Being clutch : The basketball lexicon

Have you ever dreamed of scoring a basket just seconds before the final buzzer or at the very moment the buzzer sounds to take the lead and give your team victory in the World Cup final? Seeing the whole arena explode with joy and your teammates jump on you? Well, let me tell you, you’ve been dreaming of being clutch. But let’s get into the details, because there are several ways to be clutch.

What exactly does it mean to be clutch in basketball? 🤔

Being clutch is the ability to score big shots in the final seconds of the game. This could be to win the game, bring your team back to a tie to prevent a potential defeat, or make a crucial defensive play in the final seconds. Let’s be honest, few players have this ability. Already worn out by physical exertion, you need to remain calm and clear-headed until the very last moment to have any hope of being clutch, which is not the case for everyone. But for some, this ability is innate. Scoring a basket that determines the outcome of a game is incredibly difficult.

With tight defence, man-to-man pressure and every move scrutinised, the first task is to shake off your opponent and the defence lying in wait in order to create space for a shot before you can hope for anything else. The second task, once step one has been completed, is to clear your mind to maximise your chances of seeing the ball hit the back of the net. And when all the conditions are right, then it is possible to be clutch on offence. But the final mission is to score that basket, and inevitably, luck plays a huge role. Well, it depends. For some players, luck becomes a habit, but we’ll come back to that later.

Moreover, being clutch does not necessarily mean winning the game for your team. A player can be clutch when they score a series of baskets in the last three minutes of a game, whether two-pointers or three-pointers, to bring their team back into the game, or snatch overtime at the last second with a shot from nowhere, even though the player in question hasn’t really been on form throughout the game. It’s also possible to be clutch on defence. Making a violent block on one of the last plays of the game when the opponent is on a counterattack to tie or take the lead also fits the bill. But one thing is certain: it is thanks to this type of play that you win the hearts of fans and strengthen your potential legend within your franchise. The kind of plays that make you the Franchise Player.

The most clutch players in history 🥶

As we explained, being clutch requires nerves of steel. However, for some, this talent is innate. So here are the five players considered to be the most clutch in history (in no particular order, as it’s impossible to rank them… except for the first one).

Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers)

If the word ‘clutch’ had its own entry in the dictionary, the accompanying photo would surely be that of Damian Lillard. Every year, Damian dazzles the NBA with his talent, but above all with his ability to sink crazy shots from anywhere on the court in the dying seconds. We’ve lost count of the number of times he’s crucified NBA teams thinking they were going to clinch an important victory in crunch time. It’s enough to give those last few seconds a new name when he’s on the court: ‘Dame Time ⌚’. One of the most iconic player nicknames in the history of the league.

Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers)

He is responsible for one of the greatest moments in NBA history, but that’s not all. Reggie Miller, the fifth-best three-point shooter in the history of the big league, became an NBA legend thanks to his ability to crucify opposing franchises in the final seconds of a game. And the New York Knicks, the Indiana Pacers’ arch-rivals in the 1990s, would be the first to agree. But we’ll talk about that later. It was an incredible skill, especially when you consider how defence-oriented basketball was in the 1990s.

Ray Allen (Miami Heat)

Perhaps the second most clutch player in history, Ray Allen is a true NBA legend. Yes, we know, we often say they’re legends, but that’s definitely the case here… Ray Allen, the second-best three-point shooter of all time behind Stephen Curry, made his mark on the big league with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat thanks to his ability to sink extremely important shots in the most heated moments of the NBA Finals, definitively earning him a place among the giants of the sport.

Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

Does he really need any introduction? Even we are still wondering. With more than 4,000 three-pointers scored in his career, the Chef has continued to torment his opponents throughout his career. And even though the years are flying by and ‘Baby Face’ is getting older, his game and his composure haven’t aged a bit. Proof of this came when the French basketball team paid the price in the last Olympic final in Paris (I still have nightmares about it), as did the Sacramento Kings in the playoffs two years ago and OKC on a dark night in February 2016. It was considered one of the most clutch shots of all time, even if a few others remain ahead of it.

Robert Horry (Los Angeles Lakers)

‘Big Shot Rob’… Robert Horry’s nickname is no accident. The seven-time NBA champion made history in the big league with his numerous big 3-point shots at key moments in important games, especially in the playoffs. Proof of this is that in the regular season, he has the best success rate in NBA Finals history from behind the arc with 39.2%… Better than Stephen Curry!

And at Paris Basketball, who are our biggest ‘clutch players’?

When it comes to clutch ability, two players in our squad stand out:

Nadir Hifi : Of course. Who else but the ‘Prince of Paris’ comes to mind instinctively? Thanks to his ability to shoot 3-pointers from anywhere on the court and in any position, Nadir Hifi has gotten us out of many tricky situations, notably in last year’s Betclic ELITE semi-final against ASVEL in the decisive Game 5. One of the most legendary shots in the club’s history.

TJ Shorts II : He’s the original air conditioner. Countless times he has scored huge baskets while off balance, extremely difficult mid-range shots to give Paris Basketball the win. This skill has earned him a place among the best point guards and players in Europe… Which is only natural after terrorising every defence in Europe.

The greatest clutch moments in history 🎬

Ray Allen vs San Antonio Spurs : NBA Finals 2016

Imagine this. You are the reigning champion and back in the finals to defend your crown. Opposite you, the San Antonio Spurs are looking for a new title after a six-year drought, leading the series 3-2 and just 10 seconds away from a fourth NBA title thanks to their three-point lead in Game 6. In most cases, everyone would say, “Well, it’s over. The Spurs are going to be champions.” Everyone, that is, except one man: Ray Allen. We warned you we’d come back to this. Well, the time has come. With Miami on the verge of losing it all, LeBron James takes a three-point shot on his first attempt to tie the game at 95, but misses. Chris Bosh, well positioned, grabs the rebound and passes to Ray Allen in the corner. Time stands still. Tony Parker rushes to defend and prevent the serial sniper from scoring. But it’s too late. ‘Jesus Shuttlesworth’ takes the shot… Swish. The arena explodes. Perhaps one of the best atmospheres the NBA has ever seen. 95-95, 5 seconds to play, Miami forces overtime when the title seemed destined for the Spurs. It was a terrible blow from which Gregg Popovich’s men would not recover. We all know what happened next. Miami won Game 6 at home, before finishing the job two days later at home, allowing the Heat to win the third title in their history.

Kawhi Leonard vs Philadelphia 76ers: Eastern Conference semi-finals 2019

It’s a shame Ray Allen exists, otherwise he would be ranked number one for the most clutch shots of all time. In 2019, Kawhi Leonard had an incredible season, leading the Toronto Raptors to the conference semi-finals against the Sixers, favourites for the title. The match-up lived up to all expectations, with the series providing the NBA with a Game 7 for the history books. With 3 seconds left, the two teams are tied and Toronto comes out of a timeout. Everyone knows who the winning shot is going to. The ball is inbounded, Kawhi Leonard breaks free from his defender and rises up in the corner. But Joel Embiid comes up to block him. The 2014 MVP manages to shoot, and the arena falls silent. The ball bounces off the rim once, twice, three times… four times… Then it finally goes in. I think at that precise moment, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Canada. The arena erupts with joy, the players jump up and down while tears stream down Joel Embiid’s cheeks. The Raptors prevail at the end of a gruelling series. You all know what happened next. In the conference finals, the Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks before winning their first NBA title in history against the Golden State Warriors, with Kawhi Leonard named Finals MVP. It was a playoff run that is still considered one of the greatest of all time.

Reggie Miller vs New York Knicks: 1994 Eastern Conference Finals

More than just a clutch moment, Reggie Miller gave the NBA one of the most iconic moments in all of sports against the Knicks. In the 1990s, the conference was full of rivalries. Among them was the rivalry between Reggie Miller’s Indiana Pacers and Patrick Ewing’s New York Knicks. This rivalry took on a new dimension during the 1994 conference finals. In an electric series, the two teams were unable to break the deadlock and ended up tied before facing each other at Madison Square Garden for a Game 5 that would go down in history. With New York leading at the start of the final quarter, Reggie Miller woke up and scored 24 points in 12 minutes! This hot streak gave us one of the most iconic moments of trash talking in NBA history. After sinking a three-pointer from the corner to seal the game for the Pacers, Reggie Miller was booed by Spike Lee, who was sitting courtside. On the next timeout, Reggie looked the director straight in the eye and mimed strangling him, as if to say, ‘I killed them.’ This violent trash talk became known as the ‘Choke Sign’ and earned him the nickname ‘Knick Killer’ throughout his career. Nevertheless, it was the Knicks who advanced to the NBA Finals at the end of the series, thanks to two consecutive victories that allowed them to win the series 4-3.

Damian Lillard vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Western Conference First Round 2019

As an OKC fan, this one hurts me deeply, but it has to be said that this is one of the craziest ‘I’m Him’ moments in recent years. In 2019, a rivalry was born between Portland and Oklahoma City, stemming from the duel between Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard. A rivalry that would definitely end in April 2019, during the first round of the playoffs. In a series dominated overall by the Blazers, Damian Lillard’s teammates led 3-1, with the opportunity to finish the job at home in Game 5. It was a tense match until the very last moments. In the final seconds, the two teams were tied (115-115). In the last play of the game, Damian, with the ball in his hands, let the clock run down and suddenly took a shot a few metres from the centre of the court… Paul George tried to block it, but reacted too early to hope for the right timing… It slipped through. It was an iconic game winner, made even more so when Lillard celebrated by waving ‘bye-bye’ to the entire OKC team before his teammates jumped on him in an indescribable atmosphere. Dame Time really lives up to its name.

LeBron James vs Golden State Warriors : NBA Finals 2016

We saved the best for last. We mentioned that a player can be clutch thanks to a defensive play, and LeBron James’ performance in the 2016 NBA Finals is the perfect example. Let’s give you some context. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers were looking for revenge against the Warriors, who had stolen the NBA trophy from them the previous year. But during the 2015/2016 season, Golden State had the best regular season in the history of the major league with 73 wins and only 9 losses! The two best teams in the league faced off in a rematch that would go down in history. Stephen Curry’s teammates led the Cavs 3-1. At that point, the entire basketball world believed that the Warriors were destined to win the title. What could be more logical, given that no team that had been down 3-1 in the NBA Finals had ever come back to win? However, the Cavs did just that, snatching a decisive Game 7 in San Francisco.

It was a high-tension game. The two teams traded blows, like a boxing match where neither side was willing to give up. But in the last two minutes, everything changed thanks to a single play. With the score tied at 89, Cleveland lost the ball and Stephen Curry went on the counter-attack, passing to Andre Iguodala to take the lead and thinking he had an easy lay-up. The title was within the Warriors’ grasp… Except that LeBron James came up from behind and blocked Iguodala on the backboard! And a few seconds later, Kyrie Irving silenced the entire Oracle Arena with a game-winning three-pointer. The Cavs became NBA champions for the first time in their history, while LeBron James’ block became one of the most iconic plays of all time.

LeBron James vs Golden State Warriors : NBA Finals 2016

We saved the best for last. We mentioned that a player can be clutch thanks to a defensive play, and LeBron James’ performance in the 2016 NBA Finals is the perfect example. Let’s give you some context. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers were looking for revenge against the Warriors, who had stolen the NBA trophy from them the previous year. But during the 2015/2016 season, Golden State had the best regular season in the history of the major league with 73 wins and only 9 losses! The two best teams in the league faced off in a rematch that would go down in history. Stephen Curry’s teammates led the Cavs 3-1. At that point, the entire basketball world believed that the Warriors were destined to win the title. What could be more logical, given that no team that had been down 3-1 in the NBA Finals had ever come back to win? However, the Cavs did just that, snatching a decisive Game 7 in San Francisco.

It was a high-tension game. The two teams traded blows, like a boxing match where neither side was willing to give up. But in the last two minutes, everything changed thanks to a single play. With the score tied at 89, Cleveland lost the ball and Stephen Curry went on the counter-attack, passing to Andre Iguodala to take the lead and thinking he had an easy lay-up. The title was within the Warriors’ grasp… Except that LeBron James came up from behind and blocked Iguodala on the backboard! And a few seconds later, Kyrie Irving silenced the entire Oracle Arena with a game-winning three-pointer. The Cavs became NBA champions for the first time in their history, while LeBron James’ block became one of the most iconic plays of all time.