Robert Horry

Like an action movie building its plot before the final climax, Game Five of the 2005 NBA Finals offered countless reasons — 21 to be exact — to believe that Robert Horry, as he had done historically, would leave behind the game’s most indelible mark. Appropriately, all it took to strike was for him to be left behind. Inbounding the ball with the San Antonio Spurs trailing by two and precariously close to a 3-2 series deficit, Horry advances a pass to a teammate before stepping into a most unlikely sight. Unfathomably wide-open, Horry receives the ball immediately before punishing the Detroit Pistons’ uncharacteristic sin with a game-winning spot-up that rattles through. The 34-year-old made a case for being perhaps the second half’s most impactful contributor, erupting for 21 points, all post-halftime, alongside seven rebounds, two assists, and five trifectas. Matching a similarly-cerebral scorer on the opposing side shot-for-shot, Horry made the “Big Shot Bob” vs. “Mr. Big Shot” battle a can’t-miss, supplying everything from putbacks to catch-and-shoot triples, and even a poster jam that left behind an aching shoulder. A one-of-a-kind crunchtime talent, Horry’s efforts yielded title No. 6 in a seven-championship career, and a pivotal win on June 19, 2005.

Championship Year