Lakers Moments: Sam Perkins and the game-winning three-pointer
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Drop it like it’s hot: With 14 seconds left, Lakers forward Sam Perkins fires a three-point shot over Bulls’ Horace Grant to give Los Angeles the victory, 93-91, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3, 1991. Unfortunately, the Lakers’ euphoria didn’t last long, as the Bulls won the next four games for their first championship.
Perkins, known as ‘The Big Easy,’ played with the Lakers for three seasons, averaging 14.6 points and eight rebounds.
During the 1991-92 season, he posted the highest scoring average of his 15-year NBA career (16.5) and equaled his highest rebounding average (8.8) after Magic Johnson retired in November.
He established himself as a lethal three-point shooter in the latter part of his career and reached the playoffs 13 of his 15 NBA seasons.
Below, watch Perkins’ game-winning shot against Chicago at the 14-second mark. Note a younger Phil Jackson coaching the Bulls.
Read more about Sam Perkins in All Things Lakers, the L.A. Times’ interactive database of all things purple and gold.
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-- Houston Mitchell and Melissa Rohlin