Glenn McDonald: The Greatest Common Factor

The NBA and the PBA have their own games That they considered as their greatest ones. For the NBA it was the 1976 Game 5 finals while for the PBA it was Game 5 of the 1980 finals. These two greatest games have a common factor aside from being both game 5s, a player by the name of Glenn McDonald played on both games.

1976 Game 5 Triple Overtime - In this match, the Celtics and the Suns were playing for the championship. Dramatic scene after dramatic scene came in this most memorable of games. NBA enthusiasts still consider this one as the league's greatest of all-time. During the third overtime, three Celtics starters have already fouled out so they go to their bench. In that bench came a seldom used Glenn McDonald played and put the dagger into the hearts of the Phoenix Suns with crucial baskets to finally walk away with this classic game.

Celtics vs Suns Video Highlights


1980 Game 5 PBA Championship - Glenn McDonald comes to the Philippines, now as an import and plays for the U-Tex Wranglers. 2 years before, he actually helped this team win its very first PBA championship. U-Tex was playing against a powerhouse Toyota team at that time. This game will be considered as the greatest PBA game ever and will be dubbed as the longest 16 seconds for Toyota.

With just 16 seconds left, Toyota was up by four and U-Tex had the ball. Aaron James, Utex's other import, shot a good 18-footer to keep the game close. Toyota then made a big error and the ball was stolen by a very familiar character... Glenn McDonald. McDonald will be fouled and calmly sink two freethrows to tie the game and send it to overtime. Eventually, U-Tex will win this game enroute to their second PBA championship.

Two greatest games... one common factor, Glenn McDonald.