Chris Mullin

Perfectly settled into the heart of a peak that included five consecutive seasons of All-Star appearances and 25-point scoring averages, Chris Mullin left the storied Great Western Forum on May 8, 1991 with another accolade worth adding to his résumé. A spot on the Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar guard’s “all-respect team.” Knowing the unspoken rule of Game One’s potential importance for one’s upset hopes, Mullin took his best shot — though, with 15 other contenders to choose from — with 35 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Comfortable matching Los Angeles’ energetic pace, Mullin, with zero hesitation, offers fellow Hall of Famer James Worthy a subtle glance before elevating into a deep, audacious 3-pointer, forcing a standstill. 18 years before a different, celebrated Golden State Warriors sniper would command the stage, Mullin trusted his southpaw pull-up to propel a 41-point avalanche, accompanied by four rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block, and eye-opening efficiency in general (16-of-21), from deep (4-of-4), and from the foul line (5-of-6). Regarded by the Lakers as precisely the type of player a higher power intended when basketball talents were created, Mullin traded first buckets, then compliments, overcoming a sprained knee to fuel “Run TMC’s” thrilling, series-opening triumph.

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