By this definition, Paul Pierce is the most clutch player in NBA history — and another Boston Celtic makes a surprise showing in the top five.
Could a Boston Celtic actually have beaten out Michael Jordan as the most clutch player in league history?
It depends on how you define that quality — was Michael Jordan’s pass to hit an open Steve Kerr to sink the game-winner in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals clutch? Had he taken it himself and missed, league history could be very different.
We all know The Truth is among the league’s most lethal late-clock players ever, but it might come to as a surprise to know he was the most clutch player in NBA history among players who either hit a buzzer-beater, or assisted one.
Our sister site HoopsHype put together a comprehensive list of such players, and legendary Celtics forward Paul Pierce was at the top of the list of the league’s most clutch players in history when taking into account not only clutch last-second shots but the assists that made them possible.
While the usual suspects are clustered near the top as might be expected, there’s at least one other former Celtic who might surprise — so let’s take a look.
The Brooklyn Nets narrowly got past the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs.
With the NBA on hiatus and New York continuing its battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak, Brooklyn Nets games will not be played for the foreseeable future.
For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.
Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight impressive individual performances and major moments throughout Nets history:
After falling behind 3-2 in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs, the Brooklyn Nets managed to force a Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors on May 4. The final matchup went down to the wire as the Raptors had a chance to win the series on the final possession with Brooklyn holding a 104-103 advantage.
But as Kyle Lowry drove to the basket, Paul Pierce played rim protector to give the Nets’ the big win (full box score).
Pierce also finished with 10 points, though it was Joe Johnson who led the Nets with 26 points along with Marcus Thornton (17).
Deron Williams (13 points) and Shaun Livingston (10) also finished in double figures, as did Kevin Garnett in both points (12) and rebounds (11).
The Nets franchise has featured some impressive shooting guards through the years, including a hall of famer, and other soon-to-be.
In this new era of positionless basketball, shooting guards have fallen in a strange middle ground. Of course, “guard” is in the position’s title, but some shooting guards are closer to being small forwards than combo guards.
For instance, Joe Harris is a shooting guard, but he’s certainly not bringing the ball up the floor. Yet fellow Brooklyn Nets off-guard Caris LeVert could also play ball-handler as needed or even roll up to the three.
Those two both came to Brooklyn in 2016-17 and have put together some impressive work. But have they secured a seat among the franchise’s best shooting guards of all time? Nets Wire examined the point guards to wear a Brooklyn or New Jersey uniform through the years and selected the five best:
5. Joe Johnson
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso – USA TODAY Sports
Nets Stats: 14.7 PPG | 37.8 3-PT% | 3.4 APG
Johnson could have also fallen under the category of small forward, but his game fits in better with shooting guards.
That’s because Iso Joe was about one thing above all else: buckets.
Johnson’s highest scoring average over his four-year Nets career was 16.3 points per game — his first season in Brooklyn. But it was the next year that he was named an NBA All-Star, and shot 40.1% from 3-point territory.
Up until April 8, 2014, no NBA team had swept LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s Miami Heat in a single season.
With the NBA on hiatus and New York continuing its battle against the novel coronavirus outbreak, Brooklyn Nets games will not be played for the foreseeable future.
For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.
Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight impressive individual performances and major moments throughout Nets history:
LeBron James started his Miami Heat career in 2010-11. Through his first three seasons on South Beach, not one team swept James’ Heat in a four-game season series.
It wasn’t until April 8, 2014, that the Brooklyn Nets accomplished the feat, winning 88-87 in Miami (full box score).
Joe Johnson led the Nets with 19 points, while Marcus Thornton scored 14 off the bench and Paul Pierce scored 14.
Brooklyn’s starting lineup in the win was Johnson, Pierce, Deron Williams, Mason Plumlee and Shaun Livingston.
Former Brooklyn Nets wing Joe Johnson is one of the most talented scorers of his era.
Like all good scorers, Joe Johnson had a methodical and purposeful cadence to his dribble.
Johnson was going to get to his spots more times than not because of that steady dribble. Aptly nicknamed “Iso Joe,” Johnson is one of the most talented scorers of his generation. He is one of 46 players in the 20,000-point club, ranking 43rd in NBA history for career points (20,405).
He played 17 NBA seasons, and though his best years were with the Atlanta Hawks, Johnson maintained his scoring ability with the Brooklyn Nets.
Johnson started his career with the Nets in 2012, as he was traded to the team from the Hawks before the 2012-13 season.
During his tenure in Brooklyn, Johnson displayed his scoring prowess, averaging 14.7 points per game and shooting 37.8% from the 3-point line.
A seven-time All-Star, Johnson earned one of his All-Star appearances during the 2013-14 season, his second with the Nets. That season he scored 15.8 points per game and shot 40.1% from the 3-point line, the third-highest percentage of his career.
The rhythm Johnson played with was necessary for his success as a scorer. A quality shooter, he could make shots from deep. He could drive to the hoop and finish at the rim.
One of his biggest assets was his ability to score in the midrange. According to Basketball Reference, Johnson shot 42.7% on shots 10-16 from the hoop during his career.
Will the Big3 Quarantine Tournament finally give us a Joe Johnson/Paul Pierce rematch? 👀 pic.twitter.com/aDpQRjOejk
Johnson experienced more team success with the Hawks, going to the playoffs five times with the franchise. While with the Nets, he went to the playoffs three times. He made it as far as the second round in 2014, as the Nets lost to the Miami Heat in five games.
Johnson averaged a playoff career-high during that postseason, scoring 21.2 points per game and shooting 41.5% from deep. He shot a playoff career-high 53.3% from the field.
Though he finished his NBA career ringless, Johnson had a remarkable second act with Ice Cube’s Big 3 league. As the leader of the Triplets, Johnson won a Big 3 championship in 2019. During that season, Johnson averaged a league-high 21.9 points per game.
FLASHBACK💥
2019 BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson with the game winner in the championship game against Killer 3’s.
As one of the top scorers of his era, Johnson has a resume that could lead him to the Hall of Fame. He averaged at least 20 points a game for five straight seasons, and he also ranks sixth on the Hawks’ all-time leading scorers list.
Johnson will always be remembered as “Iso Joe,” the player who could get a bucket in seemingly any situation.
After the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline, the focus of basketball transaction rumors often shifts to the potential buyout market for contenders.
After the 2020 NBA trade deadline, the focus of basketball transaction rumors often shifts to the potential buyout market for contenders.
As noted by our own Frank Urbina, the buyout market “might actually be more interesting” than previously expected. While we recently collected a list of potential candidates for a buyout, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that the last time a buyout addition played at least 100 playoff minutes for a team that won the title was in 2011. That would be Peja Stojakovic.
Aside from him, we broke down the biggest midseason free agency addition (via amnesty clause, buyout or otherwise) of the year each season since 2009-10.
2010: LARRY HUGHES, CHARLOTTE
(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
Near the end of his career, former NBA guard Larry Hughes was included in a deal that sent Tracy McGrady to the New York Knicks. After the move, he was waived by the Sacramento Kings and was subsequently picked up by the Charlotte Bobcats. He played 14 games with the franchise but made just two appearances in the starting lineup. Hughes scored just 8.1 points per game during the regular season. He played all four games for the team in the postseason, too, averaging 14.5 minutes per game. But he did not make much of an impact, scoring just 6.0 points per game.
2011: MIKE BIBBY, MIAMI
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
During his second-to-last season in the NBA, former NCAA champion Mike Bibby played for three different teams. He started the year with the Atlanta Hawks and was then moved to the Washington Wizards. After playing just two games, he and the organization agreed to a contract buyout and joined the Miami Heat. Bibby played 26.5 minutes per game for Miami, including 12 appearances in the starting lineup. The point guard connected on his personal-best 2.5 three-pointers per 36 minutes while shooting 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. He also started all 20 games during the playoffs for the Heat. However, Bibby averaged just 3.7 points and 1.2 assists per game during these contests.
2012: BORIS DIAW, SAN ANTONIO
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Among all of the midseason free agency additions during the 2010s, former first-round selection Boris Diaw perhaps made the largest impact during his time with the team that signed him. The forward was waived by the Charlotte Bobcats in March 2012. However, within two days, he was picked up by the San Antonio Spurs. He started in seven of 20 games for the Spurs in the regular season and then all 14 appearances for the team in the playoffs. During the postseason, he was 9-for-18 (50.0 percent) from the three-point line. Diaw, who was originally claimed in 2012, remained with San Antonio until 2016 (winning a title in 2013) and became one of the more consistent figures in their rotation.
2013: CHRIS ANDERSEN, MIAMI
(Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)
More famously known by his nickname Birdman, former NBA big man Chris Andersen was waived and amnestied by the Denver Nuggets in 2012 so that the franchise could avoid the dreaded luxury tax bill. After some push by head coach Erik Spoelstra, the Miami Heat signed the 6-foot-10 veteran. He played on two ten-day contracts before eventually getting a deal for the remainder of the season in 2012-13. He played in just over half of the games (42) for the team in that campaign, averaging 14.9 minutes off the bench. He helped Miami go on a 27-game win streak shortly after he was signed. But most notable was his performance in the postseason in which he made all 15 of his first field goal attempts in Game 1 through Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers. Overall, he shot a postseason-best 80.4 percent from the field en route to the Heat winning the title in 2013.
2014: DREW GOODEN, WASHINGTON
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Former NBA forward Drew Gooden signed a five-year, $32 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2010. However, he was waived by the team using an amnesty clause back in July 2013. Gooden was picked up by the Washington Wizards in February 2014. After two ten-day contracts, he was signed for the remainder of the season by the Wizards. Gooden played 18.0 minutes off the bench for Washington, scoring 8.3 points and grabbing 5.2 rebounds per game. After playing 10 contests in the postseason for the team, he signed a new deal with the Wizards and briefly became the starting power forward in 2014-15.
2015: AMARE STOUDEMIRE, DALLAS
(Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
Six-time NBA All-Star Amare Stoudemire was once a fixture for the New York Knicks. However, his role began to diminish during his final few years with the team. During his final 180 games with the Knicks, the big man was in the starting lineup just 50 times. He was waived by New York and was picked up by the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 10.8 points per game in 23 appearances during the regular season with his new team. The big then scored 7.8 points per game for Dallas during the playoffs.
2016: JOE JOHNSON, MIAMI
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Seven-time NBA All-Star wing Joe Johnson was a major pickup by the Brooklyn Nets in 2012. But the franchise began to change its identity during the offseason leading into the 2015-16 campaign, letting longtime point guard Deron Williams test the open market and eventually sign with the Dallas Mavericks. Johnson, who had previously scored a field goal in a record 937 straight games, did not score against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 10, 2016. He played just three more games with the Nets before his contract was bought out on February 25. Johnson was fantastic on the Heat, scoring 13.4 points per game during the regular season and 12.1 points per game in the postseason.
2017: DERON WILLIAMS, CLEVELAND
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Three-time NBA All-Star guard Deron Williams signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015. He re-signed with Dallas the following season, though Williams missed time with a toe injury. Williams was waived by the team in February 2017 and was then picked up by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Williams averaged 20.3 minutes per game in 24 appearances during the regular season for Cleveland. His best performance was a near-triple double in April, putting up 35 points with 7 rebounds and 9 assists. This ended up being his final year in the NBA, retiring after losing in the Finals to the Golden State Warriors.
2018: MARCO BELINELLI, PHILADELPHIA
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Former first-rounder Marco Belinelli signed with the Sacramento Kings in 2015 after winning the NBA championship and three-point contest with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2016 and then to the Atlanta Hawks in 2017. The wing was waived by Atlanta in February 2018 and then claimed by the Philadelphia 76ers. Belinelli then put up a career-high 13.6 points and 2.0 three-pointers per game. He then scored 25 points against the Miami Heat in the postseason. He also hit a game-tying buzzer-beater to send a game against the Boston Celtics to overtime.
2019 WESLEY MATTHEWS, INDIANA
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
After an impressive tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers from 2010 until 2015, Wesley Matthews signed a four-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. He was traded to the New York Knicks, where he played just two games for the team before he was waived in February 2019. Matthews was picked up by the Indiana Pacers, then connecting on six three-pointers against the New Orleans Pelicans later in the month. He played 31.5 minutes per game in his 23 appearances during the regular season, starting in each contest. Matthews also started all four games he played in the postseason for Indiana.
HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report
Joe Harris passed Joe Johnson on the Nets’ all-time 3-pointers made list. Up next: Vince Carter.
Joe Harris couldn’t buy a bucket from inside the arc throughout his eight-point performance in Nets’ 117-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. However, the Brooklyn sharpshooter was efficient from deep, finishing 2-for-3 (0-for-6 on 2-point attempts).
And one of those 3-pointers was slightly more significant than the other. Not because of when Harris hit his threes — it had nothing to do with the game itself.
The first 3-pointer Harris made in the win was the 517th he has made in a Nets uniform. With the make, he broke the tie he had with Joe Johnson (516) at No. 4 on the franchise’s all-time 3-pointers made list.
There are now only three players ahead of Harris on the all-time list. Vince Carter is third all-time with 638 3-pointers made. Kerry Kittles is No. 2 at 687 and Jason Kidd is the franchise’s all-time leader with 813 3-pointers made.
But all those players did it in New Jersey. Which means, in passing Johnson, Harris has now made more 3-pointers than anyone who’s played for the Nets since their move to Brooklyn.
