BOSTON - Down by 2, 20 seconds left, at risk of going down 2-0 in the NBA Finals. And not only that, but they would have lost the first two games at home. Things weren't looking good for the Boston Celtics near the end of Game 2. They needed to get a steal, and failing that, they had to hope Los Angeles would miss its free throws.
The Lakers inbounded the ball in their own backcourt, getting the ball in Magic Johnson's hands. Knowing the Lakers didn't have to shoot, he passed it to James Worthy, who tried to pass it ahead. In swooped Gerald Henderson, coming from out of nowhere, for the steal and the game-tying basket.
It was sudden and unexpected, and it changed the course of the series. On the Lakers' next possession, Johnson inexplicably dribbled out the clock without shooting, sending the game to an overtime that the Celtics won. The Lakers won Game 3 in a rout, and if not for Henderson's steal, the series could easily have been a sweep. Instead, the Celtics won games 4 and 5, eventually prevailing in Game 7 to win the championship.
HONORABLE MENTION
May 31, 1998: CHICAGO - After running roughshod through the NBA for three years, include two straight championships and two straight offseasons of training vigorously to stay in shape, the Chicago Bulls were tired. Facing a Game 7 against a very talented Indiana team, the Bulls were in serious jeopardy of seeing their quest for a three-peat ending in the Eastern Conference finals. The shots weren't falling, the Pacers weren't missing. So Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen went into the lane. Instead of beating the Pacers with pure athleticism, they used their experience to gut out a win. Hitting the offensive boards, willing themselves to the free-throw line, and clamping down on defense, the Bulls won Game 7 88-81 despite being outshot 52 percent 38 percent. It was by no means the prettiest victory in their three title runs, but it may have been their most impressive.
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