Vince Carter

Vince Carter had missed a playoff buzzer beater 13 years before, and the memory had been lodged in him ever since. With 1.7 seconds left in Game 3 and the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs holding a 108-106 lead, Carter took an inbound pass from José Calderón in the left corner, pump-faked Manu Ginobili off his feet, and released a double-pump three that fell through as the horn sounded. 109-108 Dallas, and the American Airlines Center produced what multiple broadcasters called one of the loudest crowd pops in recent playoff memory. Carter turned stone-faced and walked toward Dirk Nowitzki, who was jumping on him with arms spread wide. The moment was sixteen years of professional basketball arriving at one perfect junction: a Hall of Famer who had seen everything, refusing to flinch when the defense knew the shot was coming. Dallas took a 2-1 series lead over the reigning champions.