Baller Alert’s Decade-In-Review: Top NBA Moments Of The Decade 

As the decade comes to a close, Baller Alert takes a look at a few major moments in the NBA over the last 10 years. 

1. Kobe Bryant retires in 2016 – After a 20-year career, entirely spent playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant retired from basketball in 2016. He won five championships during his career (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010).

2. Miami Heat win back to back championships – In 2012 and 2013, the Miami Heat took the victory during the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.

3. Lebron assists in winning 1st championship for Cleveland – After returning home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he began his career in 2014, Lebron James helped the Cavs achieve their first NBA Championship title in 2016 taking down the Golden State Warriors.

4. Toronto Raptors Win first-ever championship – In 2019, the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Finals in game 6, defeating the Golden State Warriors 114-110.

5. The Warriors and Cavs faceoff In The Finals four times – The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers compete against each other in the NBA Finals four times in a row from 2015-2018. The Warriors won three of the four titles (2015, 2017, 2018).

6. Cavs 3-1 comeback in the Finals – In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers became the first to ever, to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals and became the fourth team ever to come back from a 2-0 deficit. 

7. Lebron James makes history with triple-double – Lebron James made history during the LA Lakers vs. the OKC Thunder when he became the first player in the NBA to produce a triple-double against each of the 30 teams in the league. Following the game, James spoke out about the huge accomplishment stating, “I really don’t know what to think about it, to be honest. I’ve had some great teammates and great coaches to put me in a position to be able to facilitate. My teammates have made shots for me throughout my career. Coaches have put me in a position to be successful scoring the ball,” he added. Russell Westbrook is trailing right at no. 2 behind Lebron James with having produced triple-doubles against 29/30 NBA teams. 

8. Russell Westbrook makes history with 20-20-20 in a single game – Russell Westbrook made history ‪on April 2‬ during the OKC Thunder victory against the LA Lakers (119-103) when he joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in the NBA to reach or surpass 20 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in a single game. Westbrook dedicated the huge feat to the late rapper Nipsey Hussle after he was shot and killed at the end of March. 

9. Warriors sign Kevin Durant – Kevin Durant made headlines when he signed a $54.3 million contract with the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

10. Lebron James to the Lakers – Lebron James signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, making it the first West Conference teams James has played for after playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, which are both Eastern Conference teams.

11. Ray Allen’s Amazing 3-pointer game-tying basket – While down three in the final moments of the game, Ray Allen of the Miami Heat at the time, tied the game after making a three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left on the clock in Game 6 of the finals in 2013. The Heat went on to win the game in overtime and win Game 7, making it its second straight championship. Ray Allen retired in 2014.

12. The Golden State Warriors play in the finals five years in a row – The Golden State Warriors have played in the NBA Finals for the last five years in a row, playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers four times in a row (2015-2018) and the Toronto Raptors once (2019). They have won three out of four games against Cavaliers and lost their match against the Raptors.

13. The Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry makes history against the Indiana Pacers – Guard Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors made history in January 2019 after hitting 200 threes for the seventh consecutive season in his game against the Indiana Pacers.

Share some of your favorite NBA moments in the comments.