NBA's Greatest Play at Every Stat, Anunoby to Kobe — SkimNews
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- OG Anunoby's game-winning tip-in in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals is named the greatest rebound in NBA history, the play that sparked the entire exercise 'exactly three months ago' before publication
- Kawhi Leonard's four-bouncer against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals is crowned the greatest 2-pointer — guarded by Ben Simmons, picked up by Joel Embiid, falling away toward the baseline as time expired, leading to Toronto's only championship
- Ray Allen's corner 3-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals is named the greatest 3-pointer, described as 'the only shot in NBA history to ever directly swing the outcome of a championship' by forcing overtime and setting up Miami's Game 7 title
- Klay Thompson made two free throws on a torn ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals with Golden State leading by three, an act the writer argues no other free throw in NBA history matches in gravity — though the Warriors lost the game and series
- Kobe Bryant's lob to Shaquille O'Neal in the 2000 Western Conference Finals is chosen as the greatest assist, highlighted for its narrative weight given the duo's well-publicized personal rift and Bryant's ball-hog reputation
- The framework dismissed Michael Jordan's 1998 Finals winner and 1989 Cleveland 'Shot' as 2-pointer candidates and flagged Chris Bosh's offensive rebound enabling Allen's shot as the only other rebound to directly swing an NBA Finals — though the article cuts off mid-sentence before explaining why Anunoby beat Bosh
Why it matters: The piece crystallizes a debate fans argue endlessly — which single play best defines each statistical category — by making concrete, contestable picks over seven stat categories. The Anunoby selection elevates a still-fresh Finals moment into historical canon three months after it happened, while the Thompson and Bryant-to-O'Neal choices lean on narrative weight (injury stakes, personal drama) as much as on-court excellence. The article's stated justification for its headline pick — why Anunoby edges Bosh — is cut off mid-sentence, leaving the verdict's reasoning incomplete for readers.
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