The final 23 seconds found Harden with the ball, pushing forward into the frontcourt and starting to run down the clock.
Now with the scores tied and the clock ticking within 24 seconds, the Thunders had the opportunity to clinch the ga with a buzzer-beater.
With about 10 seconds left in the ga, Harden successfully passed the ball to Durant.
In this do-or-die mont, only Durant could take the shot.
Battier subconsciously stepped back half a step at this point—he was at a disadvantage with his footwork.
Unexpectedly, upon seeing this, Durant chose to take a three-point pull-up shot directly!
This choice surprised everyone, including Thunders’ head coach Brooks, because his plan had been for Durant to drive in for a mid-range shot.
After all, Durant had continued his three-point contest’s touch tonight, having missed all four of his three-point attempts so far.
Furthermore, driving in would allow as much ti to be run down as possible, leaving no ti for the Grizzlies.
Now, if Durant missed this shot, it would be akin to handing the final chance for a buzzer-beater to the Grizzlies.
But the fans onsite felt a tightness in their hearts.
For super scorers like Durant and Kobe. how they felt earlier didn’t really matter.
"Swish!"
The worries turned into reality as Durant’s three-pointer swished through the net.
With only 7 seconds left in the ga, Durant helped the Thunders take a 96 to 93 lead!
After making the basket, Durant pounded his chest and roared in triumph.
The fans onsite were full of despair.
At this mont, the Grizzlies also had no tiouts left. Having to advance from the backcourt and hit a three-pointer seed nearly impossible.
Battier passed the ball in from the backcourt and Conley, after receiving it, pushed at full speed to the frontcourt. Upon seeing Hansen signal for the ball, he imdiately threw it over.
The ball was nearly stolen by Westbrook, who lunged for the interception, but fortunately, Hansen was quick enough to control it.
With only the final 4 seconds remaining, Hansen was still a ter away from the three-point line. He took a step forward.
Westbrook managed to get in front of him once more, and Hansen had to jump again, as he had no other choice.
Westbrook also jumped, but with his hands held high, he didn’t invade Hansen’s cylinder.
The two seed to be competing in a high-jumping contest, with the taller Hansen getting the better of Westbrook and releasing the three-pointer over his head.
This wasn’t a chance created by strategy; it was a forceful shot over a defender.
But Hansen, having endured many such buzzer-beaters last season with the Cavaliers, shot with composure.
As the ball reached its peak, the red light by the court lit up.
The hearts of the fans in attendance hung in the balance.
It all ca down to this shot for the Grizzlies—defeat or an opportunity to win in overti.
The trajectory of the basketball looked true.
It looked like it was going in!
"Swish!"
"He did it!"
With the crisp sound of the ball swishing through the net and Barkley’s excited shout from the comntary booth, Hansen hit the ga-tying shot!
Overti awaited both teams!
The Thunders players lifted their heads in disbelief—could that really go in?
The Grizzlies bench erupted—it did go in!
The Grizzlies players on court ran over to Hansen, screaming and celebrating wildly.
No tiouts, a tough last-second shot—it was unbelievable!
Hansen, however, remained calm, simply high-fiving his teammates before walking to the bench.
This wasn’t a ga-winner; there was overti to play.
The players all sat on the bench as Hollins took the whiteboard to them to arrange their strategy.
It was at this mont that Hansen felt the weariness begin to surge through his body.
Not just for him, his teammates beside him shared the sa sentint.
This feeling was like running a long race—you don’t feel tired while you’re still on the track, but the mont you stop, every cell in your body screams that you’ve reached your limit, that you need to rest.
Especially since the intensity of tonight’s ga far exceeded that of a regular one.
Overti began and the ga continued.
Both teams took the floor for the jump ball, with Little Gasol winning the possession for the Grizzlies.
Hansen’s first shot in overti went off the rim.
As fatigue set in, he could clearly feel his shooting touch decline.
But luckily, he wasn’t alone.
Durant’s solo effort against Tony Allen also missed.
The first three minutes of the overti seed like a constant homage to Kobe.
It wasn’t until the third minute that Randolph’s strong shot under the basket against Perkins finally broke the scoring drought in overti.
Then, as if catching their breath, both sides’ shooting touch gradually began to return.
With Randolph’s successful low post move, the Grizzlies led 102 to 100 with only 50 seconds left.
Durant’s critical solo shot against Allen went off the rim.
His touch had been average tonight and his energy had visibly declined in overti.
With Randolph’s long arm securing a crucial rebound, the Grizzlies called a tiout.
With only 30 seconds left in the ga, the Grizzlies simply needed to score on this possession to likely clinch the ga.
After the tiout, it was still Hansen receiving the play, Conley dribbled down the clock, and when there were about 10 seconds left in the attack, he turned and initiated.
He found Hansen with the pass, but Westbrook this ti burst out from the side like lightning and completed the steal!
Conley desperately tried to stop Westbrook from scoring but not only failed to do so, he also committed a foul.
After converting the and-one, Westbrook looked up and roared.
His presence tonight was even more assertive than Durant’s, scoring higher as well.
And this ti, he made the additional free throw.
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