by Micah Hart
With the regular season behind us and the playoffs set to tip off this weekend, it’s the perfect time to do a little looking back at some of the fun we had during the past six months.
One of our favorite things to write about on All Ball has been the Horry Scale breakdowns of every GWBB (game-winning buzzer-beater) from the season, of which, in the end, there were 16 during 2010-11. Let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable:
Best Executed Horry
One of the most unlikely endings to a game all season, as Nic Batum scores four points in the last 0.9 seconds to beat the Spurs, the last two of which came on this picture-perfect lob off the inbounds pass from Andre Miller to ring up the Horry Scale breakdown. Portland’s Rose Garden would be my choice for where all GWBBs would take place, if I had my druthers. Where does one get druthers, I wonder?
Runner-up: Andrew Bogut – really this should be a tie, I just love Portland celebrations.
More Horry highlights after the jump.
Most Improbable Horry
Al Jefferson beat the Raptors with a perfect volleyball set. I wouldn’t say it was unintentional, as obviously Jefferson would be trying to tip the ball in in this situation, but the trajectory of this shot would be hard to replicate.
Runner up: Antonio McDyess – yup, the Dice-man is still in the league.
Least Impressive Horry
Ask any coach, there are few things more frustrating than when a player does the wrong thing and it works out. Case in point, Jameer Nelson‘s GWBB against the Nuggets. Nelson gets the ball in the frontcourt with 5.9 seconds left, and with unlimited options decides to settle for a contested 25-foot 3-pointer. Yeah it went in, but you gotta drive the ball there. If I know Stan Van Gundy, a man who has never met an opportunity to complain he didn’t like, I feel certain he made sure to point that out. Runner Up: Kevin Durant – great shot, same issue.
Best Cliffhanger Horry
Probably my favorite Horry Scale nominee of the year, as Dunleavy’s tip-in seemed to hang on the rim as long as Tiger’s ball at 16. I also enjoyed the full-court victory lap, which seems quite appropriate for a team playing in Indianapolis.
Runner up: None.
Horry Scale MVP
The only Horry Scale entry to garner the full five-star rating in the 2010-11 regular season, Tyreke Evans‘ 3/4-court heave will live on as not only the top play of the year but really one of the most memorable buzzer-beaters in NBA history. Still, my favorite part of this play remains Donte Greene‘s reaction on the Kings sideline. No. Doubt. In. His. Mind.
Runner up: Rudy Gay drops one in LBJ’s face.
Quite a year for the Horry Scale – 16 entries overall in its rookie season. With any luck, we’ll see a few more before the playoffs come to an end.
To see all the Horry Scale recipients from the past season, click here.
What was your favorite from the past season?
Seen something that belongs on All Ball? Let us know via email or Twitter.
Catch up on every single game-winning buzzer beater during the season and see how it rates on the Horry Scale.
I really love the Horry MVP because of the dramatics: reasing some elses game winning shot (added a really tough kobe-like one).
But I voted for Best executed Horry because I like non-luck aspect of it. Batum’s GWBB beats Bogut’s because of the play itself. Bogut’s play was a hustle one where the other team saw what was going on and couldn’t get the stop needed. In Batum’s play, the other team saw nothing but fire, as Batum fakes going out on the perimeter just to spin around and leave Ginobili clueless (by the time Parker saw what was going on and switch, it was too late); That was a perfectly planned and executed play.
I really love the Horry MVP because of the dramatics: erasing someoneelse’s game winning shot (added a really tough kobe-like one)
But I voted for Best Executed Horry because I like non-luck aspect of it. Batum’s GWBB beats Bogut’s because of the play itself. Bogut’s play was a hustle one where the other team saw what was going on but couldn’t get the stop needed. In Batum’s play, the other team saw nothing but fire, as Batum fakes going out on the perimeter just to spin around and leave Ginobili clueless (by the time Parker saw what was going on and switch, it was too late); That was a perfectly planned and executed play.
Wow, I just can’t see how anything beat that sweet jumper from Rudy over Lebron. When you can calmly float one over one of the best defenders in the league for the win, that can’t be topped. I don’t care how far away a shot was. Frankly, I just think the Rudy shot takes more skill, and that’s what I love to see.
Wheres all the Carmelo Game Winners…SMH
Carmelo’s weren’t buzzer beaters. This is a Game Winning Buzzer Beater scale.
I agree with blah, NOT with where CarSMELO!!!!!!
BATUM-SHAKA-LAKA!!!!! http://bit.ly/fRH1jO
what about the 3-point buzzer beater in Nuggets-Mavs?
Tyreke execution is probbably the best..after Mayo incredible shot they lost all hope to win but theres Tyreke that gets it from 3/4 court..Batum tip is incredible and maybe better than Tyreke shot but its runner up for me just because score was tied..btw wheres that Melo buzzer beaters..i think he had most game winning shots this season..
BATUM ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO FRENCH MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most these are lame. J rich tip in 2 ot??
TYREKE EVANS, that was the BEST buzzer beater ever, All the fans were walking out, and then BOOM!
Tyreke all the way…three quarter court mid air double pump is a superhuman effort ‘…..if you don’t like that…..you don’t like NBA basketball….’ – The Kings fans are by far the most raucous in their celebrations out of all the contenders and i’m not even a Kings fan – D-Rose + Unbelievable Tekkers = MVP
Thanks to him the Bulls are in 1st place
When I saw the headline “Horry Scale”, I immediately thought about the cheap shot he made on Steve Nash in the 2007 Western Conference Playoffs. A shame that his legacy in my mind will always be one of a cheap and dirty player.
that tyreke shot was just ridiculous possibly top 10 all time reminds me of jerry west
okafor’s shot?
Rudy Gay’s jumper was NUMBER 1 in my opinion, no question! Like a previous post mentioned… It is by far the most skilled GWBB on the list. Very very Kobe/MJ-like shot and confidence.
What a shot. What a difficult shot. What a difficult game winning shot… What a difficult game winning, buzzer beating shot!
I’m a Blazer fan. The Batum shot was magic. I was going crazy watching it live. The situation though involved a few timeouts and a drawn out conclusion. Also, the score was tied.
The way the Kings finished the game was absolutely amazing. No timeouts. Just got crushed by OJ. What does Tyrke do though? He incredibly goes back to the days where kids playing basketball dreamed and practiced nailing the game winning half court shot. Inspirational. The way the Kings fans react too. . . It’s hard to watch that and think of how rotten it is taking that team from that town.
Love the shout out for the Rose Garden fans!!
I’m a french, I love Nicolas, his 4 pts in 0.9 are incredible but the 3 pts of Tyreke Evan is just amazing !
WHERE KOBE 10 SECONDS THREE POINTS SHOOT TO TIE WITH KINGS FORCE OVERTIME GAME KOBE IS BEST PLAYER I CHOOSE HIM TO BE MVP OF YEAR HE AVG. 25.3 PPG TOP 4 IN NBA HE WORKING HARD HE IS GOING SCORE MORE LIKE JORDAN LEVEL CAREER POINTS WILL BEAT SHAQ SOON NEXT YEAR MAILMAN AND NUMBER ONE IS TOO HIGH TAKE 3 MORE YEARS I DON’T KNOW IF HE CAN DO IT BECAUSE OF HIS KNEE AND FINGER AND WANT MORE CHAMPIONS 6 CHAMPIONS OR 7 CHAMPIONS I DON.T KNOW WE WILL SEE STEVEN PEACE CIAO
ON APRIL 13 LAST GAME 10 SECOND 4 QUARTER LA LAKERS DOWN 3 POINTS HE SHOOTS 3 POINTS ITS MADE IT ITS BEST SHOOT EVER FOR LA LAKERS TO GET IN 2ND SEED TEAM IF LOSE ITS WILL BE THIRD SEED I AM HEAVY FAN OF LA LAKERS I AM NERVOUS ABOUT IT I PRAY AND IT DOES ITS WORKS TIE GAMES GO OVERTIME LA LAKERS WON THE GAME ON APRIL 13 2011 KOBE BRYANT SUPPORT HIM VOTE HIM BE MVP I KNOW ABOUT ROSE FROM BULLS BUT KOBE HAVE MORE PPG THAN ROSE 25.3 ROSE HAVE 25.1 THATS CLOSE WOW ROSE IS 5TH BRYANT IS 4TH PLAYERS MOST PPG IN NBA FOR 2011 SEASON GO LA LAKERS PEACE STEVEN
Some excellent buzzer beaters this season, however Reke’s shot will go down as one of the all-time great NBA endings of what was a crazy final minute of the game. A three-quarter-court-double-pump shot when all hope was lost? Crazy highlight that never seems to lose its lustre.
What about Channing Frye’s Buzzer Beater Game winner he had, then the next night a Game Winner (not buzzer beater) but game winner. Come on now
IF ONLY PAUL PIERCE HIT HIS BUZZERBEATER VS NEWYORK AT THE BUZZER OR IF AMARES WOULDA COUNTED
Hm… DeJuan Blair’s game winner was better than Dunleavy’s one + There’s Nelson shot but i can vote for Gay’s one… Something is wrong, isn’t it?
I watched the Kings-Grizzles game on Decenber 29th,2010 on COMCAST SPORTSNET CALIFORNIA. Tyreke Evens:BEST BUZZER BEATER EVER!!!! Hands down!!!!