"I go back and watch this game and pat myself on the back" - Robert Horry on his spectacular performance in Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals

Robert Horry wasn't about individual accolades. Outside of his selection to the 1993 All-Rookie squad, he never garnered any in his 16-year NBA career. Despite that, the 6'10" forward is one of the most revered players in league history, thanks to his clutch shotmaking.

Although his most popular one was the buzzer-beating three-pointer that he sank to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings in Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals, he had another one that helped bolster his reputation as a lethal late-game shooter.

In the 2005 NBA Finals, Horry and the San Antonio Spurs were locked in a death struggle with the erstwhile champions Detroit Pistons. The series tied at 2-2, and the two squads battled in the pivotal Game 5. Then, Robert came up with another signature performance, which he capped off with another game-winning triple.

In hostile territory

The Spurs had their backs against the wall in that game, playing in hostile territory at the Palace of Auburn Hills. In addition, they were up against a Pistons squad that had established itself as a defensive juggernaut, especially in the previous finals, where they dispatched a loaded Lakers squad to win the 2004 crown.

"You have to understand, when you're playing a really good team like we were back then with the Detroit Pistons, they had just beaten the Lakers for a championship. So, they wanted another championship because, you know how it is in sports—when you win one, some people say, 'Oh, it was a fluke.' But when you win two, they start saying you're a dynasty," Horry said on "Games with Names."

Horry added that he and the Spurs knew the urgency of their situation. With the finals still employing the 2-3-2 format during that time, they couldn't afford to go down 3-2 even if they would play the last two games on their home floor.

"That was a very pivotal game, and we were in Detroit. For those who don't know, this was when the playoffs were a 2-3-2 format. You play two at home, then go on the road and play three, and then you play two at home to try to win. Think about this: Detroit Pistons, Detroit basketball—these guys don't lose at home. So, if we go down 3-2 going back to our building, it's going to be hard to win two games in a row," Horry remarked.

Those factors set the stage for a highly physical and intense Game 5 in which neither team gave the other an inch.

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Red hot Horry

Right on cue, Horry flipped the switch and caught fire late in the game, scoring from all angles and even throwing down a surprising left-handed slam dunk over Pistons guard Rip Hamilton.

Horry's confidence was palpable. He was in such a rhythm that he believed everything he threw up would find the bottom of the net. There were even times when the native of Alabama would sit down and rewatch the game to bask in the glory of his performance.

"In Game 5, I just caught fire. It was one of those games where everything was clicking. I even—don't tell anybody this—but I go back and watch this game and pat myself on the back and smile because I had a hell of a game," the seven-time NBA champ stressed. "For me, when you get that hot, the basket is like the ocean. Just, you know, whatever way you throw it, it goes in."

Horry finished that game with a flurry, scoring 18 of his 21 points in the fourth and overtime. He capped off his scintillating showing by making a three-pointer that shoved San Antonio in front, 96-95, with only five seconds left in the game.

It was a moment of pure clutch, a testament to Horry's ability to rise to the occasion. The Spurs went on to win that game, 96-95, and the title after winning Game 7, 81-74.

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