The criteria for these shots is that they must be taken with the shooter's team trailing or tied and leave no time left on the clock after it went through. In modern times, this means 0.0 on the clock and no subsequent inbounds. We also include game-winning free throws with no time left on the clock.

Some things to note:

1. Official Play-by-play is not adequate for determining if a shot was a true buzzer-beater because play-by-play sometimes shows when the shot was released rather than how much time was left after it was scored. 
2. Tenths of a second were not included on game clocks until 1989-90.
3. For older shots on the list (especially from 1946-55), we are reliant upon newspaper accounts of games which were not always perfect. Judgment calls were made on whether shots were true buzzer-beaters or not. 
4. From 1996-97 to the present, we use official distances and assists from official play-by-play. Earlier assists and distances are unofficial and compiled using video review and newspaper accounts.