Best Clutch Players Past or Present

[Covert Rain]

I thought it would be fun to get everybody's opinion on the most clutch players in the NBA Past or Present. You can vote on the Poll or just reply. However, please specify why you think that player is "clutch".

Clutch doesn't mean just hitting the last shot but that is a valid reason to vote for someone. It could also be someone who had the ability to close out games and was the go to guy at the end of games.

Since it is hard to choose one, I did allow for multiple selections if you have a hard time deciding on one player. Also, I tried to think of all the players I could but I am sure I missed a bunch.

 

[Bufalay]

Nick Anderson

 

[Tyler]

I really wanted to say Reggie Miller but he never won a ring so I had to go with MJ.

 

[az jam]

Of course its MJ.

 

[S_Nash]

Nick Anderson

Ahead of Chris Webber? Come on now, be serious...

 

[Errntknght]

Thats a heck of list of players. To me the top guys, in no particular order are MJ, JWest, Havlicek, Russell, Bird and Magic. They just didn't have bad games in the playoffs and they were cold blooded assassins in crunch time. Kobe would be there except for the games against Phoenix where he decided not to play.

 

[Mainstreet]

I voted for John Havlicek. When he came on the floor he gave the Celtics anything they needed whether it be on offense, defense, passing or any other role. He was a very special player. He brought such intensity to the game.

 

[dodie53]

MJ.
nuff said.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Kobe, and it really doesn't pain me to say it either. MJ, Magic, Reggie Miller, and Steve Nash round out my top 5.

 

[tobiazz]

What about Mario Elie :-(

 

[Michael]

Nick Anderson

... oh wait, I should make that four.

 

[mojorizen7]

I voted for the GOAT but i'd put Kobe close behind in terms of clutch play.

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[Michael]

I voted, MJ. No question there.

 

[Mulli]

Gilbert Arenas? That is funny.

 

[Mulli]

6 Finals MVPs. End of story.

 

[Covert Rain]

Look like MJ is running away with it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

MJ, then Kobe, then probably Magic.

 

[Mulli]

BIM: Jordan

 

[Lorenzo]

i was born in 83. in my lifetime that I've watched......MJ...then kobe.

aside from that for my mavs dirk has closed a lot of games. more than he gets credit for nationally. but many of those players would still be ahead of him.

 

[Mainstreet]

Please indulge me if I divert the topic for a moment. Just doing a spinoff, if I had to select one player from those listed above to build a championship franchise around it would have been Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I think many younger fans never had the chance to see him play in his prime. IMO, he was really that good.

If anyone wanted to put Michael Jordon or Magic Johnson in this category I have no argument. I'm sorry but I just can't get the name Kobe out of my mouth.

 

[Bufalay]

Mario Elie, John Paxson and Robert Horry

 

[Cheesebeef]

Fisher might just be the greatest clutch role player ever.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

He's beginning to reach Horry level.

 

[D-Dogg]

They just didn't have bad games in the playoffs

Fail.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Thats a heck of list of players. To me the top guys, in no particular order are MJ, JWest, Havlicek, Russell, Bird and Magic. They just didn't have bad games in the playoffs and they were cold blooded assassins in crunch time.

Out of MJ, Magic, Bird and Kobe (can't speak to the others, before my time) ALL those guys had bad playoff games... MJ looked tired as hell towards the end of the 96 Finals (even though he had pretty much put the series away in Games 1, 2 and 3 giving the Bulls a 3-0 lead). The entire world blamed Magic for losing the 84 Finals, started questioning him as a "clutch" player. Then he rattled off 3 of the next 4 titles or something ridiculous like that. Bird had his fair share also. As to Kobe, well, he has far and away had the most bad games in the playoffs of the four of them, but he's also been pretty damn clutch as well.

However, I put Jordan at the top for one simple reason. He may have had bad playoff games but he NEVER had a bad playoff SERIES. There was never a Magic Johnson 1984 Finals or a 2004 or 2008 Kobe Finals or a 1985 Bird Finals. The guy NEVER lost a playoff series where he was favored (never lost a series with HCA), consistently won playoff series when he wasn't favored (from taking a #6 seed Bulls team to the ECF to winning 2 Finals without HCA) and bottom line, once he got the title, NO ONE could take it away from him. That's what pretty much makes him the King of basketball... and really ALL of sports IMO.