It takes a special defender to take on the opposition’s No. 1 scorer each night and still find time to roam as an elite help defender as well. In pursuit of a second NBA championship in as many years, Miami Heat forward P.J. Tucker proved he could be that guy, finding a way to contest three shots in 10 seconds. Tucker starts by rotating up to defend a floater against a Boston Celtics big, then follows it up by blocking a putback attempt. Tucker completes a trifecta, stripping the ball away on a drive attempt, helping the Heat keep their lead in double-figures late in the third quarter. By game’s end, he’d found time to chip in 17 points, seven rebounds, three steals, three triples and a block in the 109-103 victory to take a 2-1 series edge on May 21, 2022. 

P.J. Tucker

P.J. Tucker disrupts trio of shots in one 2022 Conference Finals possession

In search of an elusive championship ring, it’s never too late to reach new career-highs. In playoff game No. 132 of his career, Boston Celtics veteran Al Horford turned back the clock in every way, taking advantage of a hard close-out from the Milwaukee Bucks defense on the way to a violent, crowd-quieting contact jam. Horford, in his 25th-ever postseason series, had a playoff career-high 30 points including 16 on a perfect six-of-six in a wild fourth-quarter comeback to power a 116-108 win on May 9, 2022. 

Al Horford

Al Horford blows past, dunks over Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2022 Playoffs

Rookies aren’t expected to make a big impact in the playoffs but it’s clear Jose Alvarado had other plans. Using his viral sneak-steal, the undersized menace preys on one of the NBA’s greatest floor generals with an incredible defensive play, leading to an easy score the other way. The play helped halt any comeback attempt from the Phoenix Suns, as the Pelicans marched to a 118-103 win to even the First Round series up at 2-2. Alvarado chipped in five points, two rebounds and a pair of key fourth-quarter swipes on April 24, 2022.

Jose Alvarado

Jose Alvarado camps out, picks Chris Paul's pocket in 2022 Playoffs

On a team full of tough shot makers, it always helps to have an ambitious rebounder chasing the rock off the glass. For the Memphis Grizzlies, Brandon Clarke has proven to be that guy. With Memphis trailing 106-104 with one minute to go, and in danger of falling into a 3-2 series hole, Clarke sets himself up for the game’s biggest rebound, tipping the ball out for a teammate to drain an ice-cold bucket. Hustle plays proved crucial in helping Memphis erase a 13-point fourth quarter deficit, and Clarke had them in abundance with 21 points and 15 rebounds on April 26, 2022.

Brandon Clarke

Brandon Clarke tips board out to perimeter for clutch triple in 2022 Playoff win

In a series-opening defensive slugfest that featured 20 combined blocks, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics forced one another to think twice before taking a shot at the rim. Few did it as demonstratively as Daniel Theis. Dropping back to the rim to defend a pick-and-roll, Theis shows off both incredible timing and athleticism, spinning just in time to meet his check at the summit, sending an aggressive dunk attempt in the other direction. The Celtics were unable to make the most of the highlight rejection, falling 118-107 in Game 1 on May 17, 2022, though Theis provided key energy off the bench with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and one block.

Daniel Theis

Daniel Theis breaks up poster with audacious block in 2022 Conference Finals

As plenty of NBA teams have learned over the years, when one Golden State Warriors shooter starts to heat up, the fire tends to spread. Helping his team erase a double-digit third-quarter deficit, Otto Porter Jr. shows up with his number called, providing a desperation outlet for a teammate before raising up for a contested three-pointer against a stingy Boston Celtics defense. The off-balance bucket helped the Warriors roar back in a hard-fought game, cutting a 13-point deficit to just two. Porter contributed six points, four assists and two three-pointers in Game 3 on June 8, 2022.

Otto Porter Jr.

Otto Porter Jr. drains off-balance triple in 2022 Finals

With a chance to push his squad’s third-quarter lead to double figures, you know Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker wasn't going to miss. Working in sync with his teammates’ defense, the All-Star guard takes the ball in transition, slowing to read the defense before rising up for a crowd-rocking three-pointer. This proved to be one of the highlights of the Suns’ 33-14 third-quarter run, guiding them to a 110-80 win over the Dallas Mavericks on May 10, 2022. Booker led the way with 28 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Devin Booker

Devin Booker pulls up for transition triple in 2022 Playoffs

The NBA playoffs call for greatness. Jimmy Butler answers. Scorching down the stretch in a hard-fought Game 2 battle against the Atlanta Hawks, the Miami Heat swingman pulls up for the smoothest dagger this side of the Bronze Age. Butler’s deep fallaway triple helped put the game out of reach for his ball club, giving him 45 points on the night and a critical victory on April 19, 2022.

Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler drains fallaway dagger in midst of 45-point night in 2022 Playoffs

As the old basketball adage goes, a Game 7 is much easier when you have a player capable of being the best player on the floor. Seeking to stretch out a 30-point lead against the defending Western Conference champions, Dallas Mavericks star forward Luka Dončić took that to a different level, getting a pick-and-roll switch and using a between-the-legs dribble to put a Phoenix Suns defender on the floor before draining a three-pointer. Dončić was on a mission from the opening tip, outscoring the entire Suns team in the first half on the way to 35 points, 10 rebounds, six triples and four assists. This helped push the Mavericks to a 123-90 win in enemy territory and Dončić’s first-ever Western Conference Finals appearance on May 15, 2022.

Luka Dončić

Luka Dončić floors defender in series-clinching blowout in 2022 Playoffs

When in a battle with the reigning NBA champions, you’ve got to be prepared to reach deep into your bag of tricks. Knowing that a run from the Milwaukee Bucks could come at any moment, Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vučević keeps the pedal down, using a pick-and-roll to create a path to the rim before breaking out a silky-smooth spin, pump fake, and step-through combination to sidetrack the Bucks’ frontcourt on the way to a finish at the rim. Vučević played a key role in the 114-110 win in Game 2 of the First Round on April 20, 2022, adding 24 points, 13 rebounds and four three-pointers to help even the series at one apiece.

Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vučević flashes footwork in 2022 Playoff victory

OG Anunoby has steadily improved over the course of each of his five years in the league and we saw that come to life in the Toronto Raptors’ First Round series with the Philadelphia 76ers. Up 12 points late in Game 5 with momentum on his side, Anunoby sets up for the dagger, rejecting a ball screen before taking off down the right side and dropping the sledgehammer on the way to a 103-88 victory. Anunoby was versatile in the series and the win, with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists on April 25, 2022.

OG Anunoby

OG Anunoby penetrates through paint for one-handed slam in 2022 Playoff win

Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson has earned a reputation as one of the league’s most feared three-point snipers but give him a free runway to the rim and he’s got no problem breaking out his poster dunk-worthy 36-inch vertical. Holding a seven-point lead with two minutes remaining against a gritty New Orleans Pelicans team, Johnson attacks downhill, using a pick to clear a path before rising up for an emphatic one-handed slam to put the game on ice. Johnson showed his versatility in the 112-97 win in Game 5 of the First Round on April 26, 2022, with eight points, nine rebounds and five assists, helping the Suns move to a 3-2 series lead.

Cameron Johnson

Cameron Johnson heads straight to the rack for late dunk in 2022 Playoff win

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