Kawhi Shot 2.0: RJ Barrett Hit An All Time Prayer Buzzer Beater To Keep The Raptors Season Alive And Force A Game 7 In Cleveland
Mark Blinch. Getty Images.Despite the fact that my favorite basketball team is on the verge of an all time horrific collapse, even I can admit that overall these NBA playoffs have gotten off to a fantastic starts. We've already had an upset in the West; we already had one Game 7 on the books in the East and entering Friday night, there was potential to add a few more.
One of those teams looking to scratch and claw to keep their season alive was the Toronto Raptors. I think they've surprised a lot of people for even pushing this series against the Cavs to 6 games, and for stretches they've completely outplayed them. That matchup has been as competitive a series as you could ask for, and Game 6 was no different. If you've been reading my blogs over the last 11 or so years, you know that I've repeatedly tried to tell you that you need to be watching NBA basketball because at any given moment on any given night in any given game, you can see some cool shit.
Allow me to present to you some cool shit that kept the Raptors season alive and forced that Game 7
OK, I'm ready to declare there may need to be an investigation on that rim. Something's up with that thing and these game winners. If that shot looked familiar, it's because not too long ago we basically saw Kawhi Leonard do the same thing
A different location, a little bit of a different bounce, but close enough! Talk about a prayer to keep your season alive. If we're being honest, the Raptors end of game execution was pretty gross to end this game, but at the end of the day who gives a shit. Sometimes the Basketball Gods reward you with a prayer and I can't think of any other way to describe how that ball hit the rim, went perfectly straight up and then dropped in. Just impossible levels of luck and as a Cavs fan I would be sick to my stomach. Not all that different from the Haliburton shot last year in Game 1 against the Knicks
these types of makes would make me suicidal. Everything needs to align juuuuuuuust perfectly for that shit to drop. Fuck that. That would haunt me for the rest of my life, especially if you go on to lose the series.
At the end of the day though, the Cavs have no one to blame but themselves. Can't make that type of mistake in the final seconds of OT when you have a chance to end someone's season. As we've seen all playoffs, if you give these teams extra/new life, the Basketball Gods will make you pay. You can't fumble your opportunities to end series, now a team with title aspirations will have everything come down to a 50/50 Game 7. I know the feeling.
In terms of RJ Barrett's shot, where does that now rank in Raptors history? I have to imagine it's up there, even with this only being Round 1. A prayer buzzer beater at home in that spot to keep your season alive? That rules.
And hey, when Kawhi made his, the Raptors went on to win it all. Imagine if that shit happens again?