For Phil Jackson, here are the final two minutes and change of game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals between his Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bulls finished their 25th season by winning their first ever NBA title with a 108-101 victory over the Lakers (Jackson's future employer!) in what was Magic Johnson's last significant game as a Laker. John Paxson scored 10 points down the stretch to preserve the victory. As it turned out, Jackson and the Bulls were just getting started; he would add eight more (so far) titles to this one, tying Red Auerbach for the most all-time by a coach.

In lieu of a decent clip of Byron Scott as a player or a coach (the only decent coach one was when his Nets blew a big lead in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals against Boston; I want to be complimentary!), I went with something completely different. Here is a pre-game interview conducted by the Los Angeles Lakers' local network from Feburary 19, 1988 by the legendary Chick Hearn with Scott. During the 1987-88 season, Scott averaged a career-best 21.7 PPG, but wasn't selected to the All-Star team by his own coach, Pat Riley (Scott was passed over in favor of Alvin Robertson of the Spurs and Clyde Drexler of the Trail Blazers). But this is a good interview!

In tribute to Larry Brown, here is the end of overtime in game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Brown's Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers entered this game undefeated (11-0) in the playoffs, and many people predicted a sweep. But Allen Iverson went off, scoring 48 points (check out the now-famous jumper and step-over of Tyronn Lue!) and leading Philadelphia to a stunning 107-101 OT win. The Lakers soon regrouped, however, and won the next four games and their second straight NBA title. But this was Brown's zenith in Philly, and he got his revenge three seasons later, when his Detroit Pistons beat the Lakers for the NBA title. Please note that the picture and sound aren't the greatest, but this was the best clip I could find of that OT.

The special clip for Don Nelson takes us back to his playing days, and his most famous moment as a player. It occured during game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals between his Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Near the end of this clip, Nelson shoots a jumper with the Celtics up two (the Lakers made a furious 4th quarter comeback to force the two point defecit). His shot bounced high off the backrim before falling, giving Boston a four-point lead. The Celtics eventually win 108-106 to claim their 11th title in thirteen seasons. It proved to be the final NBA game for both Bill Russell and Sam Jones, but for Nelson, it was a shot replayed for years afterwards.

For our profile of Jerry Sloan, here is the end of regulation of game 6 of the 1997 Western Conference Finals between Sloan's Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets. At the end of this game, Jazz PG John Stockton caps off his remarkable 4th quarter by draining a game-winning triple as Utah knocked off Houston 103-100 to win the series 4-2 and make their first NBA Finals. Sloan actually shows genuine joy after the shot goes down (assuming this clip shows that). Useless fact; this game occured on May 29, 1997, my 13th birthday! So I remember watching this game and saying when Stockton shot the ball "Uh oh!", just like NBC analyst Bill Walton did. Enjoy the clip!

In honor of Robert Parish, the Zone presents a clip of one of his finest NBA moments (no, it's not his fight with Bill Laimbeer!). It comes from the final 1:34 of game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Near the end of this clip, Parish forces a steal of a Magic Johnson pass, giving Boston a chance to win it in regulation. Although Kevin McHale misses, forcing OT (and Parish fouls out in the extra session), the Celtics managed to win 129-125, tying the series at two, and evetnually went on to win the series in seven games.

This is the NBC Intro to game 1 of the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic. Orlando had beaten the Bulls the previous season in six games during round two, and this intro is actually humorous, as Lil' Penny gives the intro. Also noteworthy is the absence of Marv Albert; he missed game one of this series to attend one of his kids' graduations, so Greg Gumbel filled in. As it turned out, the Magic also decided not to show up; they were blown out 121-83 in this game, and eventually were swept by the Bulls in what proved to be Shaquille O'Neal's swan song with the team.

To honor today's profile, here is some game action from the 1981 NBA All-Star Game. Nate Archibald took home game MVP honors with nine points, five boards and nine assists as the Eastern All-Stars narrowly defeated the West 123-120.

Here is the oldest clip (so far) featured in the Zone. It is a snippet of game 1 of the 1965 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. With Boston coming off the dramatic game 7 against the 76ers (with the famous "Havlicek stole the ball!" play), the Lakers proved to be no match for the defending champs; they lost this game 142-110, en route to a five game series loss.

Since there are no Youtube clips that show Earl Lloyd playing, I got the next best alternative; the team that was the Syracuse Nationals being shown! That is the Philadelphia 76ers, and this is the introduction and start of game 4 of the 1983 NBA Finals between the Sixers and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Sixers would win their third (and so far final) NBA title in a sweep of the Lakers with a 115-108 victory at the Forum. Moses Malone was named Finals MVP, and the classy Julius Erving finally had his NBA title. This Sixers team is considered one of the best in NBA history, and there's little, if anything, that I can say to dispute that. As far as cool facts, observe Brent Musburger's intro; he seems unable to fill the intro with enough words to keep things moving smoothly. Enjoy!