The 6 Best NBA Finals Game 6s Of All Time

At 9pm tonight Game 6 of the NBA Finals will tip off from the Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. 

The Golden State Warriors will be without Andrew Bogut but they'll be getting back Draymond Green who has been their most important player this series. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be looking to ride the momentum that LeBron James and Kyrie Irving sparked with their historic Game 5 performances.

If the Warriors win, they'll be back to back NBA champions, completing the greatest season in NBA history.

If the Cavaliers win, they'll force a Game 7 at Oracle Arena on Sunday night, with an opportunity to deliver a championship to Cleveland for the first time since 1964.

Still not feeling the magnitude of this Game 6? TNT and ESPN have reached an agreement that will allow TNT's Craig Sager to work his first NBA Finals ever during tonight's ABC broadcast. That's major, people.

"I'd like to thank Turner and ESPN for approaching me with this tremendous opportunity to be part of The Finals broadcast team," Sager said in a statement. "I've been watching the series very closely and, while I do not want to distract in any way from the event itself, I look forward to being in the building for what will be an incredibly exciting Game 6. The NBA community is a very special one and this is a great honor."

While we patiently wait to see which electric suit Sager dons for his first NBA Finals appearance, take a look back at 6 of the best NBA Finals Game 6s of all time.

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Magic Johnson Fills In At Center

The 1980 NBA Finals pitted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Los Angeles Lakers against Julius Erving's Philadelphia 76er's. After four games the series was split at two a piece and although the Lakers were able to scrap together a Game 5 victory, they lost their Hall Of Fame center in the process.

Kareem, who suffered a sprained ankle in Game 5, was unable to travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. That's when Lakers rookie, Earvin "Magic" Johnson rose to the occasion. 

As legend has it, Magic boarded the team plane prior to Game 6, plopped himself down into Abdul-Jabbar's customary front-row seat, winked at coach Paul Westhead and then gleefully announced to his teammates, "Never fear, E.J. is here!"

Magic took the jump ball in Kareem's absence and went on to play every position on the floor, scoring 42 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and dishing out seven assists as the Lakers clinched the series with a 123-107 victory, the first of Magic's 5 NBA titles.

After the game, Magic looked into one of the tv cameras and said, "This one's for you big fella!"

NBA Finals, Game 6: 1988

The Isiah Thomas Game

The Detroit Pistons had a 3-1 series lead on the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers heading into a Game 6 at The Forum in LA. Despite the fact that Detroit lost that game, everyone still remembers it as "The Isiah Thomas Game."

With the Pistons down by eight early in the third, the scrappy point guard caught fire, pouring in 14 straight before landing on Michael Cooper's foot and having to be helped off the floor with a severely sprained ankle. 

But just 35 seconds later, he returned. And he picked up right where left off.

Thomas poured in 25 points in that historic third quarter, an NBA Finals record, and had lifted his Pistons to a 81-79 lead. However, in the end, Thomas' 43 points, eight assists, and six steals weren't enough to hold off the might Lakers who avoided elimination, 103-102.

"What Isiah Thomas did in the second half was just incredible," agreed Lakers coach Pat Riley.

Magic added, "I think he was just unconscious. I think he said, 'Okay, I'm going to take this game over.' I've seen him do that before. He was in his rhythm. When he starts skipping and hopping, that means he's in his rhythm. That means he's ready."

So the 1988 NBA Finals went the distance and ultimately it was the Los Angeles Lakers who fulfilled Pat Riley's declaration of a repeat, but it was Isiah Thomas' gritty performance in Game 6 that remains one of the all-time best. 

"We got a miraculous game from Isiah, as hurt as he was," Pistons coach Chuck Daly said afterward. "He got us back in the game. On offense, we didn't give him as much support as I would like. We were 45 seconds away from an NBA Championship. What can I say?"

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NBA Finals, Game 6: 1993

John Paxson Game Winning 3-Pointer Clinches Chicago's First 3-Peat

Having already been crowned back-to-back NBA champs, the Chicago Bulls were on the cusp of their first 3-peat. Charles Barkley's Phoenix Suns were on their home court and they had a 98-96 lead with just 14.1 seconds remaining in Game 6. 

Then, the Zen Master, Phil Jackson drew up a set that his team knew all too well, "The Blind Pig." Every player on the floor touched the ball on that final possession before it finally ended up in the hands of John Paxson who put the icing on the Bulls 3-Peat.

"Like Phil said, the fact that each player touched the ball signified the way Phil wanted us to play," Paxson said. "Share the ball. Be unselfish. Don't expect Michael to bail us out all the time. Each player made the right read that ended up in an open shot."

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NBA Finals, Game 6: 1997

Steve Kerr Hits Series-Clinching Game Winner

The 1997 NBA Finals will largely be remembered by Michael Jordan's epic "Flu Game" performance in Game 5, but it wasn't until Game 6 that the Chicago Bulls put away the Utah Jazz for good.

Of course, Michael Jordan led the way with 39 points and 11 rebounds but when it came down to winning time he trusted Steve Kerr to make the game winner.

With the clock winding down and the Bulls knotted up with the Jazz at 86, MJ drew a double team and spotted a wide-open Kerr who drained the 17-footer as the United Center crowd exploded. 

NBA Finals, Game 6: 1998

The "Last Shot"

One season after Steve Kerr drained a series-clinching game winner against the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the two teams were back at it again- this time in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This time around, the Jazz had a 1-point lead as the clock was winding down but the result wasn't any different. Byron Russell was checking Michael Jordan and there was no double team this time, he was on an island all by himself.

MJ's iconic step back on Russell was dubbed the "Last Shot" because he, along with Phil Jackson, would retire (briefly) after that season having won six NBA titles and completing two 3-Peats.

NBA Finals, Game 6: 2013

Ray Allen Saves The Heat's Season

One of the biggest shots in NBA Finals history came off the fingertips one of the game's most prolific three point shooters, Ray Allen.

I'm sure many of you remember the ridiculous corner 3 he drilled against the Spurs in Game 6 of the NBA Finals- hell, some of you probably remember exactly where you were- but we'll quickly recap it down anyway.

The Miami Heat were down by five with 28 seconds left, their NBA lives on the line, and their fans were scurrying towards the exits.

Then LeBron hit a three to cut the Spurs lead to two. Kawhi Leonard made one of two free throws to bring San Antonio's lead to three, and then it was pure chaos.

LeBron bricked a potential game tying three, Bosh miraculously corralled the rebound and found a back peddling Jesus Shuttlesworth who buried a three with Tony Parker draped all over him. BANG!