Kawhi Leonard, forward for the Toronto Raptors, hit one of the most dramatic buzzer-beaters on Sunday.
What We Know:
- Leonard has been an integral player for the Toronto Raptors during this year’s NBA playoffs. They played against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 on Sunday night where he dropped 41 points, with 15 of them coming from the fourth quarter, according to CBS Sports.
- Moments before Leonard made the shot, Jimmy Butler tied the game at 90. The crowd grew silent as the dramatic shot from Leonard bounced on the rim four times. After the ball fell inside, the arena exploded with cheer. Thanks to this, the game’s final score was 92-90 and the Raptors advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
- In the 2001 playoffs, Raptors lost Game 7 to the 76ers. Vince Carter’s fadeaway jumper fell off the rim and 18 years later, Leonard’s won the game. Leonard’s shot became the first game-winning field goal at the buzzer in a Game 7 in the history of the NBA Playoffs, according to the NBA.
- Several basketball players such as Lebron James, Donovan Mitchell and Luka Doncic took to Twitter and expressed their feelings about the incredible shot.
- “That’s something I never experienced before—Game 7, winning shot. It’s a blessing to get to that point and make that shot and feel that moment and it’s something I can look back on in my career,” Leonard said.
The Raptors will play against the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 on Wednesday.
The first game-winning field goal at the buzzer in a Game 7 in #NBAPlayoffs history!@kawhileonard CALLS SERIES in #PhantomCam! #TissotBuzzerBeater #ThisIsYourTime #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/XbiDyYqxK1
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2019
Kawhi Leonard…wow wow WOW. 4 bounces and it goes in!! What a shot to win the game for the Raptors!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 13, 2019
I couldn’t get over the similarities between Kawhi’s and Vince’s shots. So I played them side-by-side.
Unreal. What a moment. pic.twitter.com/zAHNqJOWyl
— Jonathan Soveta (@eighteenyards) May 13, 2019