Mad Dog Chris Russo is always good for a hot take, and some are so hot it makes you wonder if he even believes what he is saying.
On a recent episode of First Take, Mad Dog got the fans riled up when he revealed his list of the top five shots in the history of basketball that featured some egregious omissions.
Russo’s top five list included Don Nelson’s shot in Game 7 to secure the 1969 NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics at No. 5, Kyrie Irving’s three at the end of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals at No. 4., Magic Johnson’s baby hook in Game 4 of the 1987 Finals at No. 3, Lorenzo Charles’ dunk to win NC State the NCAA tournament in 1983 at No. 2, and Michael Jordan’s game-winning jumper in 1982 against Georgetown and Patrick Ewing at No. 1 as the best shot in basketball history.
.@MadDogUnleashed‘s top shots in men’s basketball history 👀 pic.twitter.com/fWyCTZWru1
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 14, 2024
There is a lot to unpack here.
First of all, taking Jordan’s shot against Georgetown over his game-winner in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz to win the 1998 NBA Finals is certainly a take.
Russo’s list feels way too “back in my day,” with four of the five shots on this list taking place before 1987.
There are a number of shots you could debate over a few of his choices, but one that feels almost indisputable is Ray Allen’s three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals that saved the series for the Miami Heat and altered the course of history.
Since Russo included shots from college basketball, to not include Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beater to win the 2016 NCAA title is blasphemy.
Do fans really think about Don Nelson’s shot in 1969 more than Ray Allen’s three?
In the words of the great Charles Barkley, “come on, man.”
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