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6 memorable playing through pain moments in the NBA

thestashed.com

With severe cramps forcing LeBron James from Game 1 of The Finals, the anti-James movement is out in full effect as pundits debate whether LeBron should have stayed in the game - as if he actually had a choice. Contrary to Mark Jackson's beliefs, James could not have told his body "not now." The cramps were crippling and The King was unable to continue.

Nevertheless, Crampgate 2014 has given us reason to dig into the archives and find some memorable instances of NBA legends who were able to play through pain and physical duress. This isn't to suggest anything about James. It's merely to remember and celebrate a handful of classic playing through pain moments...

Here comes Willis
Before Jordan's Flu Game, Isiah's ankle or Pierce's wheelchair, there was the iconic image of Willis Reed emerging from the Madison Square Garden tunnel ahead of Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Reed suffered a torn thigh muscle in Game 5 that forced him to miss Game 6 and was expected to keep him out of Game 7, but 'The Captain' made a surprising and inspiring return to help the Knicks capture their first NBA championship.

Zeke overcomes sprained ankle
Isiah Thomas scoring 25 points in the third quarter of Game 6 of the 1988 Finals would have been iconic enough if completed healthily. That Zeke scored a chunk of those points - and more in the fourth quarter - on a severely sprained ankle while limping up and down the court was simply the stuff of legends.

The Pistons failed to win the game or the ensuing Game 7, but as it's written on NBA.com, Thomas "finished the night with a jammed left pinkie, a poked eye, a scratched face, a ballooned ankle, 43 points, 8 assists, 6 steals, and enough respect to last a lifetime."

Michael Jordan's Flu Game
There are few images as indelible in NBA history as Michael Jordan falling into the arms of Scottie Pippen after MJ's unforgettable Flu Game. Whether it was actually the flu or food poisoning contracted from some bad Utah pizza, Jordan entered Game 5 of the tied 1997 Finals looking weak and exhausted after being up all night throwing up. The result? 38 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, a block and a Game 5 win.

Steve Nash's nose
Whether it was trying to play through a battered and bloody nose in Game 1 of the 2007 West semifinals against the Spurs, or casually rearranging his broken nose in Game 3 of the 2010 West Final against the Lakers, Steve Nash has proven time and time again that he's as tough as they come.

The best part of that video is Parker dropping like a sack of potatoes after his head hit Nash's nose, while a bloody Nash laughs off the collision and makes sure Parker is okay.

Paul Pierce's Wheelchair Game
We'll never know just how much pain Paul Pierce was really in, and plenty of people have certainly called that pain into question over the years, but here's what we do know: Pierce crumbled to the floor in the third quarter of Game 1 of the 2008 Finals, appeared to be in agonizing pain, was carried off the floor on the verge of tears, and was then wheelchaired to the locker room.

Literally just minutes later, Pierce emerged from the tunnel - Willis Reed style - to a thunderous ovation from the Boston crowd after being diagnosed with a sprained knee, helping the Celtics to a Game 1 win over the Lakers.

Kobe steps to the free throw line with torn Achilles
Kobe Bryant wasn't able to play through his torn Achilles, for obvious reasons, but The Black Mamba added to his Laker legend when he limped to the free throw line and sank both free throws before leaving the game. If you're wondering what Kobe is doing with his left foot after he goes down in the video below, as Bryant would later tell it: "I was literally trying to pull the tendon up so hopefully I could walk and kind of hobble through the last two and a half minutes and try to play."

No big deal, just trying to pull his Achilles tendon up...

Honorable mention: LeBron vs. cramps, Part 1
No one will want to put it on a pedestal with the acts of perseverance listed above, but it's worth pointing out that the last time LeBron James was affected by intense cramping in The Finals, he helped the Heat take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Thunder.

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