No NBA Finals series had gone to a decisive Game 7 since 1994, something the NBA were desperate to see rectified. Higher-ups would probably have preferred a pair of marquee teams such as the Chicago Bulls or LA Lakers to go the distance - instead we got a defensive clash between two of the most infamously hard-nosed teams in the league. This is perhaps the most opinion-dividing series on the list, with purists admiring its physical, fundamentally-sound play and emphasis on teamwork. Many, however, disliked its relatively slow pace and low-scoring. Game 5 put all these debates to bed, however, as 'Big Shot' Robert Horry continued to live up to his moniker with a ridiculous display of clutch shooting - including the game winning three pointer in overtime, of course. The Spurs' win galvanised the legacies of existing stars such as Duncan, Ginobili, Bowen and Coach Popovic, while moving Horry level with Michael Jordan's six championship rings (an incredible feat for a man often seen as little more than a glorified role player, albeit one with a knack of draining the most nerve-racking of shots). He would go on to surpass MJ's total two short years later.
