Going Down To The Wire: 8 Memorable Moments from the Current NBA Season
Jul 8, 2021 • Jeremiah Santos
As the NBA Finals tips off, we are now heading for the final stretch of the 2020-21 NBA season. It may be a shortened 72-game season due to schedule adjustments brought by the pandemic, but it is certainly not short on memorable moments on-and-off the court.
LeBron James vs Steph Curry in the play-in tournament
During the final stages of the regular season, the two most popular players in the league faced-off for the right to claim the 7th seed in the Western Conference. It was easily the most hyped game of the season, with some even calling it more exciting than the Finals itself.
It was the first high-stakes game between the two superstars since the 2018 NBA Finals, and it did not disappoint. The game went down to the final minute where LeBron nailed a bailout three-pointer to give the Lakers the lead for good, to the delight of Drake.
LEBRON WITH THE GO-AHEAD THREE 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/qR9oLIBxJk
— ESPN (@espn) May 20, 2021
Kevin Durant being pulled out in the middle of a game due to health protocols
Kevin Durant was originally part of the starting lineup during the Brooklyn Nets’ February matchup against the Toronto Raptors. However, he was pulled back right before the game started due to contact tracing. He was eventually cleared to play again and entered the game late in the 1st quarter.
In another turn of events, the NBA withdrew their clearance of Durant and forced him to leave the game midway through the 3rd quarter. The league’s statement said that Durant had an interaction with someone who had an inconclusive PCR test result. An up-and-down ride indeed. KD tweeted about the chaos shortly after being pulled out:
Free me
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) February 6, 2021
Steph Curry’s 62-point eruption
Coming into the season, fans and critics alike had some doubts on Curry’s ability to carry a team on his back. The Warriors just lost two centerpieces of their dynasty in Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson to free agency and injury. Curry had a slow start and the Warriors looked terrible in the first week of the season. The critics were already barking, but Curry responded by dropping career-best 62 points against one of his on-court rivals Damian Lillard. He put on a dazzling display of basketball, hitting 8 threes and shooting an efficient 18-for-31 from the field.
All of Steph Curry’s 62 points vs. the Blazers.
A new career high in an unbelievable performance 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sWZID5RNbc
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 4, 2021
Nikola Jokic’s historic 50-point game
Probably the game that sealed the MVP award for him, Jokic became the first center since the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to score 50 points and dish 10 assists in a game. Although his team lost, this masterclass display was one for the ages.
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James Harden’s arrival to Brooklyn
James Harden, one of the league’s perennial superstars joined the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster trade, joining fellow superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Iriving. He made a big splash on his debut on the new uniform, registering a triple double.
🚨 BEARD DEBUT TRIPLE-DOUBLE 🚨
In the @BrooklynNets win, @JHarden13 becomes the first player in NBA history to put up a 30-point triple-double in his debut with a new team.
32 PTS | 12 REB | 14 AST pic.twitter.com/3BYV6pG2Qk
— NBA (@NBA) January 17, 2021
Damian Lillard’s ridiculous barrage of clutch shots
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Damian Lillard put on a performance for the ages in Game 5 of their first-round matchup versus the Denver Nuggets. He nailed three after three, all of them crucial as he was still able to stretch the game to double overtime. He broke the NBA Playoff record for threes made in a game with 12. It seemed that the basket was 10 feet wide as he continued to hit shot after shot even with defenders swarming him. Unfortunately, the Trail Blazers lost but they weren’t even supposed to make this a close game if not for this performance by Dame. KD best described this show with one tweet:
I had like 4 tweets I wanted to write to describe this MASTERPIECE by Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard Sr, but I am seriously at a loss for words…
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 2,
The Milwaukee Bucks literally being inches away from elimination
KD FORCES OVERTIME IN GAME 7! 🍿
Don’t miss OT in this WIN or GO HOME GAME 7 on TNT. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/ntJWam9snL
— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2021
The Bucks are currently playing in the NBA Finals, but they might not be there if Kevin Durant’s foot was a little bit shorter. During Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, KD hit a shot that apparently gave the Nets the lead in the dying seconds of the game. But after further review by the officials, his shot was ruled as a two-pointer only. The game went to overtime and the Bucks would eventually come out on top to eliminate the Nets. They say that basketball is a game of inches, and it couldn’t be truer in this situation.
The Nets would’ve won this series if Kevin Durant wore a size 12 shoe instead of a size 18 pic.twitter.com/IU9wAKA6VV
— Johnny Carver (@CarverJohnny) June 20, 2021
Chris Paul finally making the NBA Finals
The NBA Finals has always been elusive to Chris Paul. He is widely regarded as one of the best point guards of all-time, but he has never made it to the biggest stage of basketball throughout his illustrious 16-year career. Injuries, dynasties or just plain bad luck served as his roadblocks in the past years while making a run for the championship. That streak is finally snapped this year when the Phoenix Suns eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers to reach the Finals.
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What is the most memorable moment of the 2020-21 NBA season for you?
