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15 biggest meltdowns in NBA playoffs history
Wally Skalij/Getty Images

15 biggest meltdowns in NBA playoffs history

Pressure can make NBA teams do funny things.

Things that were once routine now have so much weight behind them. Everything you say or do is scrutinized. With fame and glory on the line, players and coaches not ready for the spotlight can crumble when it matters the most.

Whether it's a historical comeback or getting the yips at the wrong time, some NBA teams, players or coaches can't seem to keep it together during the Playoffs. Here are 15 of the biggest meltdowns during the NBA Playoffs.

 
1 of 15

Pacers find out how safe a lead is against LeBron James

Pacers find out how safe a lead is against LeBron James
Joe Robbins/Getty Images

There are choke jobs, and there are full on nuclear meltdowns. Game 3 in this year’s Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers series was the latter. 

The Pacers went into halftime leading 74-49 after shooting 56.8 percent from the field. Cleveland stormed back in the third quarter, outscoring Indiana 35-17 in the third quarter.  A thunderous LeBron James dunk put the Cavs up 100-98 with 6:28 left in the game, and Cleveland never looked back. The Pacers would lose their best opportunity to get a game against the games, 119-114. 

James would finish with 41 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, scoring or assisting on 73 points.

 
2 of 15

Oklahoma City Thunder blow a 3-1 lead

Oklahoma City Thunder blow a 3-1 lead
Stephen Curry (L), Kevin Durant (R) Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder had the best team in the NBA on the ropes and nearly on the mat. The Thunder looked unstoppable, winning games four and five with an average margin of 26 points.

But when the team went cold and the Warriors heated up, that was too much for OKC to overcome.

Even with the Herculean efforts of Kevin Durant, the Thunder could not overcome their depth issues to win one more game against the eventual Western Conference champions. Not only that, the pain continued through to the offseason where Kevin Durant surprisingly left Oklahoma City in free agency just months before. Talk about adding insult to injury.

 
3 of 15

Golden State Warriors become meme kings after NBA Finals choke job

Golden State Warriors become meme kings after NBA Finals choke job
Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images

One game is all that stood between the Golden State Warriors, and being the best team in NBA history. They already secured the best regular season ever with a 73-9 record. All they needed was the ring.

LeBron James had other ideas.

After Draymond Green was suspended for a well-placed swing on James, the Cleveland Cavaliers found new life. The Warriors lost all momentum, and James sunk Golden State with the help of clutch shooting from Kyrie Irving. James would average 36.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 9.7 assists the final three games, and leave the Bay Area with his third NBA Championship.

But don’t let that distract from the fact that…oh, right.

 
4 of 15

Golden State makes the Dallas Mavericks believe

Golden State makes the Dallas Mavericks believe
Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Say what you will about the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in 2016. At least they made it past the first round. The 67-win Dallas Mavericks can’t say the same.

After looking incredible for the regular season where the team ranked ninth in points, and fourth in points against, the Dirk Nowitzki-led Mavericks came into playoffs looking like championship contenders. However, the Golden State Warriors had other ideas. 

Led by Baron Davis and matchup mad scientist that is Don Nelson, Golden State ran Dallas into the ground with their small-ball, run and shoot offense. The Warriors would be the first eight-seed to defeat a one-seed in a seven-game series. Unable to get in rhythm, Nowitzki finished the series shooting 38.3 percent from the field, and 21.1 percent from three-point range. This made for a very awkward MVP trophy presentation after the Mavericks were eliminated.

 
5 of 15

Seattle Supersonics make NBA history...in a bad way

Seattle Supersonics make NBA history...in a bad way
Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Before the 2007 Golden State Warriors, there was the 1994 Denver Nuggets. After finishing the season 42-40, the Nuggets found themselves in a matchup against the 63-win Seattle Supersonics led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. Denver was supposed to take their beating and go home happy that they just made it to the playoffs, and it looked like the series was going that direction after Denver dropped the first two games.

That’s when the magic happened.

The Nuggets would win three straight games, two in overtime win the best-of-five series. Denver would scrap together winning efforts from players like Reggie Williams (31 points in Game 3), LaPhonso Ellis (27 points in Game 4) and Robert Pack (23 points off the bench in Game 5) to become the first eight-seed to upset a top-seeded team in NBA history.

 
6 of 15

Pippen quits on the Bulls

Pippen quits on the Bulls
Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

There’s pouting, and then there’s Pippen. With the score tied 102-102 with 1.8 seconds left in the 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Phil Jackson tapped Toni Kukoc to take the last shot.

Scottie Pippen was not thrilled.

Instead of playing like a good soldier, Pippen refused to back into the game with the game on the line. Fortunately for the Bulls, Kukoc would nail the shot for the win, but Pippen’s otherwise sterling reputation on the court would take a big hit after he quit on his team when things didn’t go his way.

 
7 of 15

Four strikes on Nick Anderson

Four strikes on Nick Anderson
Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

Free throws are often the loneliest times for a basketball player. It’s just you and the hoop with no defender in front of you. Miss the shot, and you have no one to blame but yourself.

Nick Anderson and the Orlando Magic were having an awful Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals. They blew a 20-point lead against the Houston Rockets, but were still up by three with 10.5 seconds left. Anderson, a 70-percent free throw shooter, had a chance to ice the game at the free throw line. One make would put the game virtually out of reach for Houston. 

Two bricks.

He somehow ended up with the offensive rebound and two more chances to put away the Rockets. 

No scratch.

The rest is history. Kenny Smith would hit the game-tying three on the ensuing possession, Houston would win the game and the series, and Nick Anderson has become synonymous with the biggest choke moments in NBA history.

 
8 of 15

The New York Knicks spend the 90s melting down

The New York Knicks spend the 90s melting down
Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

How unlucky do you have to be if you were the Knicks in the '90s. Not only were you Michael Jordan’s whipping boy in the Eastern Conference, you had to (literally at times) slug your way through one of the toughest eras of basketball. However, it doesn’t help when you shoot yourself in the foot.

Here is a list short list of things the Knicks did in the '90s: Charles Smith comes empty on about 30 game-winning layup attempts in Game 5 of the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals, John Starks goes 2 for 18 from the field in Game 7 of the 1994 NBA Finals, Reggie Miller scores eight points in 8.9 seconds to win Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinal and Patrick Ewing blows a game-tying layup in Game 7 of the same series.

Coincidentally, with everything that’s going on with the Knicks now, fans are just wishing they had a chance to meltdown like those teams.

 
9 of 15

Four future Hall of Famers can't save the Los Angeles Lakers

Four future Hall of Famers can't save the Los Angeles Lakers
Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images

You want to talk about a super team? How about four surefire Hall of Famers on the court and a Hall of Fame coach on the bench? Sounds like a guaranteed championship, right?

It seemed that way for the 2004 Lakers with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton and Karl Malone. They weren’t playing particularly well as a unit, but their talent was so off-the-charts good, it didn’t matter – until the Finals.

The hungry and tough Detroit Pistons played incredible team ball, and made the series a nightmare for the Lakers. Los Angeles, on the other hand, had all their struggles show up at the wrong time, showing that a team of superstars doesn’t give you a ring. 

 
10 of 15

Bad Boy Pistons show a bully's true colors

Bad Boy Pistons show a bully's true colors
Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Every big brother knows there’s that moment when your little sibling finally gets the best of you. The Detroit Pistons had that moment in 1991 against the Chicago Bulls

After making life a living hell for Michael Jordan, the Pistons could not find an answer for him in the Eastern Conference Finals, getting swept. But instead of sticking around to congratulate the Bulls on a job well done, Detroit walked off the court before the game ended. 

These are the Bad Boys we’re talking about. Did you really expect them to get destroyed by Michael Jordan who finally learned how to play team ball and be happy about it?

 
11 of 15

Portland Trailblazers become Kobe/Shaq's first victim

Portland Trailblazers become Kobe/Shaq's first victim
John Mabanglo/Getty Images

There was a time when the Bryant-O’Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers were really bad at advancing in the playoffs. They built a 3-1 lead against the Portland Trailblazers in the 2000 Western Conference Finals only to lose two straight, and fall behind 13 points in the fourth quarter.

But this year was different.

After getting a lot of foul calls (37 vs. 16 free throw attempts in favor of Los Angeles), Portland going cold and a monster alley-oop for the ages, the Lakers would comeback to earn a berth in the NBA Finals. They outscored the Trailblazers 31-13 in the final frame. Instead of playing for a championship, the Trailblazers would slowly descend into some dark years when they infamously became known as the “Jailblazers” for their off-the-court issues.

 

 
12 of 15

2008 Los Angeles Lakers blow 20+ lead in the Finals

2008 Los Angeles Lakers blow 20+ lead in the Finals
Wally Skalij/Getty Images

This was one of the more bizarre NBA Finals in recent history. It started with Paul Pierce miraculously recovering from being on a wheelchair to sinking the Lakers in Game 1. It also had one of the biggest meltdowns in NBA Finals history.

The Lakers built a record-setting 35-14 lead in the first quarter of Game 4, and maintained a comfortable deficit for most of the game. After leading by as many as 24 points, the Celtics made their move.

Boston went on a 21-3 run to close the third quarter. An Eddie House jumper with 4:07 left in the game gave the Celtics their first lead of the game. They would win the game and complete the largest comeback in NBA Finals history since 1971.

 
13 of 15

Tracy McGrady gets a little ahead of himself

Tracy McGrady gets a little ahead of himself
Fernando Medina/Getty Images

This is one T-Mac wish he had back. After going up 3-1 in the first round of the 2003 NBA Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons, McGrady forgot the NBA changed the format to a best-of-seven series in the initial rounds. Thinking he already advanced, he said, “It feels good to get in the second round,” which was not true at all.

Like any movie, you know that statement is going to come back and bite him in butt.

After going off for 36.3 points on 51.6 percent shooting in the first four games, the Pistons put their trust in rookie Tayshaun Prince to stop McGrady. The rookie would make a name for himself by holding the usually unstoppable McGrady to 36.1 percent shooting the rest of the series, and helping Detroit win three straight games to advance in the Playoffs, and leave T-Mac with a face full of egg.

 
14 of 15

George Karl being George Karl

George Karl being George Karl
Sam Forencich/Getty Images

Let’s begin by giving credit where credit is due. George Karl did coach one team to the NBA Finals. The problem is that it is his only one in 27 years of coaching. And it’s not like he’s gracious in defeat either.

In the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals, George Karl’s Milwaukee Bucks were facing off against the Philadelphia 76ers. Before the series began, Karl would say that Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo would be irrelevant. You would think Karl learned his lesson after Mutombo was one of the players that upset his No. 1 seeded Seattle Supersonics in 1994.

All Mutombo did during the series was average 16.6 points, 15.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks - total non-factor obviously. After a reporter basically asked Karl if Mutombo proved him wrong in a press conference, Karl stormed out of the room. Classy.

 
15 of 15

The Clippers, always

The Clippers, always
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

While the New York Knicks have run into trouble winning in big moments in '90s and beyond, they have at least won championships. The Los Angeles Clippers have not.

It’s one thing if you have key injuries every year, but the Clippers can’t even get things right when they’re at full strength. In 2015, the Clippers were up 3-1 with a chance to go to the Western Conference Finals. All they had to do was win one more game against the Houston Rockets.

They did not win another game.

The Rockets took Game 5 at home. The Clippers would go up by as many as 19 points in the third quarter, before Houston stormed back to win 119-107 on the road. With Game 7 Houston, the Clippers completed the choke job, losing 113-100.

The Clippers have been a running NBA joke since their inclusion in the league. Even when they make the playoffs, they can’t escape it. And now that Chris Paul may be leaving in free agency, the Clippers might have lost their window to win a championship.

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