Top 10 Moments From The 2012-13 NBA Season
The 2012-13 NBA season was an unforgettable one on many different levels. Whether it be the soap opera that was the Los Angeles Lakers, or the brilliance of the Miami Heat, the season lived up to the hype – and more. However, there are only a select few moments that will live in the the memories of fans around the globe for the rest of their lives. Here are the top 10 moments from last season.
Honourable mentions: The 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant‘s heroics against the Raptors, Flo-Rida’s manager being evicted from a Heat game to name a few.
No. 10: The Cleveland Cavaliers select Anthony Bennett with the No.1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft
In a season that shocked us all, the draft continued this trend. In a mere matter of minutes, nearly all mock drafts were rendered inaccurate when the Cleveland Cavaliers took Anthony Bennett from UNLV with the first pick. It was a great moment as it was completely unexpected. Also a great part of this moment was Nerlens Noel’s reaction to the first pick not being him.
No. 9: Danny Green breaking the NBA Finals record for made 3s.
In the many previews for the NBA Finals, of all the names thrown around in the proverbial Finals MVP hat, Danny Green was not one of them. Yet despite this, after five games it looked as if the trophy was going to be his. To put it simply: Green caught fire, nailing 25 3s in the first five games. Needless to say, Miami then began to really keep an eye on him and his production began to falter.
No. 8: The DeAndre Jordan dunk over Brandon Knight
Others may have this higher on their list, but I still think No. 8 is still a little bit of a reach. Granted, it was a nice dunk and yeah, the reaction was great — but DeAndre Jordan is a 6’11’’ beast and Brandon Knight is certainly not that. Knight didn’t stand a chance. However, it was still a great moment and one that had news outlets up and down the country talking. We’ll certainly be seeing this dunk for many years to come.
No. 7: Stephen Curry’s 54-point massacre in New York
There’s never really been any doubt about the talent level of Stephen Curry. He has it all: he can drive to the rim and finish if need be; he’s an above-average passer and has serviceable handles. I forgot to mention that he’s the most deadly shooter that we’ve seen in the NBA for many years. Curry simply strokes it in from all angles and it was never as clear to see as it was against the New York Knicks in February. The point guard hit 11-of-13 from behind the arc and even though his team lost, the 54-point game will be seen as a watershed moment in his career.
No. 6: Nets vs. Bulls, Game 4
In any other season, this classic encounter would have easily been the game of the season. However, this wasn’t just any season and there were more thrilling games later on in the playoffs. Having said that, this one was memorable for many reasons. When a game goes to overtime, it is already pretty special, so to see triple-overtime in a playoff series makes it all the more special.
No. 5: Tony Parker’s 0.1 shot
Even though the San Antonio Spurs lost the NBA Finals, the Tony Parker shot with the shot clock winding down will forever be engrained in the minds of NBA fanatics. To show such poise and technique on the biggest stage takes some guts, and to see the reaction of the bench and the opposing team just showed what a special moment it was.
No. 4: The Miami Heat win streak (27 games)
The more casual fan may only really pay full attention to the NBA during the playoffs. Which is fair enough; the regular season is full of games that in the grand scheme of things, mean very little. However, this all changed when Miami went on a win streak the like that hadn’t been seen for years. It made every game a playoff-like game and enticed the regular viewer to the regular season. I bet David Stern was happy.
No. 3: The Bulls snapping Miami’s win streak at 27
Even with a depleted roster, the Chicago Bulls managed to pull together and knock off the Miami Heat and their 27-game win streak. The United Center was rocking and the fans were ready for action. No Derrick Rose? No problem. Jimmy Butler, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer all made huge shots down the stretch to really put a puncture in the Heat’s win-streak armor. One of the best regular season games ever.
No. 2: Jason Collins coming out as homosexual
With all the remarkable things that occurred on the court this past season, who would have thought that something off the court would be at No. 2 on this list?
However, Jason Collins being the first active male athlete — let alone basketball player — to officially come out as homosexual was a watershed moment for professional sports. Collins act of courage and pride was met with worldwide approval and happiness. It was great to see LeBron James and other top-level athletes show full support for Collins and in 10 or 15 years time, this might be the most important thing to come out of the 2012-13 season.
No. 1: Game 6 of the NBA Finals
The Internet is the home of the hyperbole. However, no words quite do justice for the carnage and basketball theater that ensued in South Beach for Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Simply put: It was the best game of basketball, ever. I like to think of myself as relatively good with my words, but even I can’t find the adjectives to adequately describe just how great this game was.