Top 5 Memorable NBA Moments

5. Kevin Durant Scores 66 Points At Rucker Park
Now I know this really doesn't have anything to do with the NBA, and it happened when the NBA was locked out, but Kevin Druant's 66 points at the historic Rucker Park immortalizes him in the basketball city of New York in a way many NBA greats haven't.

Street ball at Rucker Park is like a live encyclopedia of legends. When guys go to Rucker and tear it up, they might not make their name known in the world ranks, but they do in New York, and that's special. Durant took a unfortunate situation and turned it in his favor by stepping into a high profile street ball game and dropping 66 points, etching his name deep into the famous concrete at that New York City park. KD35 adds this game to his NBA lore that grows every time he scores 40 or puts a defender on a poster.

Most NBA fans are going to forget about this game because, A, it doesn't count and B, because there are lackadaisical rules on defense in that league. I'm sorry but 66 points is 66 points, and Kevin Durant was as focused in this game as he has been in any NBA game he plays. Once again, KD's competitive nature was on display here and it was beautiful to see. Durant was not messing around during the lockout, and I give him serious credit for going out there and putting his name into the legend category down in Rucker Park.


4. David Stern Vetoes Chris Paul Trade To Lakers
I don't care if David Stern was acting as the "owner" of the Hornets organization when he vetoed the Chris Paul to the Lakers, he created a tyrannical precedent, and it ultimately became a disaster.

Many of the league's smaller market owners were up in arms that another superstar was bullying his way out of his team and that remains the sole reason that Stern said "no." I'm not sure the trade was that much worse than the offer the Clippers gave for Paul, but it didn't matter to Stern. He knew that another smaller-market was going to come along and offer for CP3 and he got what he wanted. But in the process, he left Kobe, and the rest of the NBA players shocked. Who says David Stern has the right to dictate which teams can improve or not? He might have destroyed the Lakers franchise's future, and forced them to rebuild even more intensely than they would have to with the addition of Chris Paul.

After the debacle that was the NBA lockout, Stern villainized himself ten fold by allowing a trade to be vetoed. Why didn't he veto the Pao Gasol trade in 2008? Or the Carmelo trade last season? Well, that's because he doesn't have the right to step in with an iron fist. Both of those trades have worked out for all four teams. The Lakers have two titles and the Knicks are seriously relevant again, while the Grizzlies are now a Western Conference contender and so are the deep Denver Nuggets. The Clippers were going to be just fine building around Blake Griffin, and I understand they got immensely better by adding Chris Paul, but it seems like the Lakers age and contract situations might have them spiral out of control without CP3.

3. Carmelo Anthony Allows New York To Dream Championship
Yes, the New York Knicks did give up a lot to get Carmelo Anthony. Yes, the Knicks were actually worse after they got 'Melo than before. Yes, they were swept in the first round by the Celtics earlier this year. But the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony allowed the Knicks to dream big, and with the moves they made this offseason the Knicks are a piece away from being a full-on contender.

Carmelo bullied his way out of Denver to his preferred destination in New York. He forced the Knicks to give a lot to get him, but for good reason. The Knicks started off with a memorable win against Miami in Carmelo's third game, and he truly had Knicks fans buzzing. But the team went through some growing pains with their new superstar acquisition that forced them to come down to earth. Once the Knicks became comfortable with 'Melo they finished the season 7-2, and were looking to win at least a their first round series vs. the Celtics. But, injuries plagued the Knicks as Billups and Stoudemire couldn't stay healthy and the Knicks were swept by the Celtics. Yet, Carmelo almost willed the Knicks to an amazing victory in Game 2 of the series when he scored 42 points, 17 rebounds and 6 assists.

Anthony's mère présence transforms the Knicks from a playoff team to a deep-run playoff team. When he is focused, Anthony can be among the most complete players in the game. Contrary to popular belief, Camrelo can rebound and play defense, when he wants too and if his words this preseason are any indication to his attitude this season, we're going to watch Carmelo put up a MVP-calibur season. Mark my words.

2. NBA Lockout Ends
Unlike the NFL lockout, no one in the world really thought basketball was going to return. The summer lockout dragged on into the winter, with the owners and players attacking each other like children. The players taking a black man vs. white man stance, while the owners just felt incredibly greedy. No side was favored, and neither side's leader, Billy Hunter or David Stern, had any idea how to quell this anger.

At one point in October it looked like the two had a deal brewing, but of course like we all predicted, it fell about and disaster continued. But then, on Black Friday, the NBA and NBAPA came to a miraculous deal after about 13 hours of intense discussion. The deal was announced at about 4 AM, which was about as surprising as the fact the deal was actually completed. 66 game-compromise later and we magically have an NBA season.

1. Lebron and The Heat Lose In The Finals
The most hated man in sports didn't get what he wanted and America rejoiced. However, what really made Lebron losing in the Finals, was his fourth quarter play. Lebron, dominate for most of three quarters in every game, seemingly disappeared in the fourth, helping him become the butt of every 3/4ths joke in the history of the world.

After the Finals Lebron snapped at all of his haters, saying that "They have to go back to their lives and I have to go back to mine." Basically saying, "y'all can suck it cause I BILLS playing basketball." Sorry Lebron, America won and you lost, plain and simple.