Best Clutch Players Past or Present

[hsandhu]

Fisher might just be the greatest clutch role player ever.

That's a joke right? Do I need to list horry shots. He has multiple shots that pretty much saved the season and won championships.

Game 4 Lakers vs. Kings wcf 2002, down 2-1 in series, down 2 hits a 3 at buzzer

Game 5 Spurs vs. Pistons finals 2005, 2-2 series, down 2 hits a 3 with seconds left

Before the .4 (lakers didn't even win title) fisher was not known as a clutch player. Horry was clutch from the beginning in Houston.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Horry had the assist in Mario Elie's Kiss of Death, one of my top 3 worst moments in Suns history.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's a joke right? Do I need to list horry shots. He has multiple shots that pretty much saved the season and won championships.

Game 4 Lakers vs. Kings wcf 2002, down 2-1 in series, down 2 hits a 3 at buzzer

Game 5 Spurs vs. Pistons finals 2005, 2-2 series, down 2 hits a 3 with seconds left

Before the .4 (lakers didn't even win title) fisher was not known as a clutch player. Horry was clutch from the beginning in Houston.

You failed to mention one other important shot by Horry. With seconds left Horry hits Steve Nash into scorer's table which ultimately leads to the suspension of Amare and Diaw for game 5. The Suns were heading back home with the Suns/ Spurs series tied 2-2. It may have cost the Suns a championship that year.

Horry makes me want to puke and it has nothing to do with his shooting.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He's beginning to reach Horry level.

Horry is the most over-rated clutch player in the history of all sports, IMO. This guy had loads of talent and mailed it in most of the time. Underachieving until the spotlight shines is not my idea of clutch.

His lackluster play is what put him in position to hit the big shots because he was so often wide open. Once he developed a reputation as a big shot artist he never had to face the pressure of the moment because he had an unearned safety net of a reputation.

Steve

 

[mojorizen7]

Mario Elie, John Paxson and Robert Horry

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[mojorizen7]

Horry is the most over-rated clutch player in the history of all sports, IMO. This guy had loads of talent and mailed it in most of the time. Underachieving until the spotlight shines is not my idea of clutch.

His lackluster play is what put him in position to hit the big shots because he was so often wide open. Once he developed a reputation as a big shot artist he never had to face the pressure of the moment because he had an unearned safety net of a reputation.

Steve

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Oh so true. However, Robert Horry back in the day was a very good basketball player....bad attitude aside.

 

[jibikao]

Robert Horry!!!! My 2nd pick is Steve Kerr.

 

[jibikao]

Mmm, wasn't there an article saying that Dirk is the most clutch player in 2009-2010?? I think Dirk has been consistently Top 3 clutch players for the past few years?

I voted Horry only because players like MJ and Kobe always have the ball in their hands towards the end so they are bound to make some shots. Robert Horry can sleep through the first 3 quarters and then wake up all of sudden. To me, that is clutch.. it's like he only lives for that moment.

 

[Chaplin]

Mmm, wasn't there an article saying that Dirk is the most clutch player in 2009-2010?? I think Dirk has been consistently Top 3 clutch players for the past few years?

I voted Horry only because players like MJ and Kobe always have the ball in their hands towards the end so they are bound to make some shots. Robert Horry can sleep through the first 3 quarters and then wake up all of sudden. To me, that is clutch.. it's like he only lives for that moment.

MJ and Kobe always had the ball in their hands toward the end of games because they are so good in the clutch.

 

[Mulli]

You guys notice something? The best clutch players are for the most part the best players period. Role players may hit the occasional big shot, but the creme rises to the top over and over again.

 

[Errntknght]

Horry is a clutch shooter, not a clutch player. Shouldn't even be on this list.

Now, Fisher is clutch all the time... every time someone sets a pick on him he clutches right onto him then flails his body around. I hate him... even if I did think he was a clutch player, I'd never admit it.

 

[Mainstreet]

MJ and Kobe always had the ball in their hands toward the end of games because they are so good in the clutch.

The same applies to Magic Johnson. He either made the play or made just the right pass. It also helped Magic could play every position on the floor well.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The same applies to Magic Johnson. He either made the play or made just the right pass. It also helped Magic could play every position on the floor well.

For me, there's never been an opposing player in any sport that I enjoyed watching as much as I did Magic. I don't know that he was particularly clutch though, I guess it depends on the definition. I thought Magic played at an incredible level most of the time but I don't know that he necessarily raised his game in the key moments. I may not be the best judge of this though because I loved watching him play but hated the Lakers so much that the game outcome was never that relevant to me.

Steve

 

[BC867]

For me, there's never been an opposing player in any sport that I enjoyed watching as much as I did Magic. I don't know that he was particularly clutch though, I guess it depends on the definition. I thought Magic played at an incredible level most of the time but I don't know that he necessarily raised his game in the key moments. I may not be the best judge of this though because I loved watching him play but hated the Lakers so much that the game outcome was never that relevant to me.

Steve

Magic, like Michael and Bill Russell and a bunch more, didn't have to raise his game. These guys played at Championship level all the time. Obviously.

If a player can raise his game, it's an indication that he's been pacing himself most of the time . . . in attitude . . . in performance.

On our team, for example, Steve Nash puts his heart into every play, every moment. Amar'e certainly does not.

Being clutch all the time makes it easier to shine at the right moment.

 

[Mainstreet]

For me, there's never been an opposing player in any sport that I enjoyed watching as much as I did Magic. I don't know that he was particularly clutch though, I guess it depends on the definition. I thought Magic played at an incredible level most of the time but I don't know that he necessarily raised his game in the key moments. I may not be the best judge of this though because I loved watching him play but hated the Lakers so much that the game outcome was never that relevant to me.

Steve

Magic was very clutch in his prime. I had a Laker friend and we would go the games or watch them on TV. He would always would tell me that the game was over when Magic got the ball with a few seconds left in a tight game... and invariably he was right. It was just uncanny how he always came up with the right play to win a game. I gradually grew to a be huge Magic fan because I originally thought he was over-rated. I watched him with intense scrutiny but he made me a believer. And this is coming from a fan that can't stand the Lakers. I view Magic as the anti-Kobe from a personality standpoint. It was tragic that Magic's career was shortened.

 

[Irish]

I'm surprised that Oscar Robertson is not on the list. Granted, it was another era and one before much television, but he was absolutel amazing. http://www.nba.com/history/players/robertson_bio.html

 

[Cheesebeef]

For me, there's never been an opposing player in any sport that I enjoyed watching as much as I did Magic. I don't know that he was particularly clutch though, I guess it depends on the definition. I thought Magic played at an incredible level most of the time but I don't know that he necessarily raised his game in the key moments. I may not be the best judge of this though because I loved watching him play but hated the Lakers so much that the game outcome was never that relevant to me.

Steve

man, I beg to differ. You can't get much more clutch than starting at C for the best C of all time in the Finals, on the opposing team's court and closing the title out with a 42 point, 15 rebound, 7 asst. performance... legend started from there and just never stopped (well, it stopped for one lousy Finals versus Boston) but Magic was money, and it wasn't just about shooting. To this day, he still made of the greatest game winning plays without even shooting the ball when he got the rebound at the end of Game 6 of the WCF against Portland and as everyone converged on him, he rolled the ball down the court, taking the last 3 seconds of the game off the clock, putting the Lakers in the Finals.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Magic was very clutch in his prime. I had a Laker friend and we would go the games or watch them on TV. He would always would tell me that the game was over when Magic got the ball with a few seconds left in a tight game... and invariably he was right. It was just uncanny how he always came up with the right play to win a game. I gradually grew to a be huge Magic fan because I originally thought he was over-rated. I watched him with intense scrutiny but he made me a believer. And this is coming from a fan that can't stand the Lakers. I view Magic as the anti-Kobe from a personality standpoint. It was tragic that Magic's career was shortened.

I'm going to refer you to my previous point. It all depends on how you define clutch. IMO, Magic was incredible, start to finish. If you define clutch as being able to perform just as well under pressure than Magic was clutch. If, however, you define clutch as someone who rises to the moment than I'd question whether he belongs among the special few in that regard.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

man, I beg to differ. You can't get much more clutch than starting at C for the best C of all time in the Finals, on the opposing team's court and closing the title out with a 42 point, 15 rebound, 7 asst. performance... legend started from there and just never stopped (well, it stopped for one lousy Finals versus Boston) but Magic was money, and it wasn't just about shooting. To this day, he still made of the greatest game winning plays without even shooting the ball when he got the rebound at the end of Game 6 of the WCF against Portland and as everyone converged on him, he rolled the ball down the court, taking the last 3 seconds of the game off the clock, putting the Lakers in the Finals.

I think we're using clutch a little differently. I'm not knocking Magic, AFAIC he's the one player I would have absolutely loved to see in a Suns uniform. His performance against The Chocolate Thunder was incredible. You could count on Magic pretty much all the time. He was an incredibly smart, gifted player that came through day in, day out. I just don't think there was much of a difference between his everyday game and his play in key moments of the game.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think we're using clutch a little differently. I'm not knocking Magic, AFAIC he's the one player I would have absolutely loved to see in a Suns uniform. His performance against The Chocolate Thunder was incredible. You could count on Magic pretty much all the time. He was an incredibly smart, gifted player that came through day in, day out. I just don't think there was much of a difference between his everyday game and his play in key moments of the game.

Steve

I don't know man. I can remember watching him in a game in 1989, when the Suns had a one point lead at the Forum, about to break their 21 game losing streak there and Magic had T.R. Dunn on him (our "defensive stopper) and Magic tried backing him down from 20 feet out, but Dunn held his ground. Magic then basically shot a one handed turn around jumper that I knew was gonna be nothing but net. It was an impossibly bad shot that I knew was going in the second he put it up. It's only one shot, but with as ridiculous of a shot as that was, I had that feeling because he just seemed to be nails at the end of games.

 

[Irish]

I think we're using clutch a little differently. I'm not knocking Magic, AFAIC he's the one player I would have absolutely loved to see in a Suns uniform. His performance against The Chocolate Thunder was incredible. You could count on Magic pretty much all the time. He was an incredibly smart, gifted player that came through day in, day out. I just don't think there was much of a difference between his everyday game and his play in key moments of the game.

Steve

I think clutch is about performing a crunch time. If I guy plays great the whole game and still plays great in the crunch, then IMHO he's clutch. Of course if he had a bad game for one reason or another and still plays great in crunch, it's just as clutch.

I'm not so impressed with "Big Shot Bob" whose reputation was based on a tiny number of big three point shots. I didn't find him consistently clutch, even though he beat the Suns some of those times. No one remembers his bricks.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think clutch is about performing a crunch time. If I guy plays great the whole game and still plays great in the crunch, then IMHO he's clutch. Of course if he had a bad game for one reason or another and still plays great in crunch, it's just as clutch.

I'm not so impressed with "Big Shot Bob" whose reputation was based on a tiny number of big three point shots. I didn't find him consistently clutch, even though he beat the Suns some of those times. No one remembers his bricks.

tiny amount of shots... no one remembers his bricks... it's because when he got the opportunity, he rarely missed, thus there weren't misses to remember. But that theory doesn't really hold water to me as I actually DO remember one of his bricks. It was against the Spurs back in 2003 after the Lakers had rallied from like a 20 point deficit in Game 5 of the semi-finals and he had a WIDE-OPEN 3 to win the game and it rattled in and out. He jumped up and down, stunned that it didn't go in. You know why I remember that? Because i was as stunned as he was that he missed, that's how clutch he was shooting the rock at the end of games.

 

[Irish]

tiny amount of shots... no one remembers his bricks... it's because when he got the opportunity, he rarely missed, thus there weren't misses to remember. But that theory doesn't really hold water to me as I actually DO remember one of his bricks. It was against the Spurs back in 2003 after the Lakers had rallied from like a 20 point deficit in Game 5 of the semi-finals and he had a WIDE-OPEN 3 to win the game and it rattled in and out. He jumped up and down, stunned that it didn't go in. You know why I remember that? Because i was as stunned as he was that he missed, that's how clutch he was shooting the rock at the end of games.

I wasn't aware the definition was limited to playoff finals. When I think of clutch shooting it is every game not just the playoffs. "'Don't pass me the ball yet, I'm waiting until the finals before I start mking shots."" :--)

 

[Cheesebeef]

I wasn't aware the definition was limited to playoff finals. When I think of clutch shooting it is every game not just the playoffs. "'Don't pass me the ball yet, I'm waiting until the finals before I start mking shots."" :--)

it wasn't limited to playoff finals... but Horry hit a ridiculous amount of clutch shots throughout the playoffs outside of the Finals as well.