Teach a man to dunk and he’ll put two points on the board; teach a man to fly and he’ll redefine the laws of physics. Eyeing up a gap in the Dallas Mavericks defense after a swing pass from teammate Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins blows past an aggressive close-out, bee-lines into the paint, then, closer to the free-throw line than basket, launches himself skyward to unfurl a hammer straight from the heavens. Wiggins, monumental in a commanding Game 3 victory, finished the May 22, 2022 contest with 27 points, 11 rebounds and an instantly iconic successful coach’s challenge.

Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins soars for towering slam on Luka Dončić in 2022 Conference Finals

Seeking to put away a top-tier defense in the playoffs on their home floor, you're going to need a scorer who mixes confidence, talent, and creativity. Look no further than Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum. With 1.4 left on the play clock and the Celtics holding an eight-point advantage late in the fourth, Tatum uses a nifty fake pivot and spin, creating enough space for him to rise up for a cold-blooded bucket over the outstretched arms of a Miami Heat defender. Tatum also made good on a past Boston Celtics all-time great forward, becoming the first-ever Larry Bird Eastern Conference MVP winner, with 26 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, four triples and two blocks in a series-clinching 100-96 victory on May 29, 2022.

Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum buries turnaround fadeaway down stretch in 2022 Conference Finals

Make no mistake, Steph Curry can get it done from anywhere on the court. Identifying a gap in the Dallas Mavericks zone, Curry carves his way straight to the rim, slicing through the paint and finishing through his defender with a clutch up-and-under finger roll off glass. After the whistle, Curry beats his chest in triumph with long-time running mate Klay Thompson. Curry led the Golden State Warriors in the Game 1 victory on May 20, 2022 with 32 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Steph Curry

Steph Curry hits the deck after acrobatic up-and-under in 2022 Conference Finals

When two-way star Jaylen Brown gets a head of steam to the basket, defenses across the league would be smart to heed the advice of the commentators that night: “Nobody moves, nobody gets hurt.” Eyeing a chance to put the finishing touches on a dominant, 93-80 road win in Game 5, Brown finds a free lane to the rim and flies out of a cannon for an explosive one-handed jam. Helping get his team within one game of the NBA Finals, Brown poured in 25 points, five three-pointers, four rebounds, one steal and one block on May 25, 2022. 

Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown launches for an off-balance throwdown in 2022 Conference Finals

In the pursuit of his first championship, Al Horford has fulfilled almost every role possible for the Boston Celtics. Showing no mercy with his team up 27 in Game 4, the multifaceted big man defends along the perimeter, keeping just enough pace with a slashing Miami Heat guard, before sending his reverse layup into the first row with a crowd-rocking block. The five-time All-Star needed only two shots to put an imprint on the 102-82 victory to tie the series, with five points, 13 rebounds, three assists and four blocks on May 23, 2022.

Al Horford

Al Horford spikes a shot attempt out of bounds in 2022 Conference Finals

Whether it’s in the paint among the giants or along the perimeter against shooters, when it’s postseason basketball, few can quarterback a defense the way Draymond Green can. Setting the tone for a dominant defensive effort in Game 1, the former Defensive Player of the Year shows both athleticism and smarts, flying from one side of the court to the deep corner, blocking away a Dallas Mavericks three-point attempt, helping the Golden State Warriors open a 10-point first-quarter lead. Green’s box score was predictably versatile, with 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block in a sizable win on May 18, 2022.

Draymond Green

Draymond Green blitzes corner for closeout block in 2022 Conference Finals

NBA superstars dominate the game, legends change it. Scorching in the midst of a legacy-defining playoff series, Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry keeps his foot on the gas in a decisive Game 6 matchup on June 16, 2022. With the Boston Celtics on their heels in a pivotal third quarter, Curry sprints down the court to free up a sliver of airspace then pulls up for a soul-crushing deep triple just seconds into the shot clock. In the contest, Curry racked up 34 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, the first Finals MVP of his illustrious career, and a fourth ring that he knows just what to do with.

Steph Curry points to ring finger in title-clinching 2022 Finals matchup

Even when you’ve covered Steph Curry perfectly, sometimes, you still haven’t defended him well enough. With his eyes set on a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals, the former multi-time Most Valuable Player moves just enough out of a Dallas Mavericks defender’s line of sight, faking a dribble handoff and drifting to the left corner for a signature triple, walking off before the shot hits the net. Curry was in playoff mode in the 109-100 win on May 22, 2022, with 31 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and five three-pointers.

Steph Curry fires lookaway triple from corner in 2022 Conference Finals

History hits different at home. Embattled in a heated Game 1 matchup against a Brooklyn Nets team once considered a title favorite, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum sent the loudest conceivable message to the basketball world watching, capping off an instant-classic display of ball movement with a game-winning, spinning layup off glass just as the final horn sounded on April 17, 2022. Tatum’s late bucket marks Boston’s first game-winning playoff buzzer beater on home soil in the franchise’s 75-year history.

Jayson Tatum beats Nets with game-winning layup in first game of 2022 Playoffs

Give and you shall receive, or such was the case for Gary Payton II, who happened to be in position for the biggest shot of his professional career in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the First Round. Following a series of extra passes, Payton finds himself open with the ball, then stabilizes for a three-pointer that extends the Golden State Warriors’ lead to five, effectively sealing the series over the Denver Nuggets. Payton was dependable and excellent, with 15 points on six-of-eight shooting and three triples in a 102-98 victory on April 27, 2022.

Gary Payton II

Gary Payton II triple helps clinch series victory in 2022 Playoffs

Clutch buckets are a signature of the Brothers Splash. Held close down the stretch in Game 3 of a first-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole catches his opponent out of position, drives hard to the rack for a late-bucket and caps off the drive with an unforgettable acrobatic layup. The breakout third-year star finished the April 21, 2022 contest with 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Jordan Poole

Jordan Poole buries acrobatic layup in clutch 2022 Playoff victory

Three of the scariest words a defense can hear heading into a must-win playoff game? Game 6 Klay. In search of a season-extending win without their All-Star, the Memphis Grizzlies took to the road unaware that Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson was about to piece together another signature performance. Up by 10 points with three minutes to go and in need of a dagger, Thompson benefits from a teammate’s rebound and pass, squaring himself up to deliver a three-point nail in the coffin to send the crowd into a frenzy and his team to the Western Conference Finals. Thompson finished his May 13, 2022 masterpiece with 30 points, eight three-pointers, eight rebounds and three blocks in a 110-96 triumph.

Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson blows roof off Chase Center with Game 6 triple in 2022 Playoffs

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Andrew Wiggins

Jayson Tatum

Steph Curry

Jaylen Brown

Al Horford

Draymond Green

Steph Curry

Steph Curry

Jayson Tatum

Gary Payton II

Jordan Poole

Klay Thompson