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There have been many unforgettable
basketball moments in the last decade.
We take a look at the top 10 best basketball moments of the last 10 years:
10. Linsanity
Jeremy Shu-How Lin unexpectedly led a winning turnaround with the New York Knicks during the 2011/12 season, generating a cultural phenomenon known as 'Linsanity.'
Lin, who played sparingly for the Knicks and he spent time in the D-League, was promoted to the starting lineup and led the team on a seven-game winning streak.
His stellar play helped the Knicks make the 2012 playoffs; it also catapulted him to international fame as he appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated and Time and was named to the Time 100 as one of the most influential people in the world.
"I haven't done a computation, but it's fair to say that no player has created the interest and the frenzy in this short period, in any sport, that I'm aware of like Jeremy Lin has," said former NBA commissioner David Stern on ESPN.
9. Rose becomes the youngest MVP of all-time
Derrick Rose struggled with significant knee injuries during the 2010/11 season, but he managed to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade while playing for Chicago Bulls.
The point guard became only the third player since the 1972/73 season to record 2,000 points and 600 assists in a single season and the other two players were LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
At 22 years and six months old, Rose also became the youngest player to receive the MVP award (Wes Unseld, formerly the youngest MVP, won the award in 1968/69 season at age 23 years, 2 months).
8. Tripple-double king Westbrook makes NBA history
In 2017, Russell Westbrook became one of two players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, along with Oscar Robertson in 1962.
The Oklahoma City Thunders legend also set a record for the most triple-doubles in a season, with 42 and he went on to average a triple-double the following two seasons also, as well as lead the league in assists and become the first player to lead the league in points and assists in multiple seasons.
Westbrook is currently second all time in career triple-doubles in NBA history.
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7. James' fairytale return to Cleveland
Lebron James opted out of his contract with Miami Heat in June 2014 and he returned to Cleveland Cavaliers, who had compiled a league-worst 97–215 record in the four seasons following his departure.
His decision was well received and James inspired Cleveland to the NBA championship which was the city's first professional sports title in 52 years.
James also became the first player in league history to lead both teams in all five statistical categories for a playoff round, culminating in a unanimous Finals MVP selection.
6. Kobe Bryant’s Final Game
Bryant scored an NBA season-high 60 points for Los Angeles Lakers against Utah Jazz in his last NBA game on 13 April 2013.
The late shooting guard outscored the entire Jazz team 23-21 in the fourth quarter, in the Lakers' 101-96 victory and he became the oldest player to score 60 or more points in a game at 37 years and 234 days old.
Bryant is also ended his career with 33,643 making him the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history.
5. Ray Allen Game 6 Corner Three
Allen had a reputation as a scorer which was solidified and he broke several NBA records for three-point and free-throw shooting.
His clutch three-pointer to tie Game six of the 2013 NBA Finals with 5.2 seconds remaining is regarded as one of the most memorable plays in NBA history.
His team, Miami Heat trailed by three points against San Antonio Spurs and Allen made a game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
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4. Cavaliers come back to beat Warriors
Cleveland Cavaliers made history in the NBA when they came back from a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 Finals against Golden State Warriors.
Cavaliers, who were inspired by Lebron James, won the next three games to become the first team in NBA Finals history to successfully overcome a 3-1 deficit.
It also marked the first time since 1978 that Game seven was won by the road team.
3. Stephen Curry Unanimous MVP
Curry won his first MVP award and led the Golden State Warriors to their first championship since 1975 during the 2014/15 season.
The following season, he became the first player in NBA history to be elected MVP by a unanimous vote and to lead the league in scoring while shooting above 50–40–90.
He had helped Warriors break the record for the most wins in an NBA season en route to reaching the 2016 NBA Finals.
2. Unstoppable Warriors go 73-9
The 2015/16 season saw Golden State Warriors break many records including the franchise's record for most wins in a single season in franchise history.
With a 125-104 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors, who were inspired by Stephen Curry, became the first 73-win team in NBA history.
They surpassed the 1995/96 Chicago Bulls' 72–10 record to finish the 2015/16 season with just nine losses.
1. The Decision
Lebron James shocked most people in the NBA when he went on national TV to announce his free agency decision in 2010 and revealed that he was joining Miami Heat.
Upon leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for Heat, James drew intense criticism from sports analysts, executives, fans, and current and former players.
Some angry fans of the team recorded videos of themselves burning his Cavaliers jersey and former NBA players, including Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, were also critical of James.
"He'll never be Jordan," TNT analyst Charles Barkley told 790 The Ticket in Miami. "This clearly takes him out of the conversation. He can win as much as he wants to.
"There would have been something honorable about staying in Cleveland and trying to win it as 'The Man' ... LeBron, if he would've in Cleveland, and if he could've got a championship there, it would have been over the top for his legacy, just one in Cleveland. No matter how many he wins in Miami, it clearly is Dwyane Wade's team."
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