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Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra regards Ray Allen’s 2013 three-pointer as the greatest shot of all time

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Pocholo Magsino | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The NBA has had its fair share of big plays, but only a few can hold a candle to Ray Allen’s three-pointer in the 2013 Finals to help the Miami Heat turn the tide and win the championship. For the Heat’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra, it is still a meaningful play.

In 2013, the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs were in the midst of an all-timer NBA Finals. It was one of the most competitive in the 21st century, as the Heat’s big three struggled against the experienced Spurs alongside a promising Kawhi Leonard.

The series reached its climax during Game 6 of the Finals. With a few seconds remaining, LeBron James missed a three-pointer to tie the game, but Chris Bosh out-jumped everyone to grab the offensive rebound.

Bosh then made the kick-out pass to Ray Allen, and the rest was history. Miami won Game 6 in overtime, and they took Game 7 to win their second consecutive championship. Allen’s shot is still a legendary play, which resonates with everyone within the Heat organization to this day.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Spoelstra has fond memories of Allen’s big shot

While the Heat won their first championship with Spoelstra as head coach in 2012, their biggest challenge during the Heatles era was in 2013. The Spurs have been one of the league’s most consistent teams since 1998, so it was a huge challenge for the Heat in the NBA Finals.

The older Spurs players were more experienced than the Heat, but Miami had championship experience from the previous year. Allen was also a champion back in 2008 with the Boston Celtics, so he was familiar with making big plays.

It was a close matchup between the two teams, which meant the outcome was on a knife-edge. The Heat needed a historic play to give them the win, and Allen stepped up, hitting a legendary shot that Spoelstra thinks is the greatest shot in NBA history.

“For us, we always say, it’s the greatest shot of all time. At that time, people were starting to do that, but Ray and Reggie really made it a thing back then,” Spoelstra said back in 2020.

“Ray, as he explained it, he wanted to be able to back up, back pedal and not have to look at his feet to know whether he was in bounds but behind the line. He used to do it from the corners, and it was so fitting that that was the shot that would force the game to go into overtime.”

The Heatles era is still legendary in NBA history

The Big 3 era in Miami is one of the most influential times in NBA history. James and Bosh joining up with Dwyane Wade led them to become two-time champions with the Heat. It also influenced other players to take control of their careers and leave their original teams.

Ray Allen. Game 6. In the corner. Bang. #OTD in 2013 pic.twitter.com/gRwuKEySNt
— SLAM Rewind (@SLAMGrails) June 18, 2019

Kevin Durant is the most prominent example of this, considering he left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors to win championships. The two championships cemented the Heatles’ importance in NBA history.

The second title would not have been possible if Allen had not made the huge shot. Allen has etched his name in NBA history with this shot, in addition to his legacy as the league’s most accomplished shooter before Stephen Curry.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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