Instagram
Down 14 points with three minutes left, the Bulls looked finished. But Nate Robinson erupted. He scored 12 straight points and tied the game in regulation. By the time Chicago finished off Brooklyn in triple overtime, Robinson had 34 points, 29 of them after the third quarter. His outburst gave Chicago a 3-1 series lead and one of the wildest playoff finishes ever.
Boris Diaw – 26 Points in Game 6, 2014 Western Conference Finals
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Scoring wasn’t usually Boris Diaw’s thing. But in a closeout Game 6 against the Thunder, he dropped 26 points to cover for Tony Parker’s ankle injury. His scoring surge helped the Spurs advance to the Finals, where they dismantled the Heat. This proved critical in San Antonio’s 2014 redemption run.
John Paxson – Series Clincher in Game 6, 1993 NBA Finals
Credit: ebay
With the Bulls trailing by two in the final seconds, Michael Jordan passed out of a double-team to Horace Grant, who kicked it to John Paxson. Paxson, left wide open, drained a three to put Chicago up one. The Suns failed to answer, and the Bulls secured their third straight title. That shot capped Chicago’s first three-peat and defined Paxson’s career.
Josh Smith – Fourth-Quarter Burst in Game 6, 2015 Western Semifinals
Credit: Facebook
When the Rockets were trailing by 19 in the third quarter and facing elimination, Josh Smith came alive in the Western Semifinals. He scored 14 of his 19 points in the fourth and helped erase a nine-point deficit in under eight minutes. The Rockets completed the comeback, won Game 7, and eliminated the Clippers.
Terry Rozier – Playoff Breakout in 2018 First and Second Rounds
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Boston lost Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, but Terry Rozier stepped up against the Bucks in Round 1 of the 2018 NBA Playoffs. He averaged over 17 points and had nine assists in Game 7. He opened Round 2 by torching the Sixers for 29. Rozier hit 20-plus points six times that postseason, more than he did during the regular season
Leon Powe – Bench Explosion in Game 2, 2008 NBA Finals
Credit: alchetron
Leon Powe had barely played during the Conference Finals, but when Boston needed bench scoring in Game 2 against the Lakers, he delivered 21 points in just 15 minutes. He got to the free-throw line 13 times, more than the entire Lakers team. That explosion gave Boston a 2-0 series lead.