Joe Johnson

A smooth, somewhat-overlooked offensive great through the eyes of many that observed his 18-year career, Joe Johnson, at the very least, ensured that one never had to search far in finding his name on the NBA’s all-time clutch scoring lists. On December 6, 2007, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, that late-game greatness could be measured through a 22-footer. Officially on “upset watch” with a one-point deficit in the final two seconds, Johnson works himself free to retrieve an outlet pass before navigating to a trusted spot near the right elbow. Introducing the Timberwolves to the man known as “Iso Joe,” “Big Shot Joe,” and everything in between, Johnson ascends into a deep midrange pull-up, lofting a shot just out of reach of Sebastian Telfair’s contest and calmly through the net. On the league’s historic Mount Rushmore with eight game-winning buzzer-beaters throughout his run, Johnson found crunchtime magic in the win, a victory that ultimately proved crucial in ending the Atlanta Hawks’ eight-year postseason drought. By game’s end, the seven-time All-Star concluded with 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and the Hawks’ only 3-pointer.

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