The Shot (2016)

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This past weekend, the NBA world was given one of the best moments of the season in a game that will be key to everything the Warriors are doing this year.

What we all witnessed will be talked about and archived away for with some the best game winners ever. In todays world of the internet, information is quick and everyone has a voice taking local discussions to a worldwide platform.

So lets talk about what happened in OKC.

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“A picture says a thousand words” or in this case, it says enough words to write a book on this game. The picture above speaks alot about what I personally saw from the game on Sunday morning (in Australia) as this was more about Durant than Westbrook.

Although what Russell provides for OKC shouldn’t go unnoticed, this game was Durant’s for the taking. This game had everything, the OKC lead to start out, that may have had people thinking that this was a win that the Thunder could advantageously pull off with the Warriors being on a heavy road trip and 2 of the NBA’s best players at home.

Well, The Thunder would eventually lose that lead and as the game went into the 4th Quarter these two teams were trading leads and baskets right into the final seconds. As Durant comes down the floor and drains a dagger 3 point basket that could have had most calling it game right there and then. Then for some reason it all went downhill as the Thunder let a cutting Klay Thompson walk right to the basket for an easy lay-up.

Now with 11 seconds left and a timeout remaining, The Thunder inbound to Durant who, probably expecting GSW to foul, is met with a trap and decides to throw the ball towards a clueless Dion Waiters as Thompson comes skying in for a deflection. Ultimately, the Warriors opt for a quick shot to tie the game as the ball finds Igoudala who pump fakes a lunging Durant who picks a foul as time expires giving the Warriors one last chance to tie.

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As you can see, there was time left after the foul, as Igoudala stepped up and calmly nailed his 2 free-throws to give the Warriors the tie. The thunder with one shot remaining again chose Kevin Durant to try deliver them the win but was unsuccessful in his turn around jump shot.

As we entered over-time, the game was still at a neck and neck pace, the Thunder didn’t seem to deflated after the breakdown in the final seconds prior, although with only 1 minute being played into the OT a foul-troubled Durant picked up his final foul as he bumped Curry as he drove for a layup. This was the turning point for OKC and will be the biggest “what if” for years to come when we come back to this game.

So now with Durant out, it was time for the MVP Steph Curry to take the Warriors to a win, and did he ever. Scoring his final 13 points in overtime, none were more important than this game-winner:

If you ever needed more evidence of history being made before your eyes, then I don’t what to say but I’ll let the NBA players tell you:

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NBA: Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder

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