Every NBA player hopes to be remembered forever. However, only a few people have the opportunity to participate in an epoch-making moment: a playoff buzzer-beating goal. We have tapped out those playoff winning goals that mean beyond a single game, which condenses key turning points in basketball culture and playoff myths.

A true playoff buzzer-beating goal carries more than the score card. It can break up opponent teams, start a historic narrative, or bring fans into a sacred palace.

The following are our rankings of the greatest playoff buzzer-beat goals ever, sorted by aesthetics, shooting difficulty, risks involved and historical footprints.

15. Aaron Gordon's buzzer-beating dunk (2025)

Time point: first round of the Western Conference series, fourth game

14. Luca Doncic's three-pointer in the Bubble Park (2020)

Time point: first round of the Western Conference series, fourth game

13. Jimmy Butler's all-received goal (2023)

Time point: first round of the Eastern Conference series, fifth game

12. LeBron James tortures the Toronto Raptors' inter-marching shot (2018)

Time point: semifinals in the Eastern Conference, third game

11. Damian Lillard's "Lillard moment" against the Houston Rockets (2014)

Time point: first round of the Western Conference series, Game 6, Game

10, Tony Kukoc frozen New York Knicks (1994)

Time point: Eastern Conference Semi-finals, Game 3, Game

1994 Eastern Conference Semi-finals are already full of drama. This is the first playoffs for the Chicago Bulls without Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen has taken over the leadership.

Well, so far. The atmosphere was tense in the third game at Madison Square Garden. The Bulls tied the first two games and are working to prove that they can win without their iconic characters. But the final offense of the game sparked controversy and still plagued Pippen's reputation today. With 1.8 seconds left and the game tied, Phil Jackson designed the last attack not to Pippen, but to Tony Kukoc.

In an unprecedented act of selfishness, Pippen refused to play in protest.

Kukoc came on the court, and the 25-year-old Croatian striker is still struggling to earn his position in the league. He calmly received the sideline serve, turned around, and when time ran out, he hit a backward jump shot on Anthony Mason's head. The shot gave the Bulls a 2-1 lead in the series and proved that Kukoc could be trusted at a critical moment.

The Knicks will eventually win the series in the tiebreak, but this moment remains a decisive moment due to its nervous, bold and calm execution.

It ranks here because although it is not a winning goal for a series, it happens in one of the toughest circumstances in the league, a bold, high-pressure winning performance in a discord team. Kukoc stepped up when his star teammate refused to play. This shows something.

9. Jerry West's shot from 60 feet away (1970)

Time point: NBA Finals, Game 3

1970 NBA Finals was a fierce showdown between the Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, with both teams having numerous Hall of Fame players.

Before Game 3, the series tied 1-1, and the Knicks led by two points with three seconds left. There was no three-point line at the time, so when Jerry West received a sideline serve from the back of the half, it was a desperate move to tie the score rather than win. It's incredible to think about it today.

West drew a ball and shot from 60 feet (about 18.3 meters). Hollow into the net. That was a miracle. The Great Western Forum Arena is in full swing. The Lakers dragged the game into overtime with the most unlikely shot in Finals history.

End of the time they lost in overtime, but West's shot became immortal. It was a very incredible and very perfectly executed round that it was watched by generations of viewers.

It ranks here because of its importance: the finals, a half-time buzzer-beater, and is first-hand evidence of the "Mr. Key" myth. Even in the loss, West's shot became a moment that defined his reputation.

8. Ralph Sampson's prayer shot in the penalty area (1986)

Time point: Western Conference Finals, Game 5

The 1986 Western Conference Finals were led by the Rising Star Rockets against "Magics" Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the defending champions Lakers. The Rockets led 3-1 in the series, but they were behind in the final moments in Game 5 of the Great Western Forum Arena. With the score tied and only one second left on the timer, the Rockets carried out a last-ditch tactic.

serves in the sideline to Ralph Sampson, who twists his body awkwardly in the air and makes an incredible shot from the penalty area. The ball bounced on the basket and fell into the net. The game ends. The series ends. The Rockets eliminated the Lakers and entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 1981.

Sampson's shot was incredible not so beautiful, but it was still epoch-making. He defeated Abdul-Jabbar and "Magic" Johnson at the peak.

Rockets lost to the Boston Celtics in the Finals, but this moment heralds the inheritance of the torch in the Western Conference, even if only a brief. It ranks here because of its importance. And this is also to remind young fans of how unique abilities Sampson, as the template for Victor Vinbanyama, has.

7. John Stockton's cold three-pointer (1997)

Time point: Western Conference Finals, Game 6

The Utah Jazz have never entered the NBA Finals. John Stockton and Carl Malone have built up their regular season dominance for years, but they have been labeled as underperforming the playoffs. Game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals was their chance. The Jazz caught up from a 13-point trail in the fourth quarter and had the ball with a few seconds left and tied the game.

Under Malone's high cover, Stockton got out of the defense and calmly hit a three-pointer at the top of the arc. As the final whistle sounded, the ball entered the net cleanly. The calm defender raised an arm to point to the sky while his teammates flocked to it.

That shot brought the Jazz's first Finals journey and ended the Rockets' hope of winning a third championship in four years. It’s a decisive personal moment for a player known for assists rather than scores. It is clean, purposeful, and executed perfectly. Just like the Stockton game. The Jazz's journey to the finals begins here.

6. Derek Fisher's turn jump shot (2004)

Time point: Western Conference Semi-Finals, Game 5, Game 5, Game 2004 Western Conference Semi-Finals is already a war. With a 2-2 draw, the Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs rushed to the other side in a low-scoring tug-of-war.

These two teams became the greatest competitors of the first decade of the 21st century. A total of seven Hall of Fame players (Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton, Carl Malone, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker) participated in this series.

With 0.4 seconds left, the Spurs just took the lead with an incredible backward jump shot from Shaquille O'Neal. The Spurs' home audience is cheering with a premonition that the home team will lead 3-2 in the series.

But after the timeout, Payton sent a precise sideline shot to the trustworthy Derek Fisher. Fisher received the ball, turned around, and then hit a backward jump shot. All of this is done in less than half a second.

This all happened so quickly that the referee had to watch the video and confirm that the ball left Fisher's hand before the end of the game time. The Spurs were stunned. Fisher rushed down the court and ran into the player's passage, surrounded by his teammates.

The Lakers will eventually win the series in Game 6 and make it to the NBA Finals. Despite their ultimate loss to the Detroit Pistons, the shot was still one of the most technically impossible winning goals ever. The reason why it ranks under Horry's buzzer-beating goal is that it is not a savior of the series like Horry's buzzer-beating goal, but its difficulty and shocking value give it a legendary status. That's why it's still simply called "0.4 seconds".

5. Terrys Halliburton imitates Reggie Miller (2025)

Time point: Eastern Conference Finals, the first game

This imitation is art. For fans over 40, at a familiar moment, Terrys Halliburton tried his best to imitate Reggie Miller, while the original Indiana Pacers' marksman was commenting on the game on the spot. With 2 minutes and 51 left and the team led by 14 points, the Knicks relaxed their suppression of the Pacers - and paid the price.

It feels like a repeat of Miller's fifth game in 1994 - even including his "throat lock" move that he imitated in front of Spike Lee, the Knicks super fan. Halliburton and Aaron Nesmith (smacked six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter) destroyed the Knicks at the last moment, and that's how Madison Square Garden lost its magic. The Knicks collapsed: missed free throws, made frequent mistakes and poor outside defense.

Halliburton's step back jump shot, his toes stepped on the line, and the ball hit the back of the basket frantically, as if flying towards the ceiling of Madison Square Garden before falling into the net. It drained the vitality of Knicks fans everywhere.

Halliburton's shot was not a winning ball - it was judged as two points and sent the game to overtime, and the Pacers won 138-135.

History Remember that even Miller played heroic performance but failed to win the series. Still, this key shot will have lasting impact given the stage it takes place and the long-standing competition between the Pacers and the Knicks.

4. Robert Horry saved Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant (2002)

Time point: Western Conference Finals, Game 4

Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals was a turning point. The Sacramento Kings led 2-1 in the series and performed better at home at the Lakers.

With a few seconds left, the Kings maintain a two-point lead. Kobe Bryant made a breakthrough but missed the shot. Shaquille O'Neal also made a tip-in. The ball was pushed outside the three-point line... and it just fell into the hands of role player Robert Horry.

Kings fans knew what he had done with the Rockets a few years ago, so they planned the worst and finally saw that scene.

"Big Heart Rob" always appears in the right position, he gets an open spot and hits a three-pointer when the final whistle sounds. Staples Center is in full swing.

This shot tied the big score 2-2 and greatly changed the course of the series. The Lakers eventually won the tiebreak, reached the finals for the third time in a row, and won their third consecutive championship.

Horry's shooting ranks so high on this list because of the risks it involves. If he misses the ball, the Lakers are likely to fall 1-3. The Kings were a better team that year. But Horry saved the dynasty with a flick of his wrist.

He also ended the best chance to win the championship in Kings' history. With seven championships won with the Rockets, Lakers and Spurs, Horry will be the most critical role player of all time.

3. Lillard waved goodbye to the Oklahoma City Thunder (2019)

Time point: First round of the Western Conference series, before the fifth game of the fifth game, the Portland Trail Blazers led the Thunder 3-1, but there was always a tense atmosphere. Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard have been verbalizing throughout the series, trash talk and scored. The Thunder are seizing hopes of extending the series and the fifth game at Moda Center was very nervous from beginning to end.

With a few seconds left and the score was 115, Lillard dribbled near the half, signaling his teammates to cancel the cover, and rose from 37 feet (about 11.3 meters) in front of Paul George. The ball is hollow into the net. As the final whistle rang, Lillard waved goodbye to the Thunder bench, which immediately became one of the coldest gestures in NBA history.

This shot won the game and completely dismantled the last remnant of the Thunder Westbrook era. Thunder fans are still feeling pain. Paul George and Westbrook will both be traded that summer. The Trail Blazers advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

It ranks above Fisher and Horry because of its finality: it ends a game, a series, and an era. Plus, it happens to a small-market team that rarely reaches this height. Of course, there is Lillard, this walking emoji pack.

2. Michael Jordan hit a jump shot on Craig Ello's head (1989)

Time point: First round series in the East, Game 5

Before "The Shot", Michael Jordan was considered an extraordinary scorer, but not a winner. The Bulls were at a disadvantage against the 57-win Cleveland Cavaliers in their decisive fifth game. The

Cavaliers beat the Bulls six times in that regular season. With three seconds left, Craig Ello scored, giving the Cavaliers a one-point lead. The Bulls' lives hang on the line.

Jordan received a sideline serve from Brad Sellers, took off on Ello's head, made a second-distance air move in the air, and hit a free throw jump shot when the final whistle sounded.

He jumped up to celebrate, waving his fists while Elo collapsed to the ground.

Jordan scored 63 points against the powerful Celtics in the 1986 playoffs, heralded his rise in the playoffs, but that shot on Ello's head was his first real playoff moment as a winner and the official start of his "best ever" legend. The Bulls didn’t win the championship that year, but the shot announced Jordan’s arrival as a killer playoff finisher.

Elo's name and basketball career have been reduced to a victim of Jordan's rise and became a victim of the legend of the best player in history.

1. Kawhi Leonard teased the basket's back jump shot (2019)

Time point: Eastern Conference semifinals, Game 7

This is the only buzzer-beating goal in NBA history to end the series in the tiebreak.

Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers tied 90-90 in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Leonard has led the Raptors through a tough series, but the last offense feels like a scripted one.

He dribbled to the right corner, under Joel Embiid's tight defense and made a backward jump shot under his 7-foot (about 2.13 meters) wingspan. The ball bounced. Two strokes. Three strokes. Go around. The whole country held its breath. Then the ball fell into the net.

Leonard squatted in the bottom corner and watched the ball fall. The Raptors eventually won the NBA championship. This is the first championship in the team's history and it is also the only season for Leonard on the team. This is a strange combination.

The emotionally hollowed out 76ers never fully regained their momentum. It ranks number one because it has everything: the risk of a tiebreaker, the difficulty of shooting, the impact of transmission, and the cheers from silence to bursts. No other buzzer-beating goal ended the series and started the journey to win the championship. Those who witness it are fortunate to be great witnesses.

Author: Lee Escobedo

Translator: GWayNe