Ranking OG Anunoby's Tip Among the Top-20 Plays in NY Sports History

OG Anunoby's heroic tip-in will go down as one of the greatest buckets in NBA history.

While Anunoby’s game-winner will live on forever, it’s interesting debating where the play ranks in New York sports history. I’m talking one singular bucket, swing, catch or goal. That eliminates quite a few special moments, including Willis Reed coming out of the tunnel in Game 7 against the Lakers.

This is why I’m leaving out Reggie Jackson’s three consecutive homer game in the 1977 World Series and the guarantees made by Joe Namath and Mark Messier. I’m going to try my hand at the top 20 sports plays this City has ever seen.

1. Billy Martin’s 1953 World Series Walk-off Hit Against the Brooklyn Dodgers

Almost nobody around these days was there for it. But Martin's base knock cemented the Yankees unprecedented fifth consecutive title and another over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

2. Bobby Nystrom’s 1980 Stanley Cup winning goal in overtime

While Martin’s hit continued the Yankees dominance, the Nystrom goal quite literally started a dynasty on Long Island and secured the franchise's first of four consecutive Stanley Cups.

3. David Tyree's Helmet Catch

Tyree's 32-year reception over Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison in the final two minutes of Super Bowl XLII kept alive a game-winning drive that spoiled the undefeated season of the New England Patriots.

4. Mookie Wilson's slow roller

As the great Vin Scully said in the aftermath, the Mets are not only alive, they are well and will play the Red Sox in Game 7 tomorrow. The game-winning infield grounder went under Bill Buckner's glove in the 10th inning of Game 6 and the rest is history.

5. Anunoby’s NBA Finals Game 4 tip

Unfair or not, the shot’s significance hinges upon the Knicks closing the deal.

6. Jim Leyritz home run in game five of the 1996 World Series

Down by three runs in the eighth, with runners on first and third with one out, Leyritz's blast off Mark Wohlers tied the game in the eighth inning and eventually helped catapult the dynasty years.

7. Mario Manningham's fourth-quarter catch in the 2012 Super Bowl

With the Giants starting from their own 12-yard line down 17-15 to the Patriots with just 3:46 left and one timeout, Manningham's first-down sideline grab of 38-yards set up the Giants' fourth Super Bowl trophy.

8. Stefan Matteau’s overtime winner in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals

His second double-overtime goal of the series sent the Rangers on their way to their first and only Stanley Cup since 1940.

9. Bucky Dent's homer in Fenway

This was technically a regular season homer during the AL East tiebreaker game between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The light-hitting shortstop's dramatic three-run homer over the Green Monster in the seventh inning, secured a 5-4 victory for the Yankees en route to the team's 1978 title.

10. Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard Round the World

The three-run blast in the bottom of the ninth inning off of Brooklyn's Ralph Branca secured the National League pennant for the Giants. They went on to loss to the Yankees in six games.

11. Luis Sojo's Subway Series Clincher

Sojo's single up the middle in the top of the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2000 Subway Series doesn't have the sex appeal like most other's on this list. His base hit off New York Mets pitcher Al Leiter broke a 2-2 tie, ultimately sealing a 4-2 victory and New York's third consecutive championship.

12. The over the shoulder catch from Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series

The grab in Game 1 is widely considered the greatest defensive play in baseball history. Running at full speed with his back to home plate, Mays made a blind over-the-shoulder snag. The Giants would go on to sweep Cleveland.

13. The trio of clutch Yankees homers during the 2001 World Series

Jeter's walk-off shot in Game 4 came just after midnight on November 1, 2001, off Byung-Hyun Kim, gave the Yankees a 4-3 victory and earned the legendary nickname Mr. November. This was set up by Tino Martinez's game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the 9th.

A few night's later, Brosius hit his own dramatic, game-tying two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 5 off Kim. The blast forced extra innings and set up Alfonso Soriano's walk-off hit in extras, but the Yankees lost the series in heart-breaking fashion in Game 7.

14. Chris Chambliss sending the Yankees to the 1976 World Series

In the deciding Game 5 of the 1976 American League Championship series against Kansas City, the walk-off blast sent the Yankees back to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1964 and fans famously swarming the field. The Yankees eventually lost to the Big Red Machine in four games.

15. Aaron Boone’s 2003 ALCS series ending homer

Boone's dramatic, series-clinching walk-off home run in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship against Boston sent the Yankees to their sixth World Series in eight years. They would go on to lose to the Marlins in five games.

16. Mike Piazza’s 9/11 return game homer

This is in a category of itself. In the first major sporting event in New York City following the terror attacks, Piazza's eighth inning homer against the Braves lifted the city and the Mets to a 3-2 win over the Braves.

17. Johnson’s 4-point play in the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals

Johnson's famous four-point play occurred during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and Indiana Pacers. With the team trailing 91-88 with 11.9 seconds left, Johnson tied the game while drawing a foul. He sank the subsequent free throw to secure a 92-91 victory.

18. Babe Ruth’s called shot in the 1932 World Series

There's some controversy about the Bambino pointing to Center Field before hitting a fifth inning blast in Game 3 in Wrigley. The Yankees would go on the sweep the Cubs.

19. Scott Brosius's 1998 Game 3 World Series homer

The third baseman's go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning off superstar closer Trevor Hoffman, gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead in a series they would go on to sweep.

20. Allan Houston's series clinching runner against Miami

Houston's buzzer beater lifted the No. 8 seeded Knicks past the No. 1 seed Miami Heat in Game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

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