30 best shots in NBA Playoffs history
By John Buhler
8. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s greatest Sky Hook versus Boston Celtics: 1974 NBA Finals, Game 6
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s game was technically sound, but never got the fans out of their seats. He was the most efficient low-post scorer in NBA history. His signature shot became known as the Sky Hook.
To this day, nobody has been able to dominate a game offensively with the hook shot like Adbul-Jabbar did with his. In his second to last year with the Milwaukee Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar sank the biggest shot of his NBA Playoffs career.
Milwaukee was playing the Boston Celtics in the 1974 NBA Finals. Game 6 went to double overtime and Celtics beloved sixth man John Havlicek made a jumper to put Boston up by one late. Abdul-Jabbar would get the in-bounds pass and make his signature Sky Hook over Boston’s Henry Finkel.
This would give Game 6 to the Bucks by a single point to force a win-or-go-home Game 7. Boston would go on to win the 1974 NBA Finals. Abdul-Jabbar would force a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975 in hopes to be better accommodated for his Islamic faith.
In Los Angeles, Abdul-Jabbar would join Magic Johnson and James Worthy, helping bring the Showtime Lakers five titles before retiring from the sport. Milwaukee has not had the same playoff success since Abdul-Jabbar left. They do have another guy that’s really good with a hard to spell name. Only time will tell what Giannis Antetokounmpo does for the Bucks.