Scoreboards

• The great moments in basketball can cover a wide range of memorable plays
• The NCAA tournament produced some of the best basketball moments of all time

Over the years there have been hundreds of great moments in both college and professional basketball that have transcended the sport and become legendary. When people think of basketball greatest moments they usually think back to those great last second, game winning shots. While those legendary moments are well deserved, there are still others of sheer will power that have to count among the great moments in basketball as well.

The first moment that comes to mind is synonymous among players as one of the gutsiest performances in the history of the NBA. The moment, of course, is Willis Reeds memorable walk on to the Madison Square Garden court on hobbled knees. Although Reed did not have a statistically dominant game, his sheer presence alone was enough to propel the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship.

One of my personal favorites also happens to be one of basketballs funniest moments as well. I’m speaking of the game in 1993 where the Orlando Magic squared off against the New Jersey Nets in what was then called the Meadowlands Arena. In this game, a young Shaquille O’Neal made a baseline move and threw down a thunderous dunk that did not just break the backboard; it broke the whole support arm of the basket as well. Every player on the court as well as the referees and the fans looked on in stunned disbelief. The legend of the “man-child” was born.

College basketball has had its share of memorable moments with the overwhelming underdog overcoming the odds for a stunning victory in the championship game. The 1982 NCAA championship game in which North Carolina State defeated Houston 54-52 on a last second dunk and pass from 30 feet out was considered the greatest moment ever. The image of North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano running all over the court looking for players to hug is a staple of tournament coverage year after year.

Villanova’s defeat of Georgetown in the 1985 NCAA Championship game will go down as one of the greatest upsets in the tournament’s long history. Georgetown was a number one seed led by Patrick Ewing, one of the most dominant players in college basketball that year. Villanova had an up and down season and entered the tournament a number eight seed. With a lack big-time, star players, Villanova coach Rollie Massamino executed a perfect game plan in a 66 – 64 victory of John Thompson’s Hoya’s.

There are just so many great plays and games that to list all of basketballs greatest moments would make this article several pages long. As fans continue to watch the sport they will take home their own greatest moments. With so many great games to watch every year, from the NCAA tournament to the NBA Playoffs, there is no shortage of great moments to choose from.