Sunday May 12, 2019. We are at the end of this Game 7 knife between the Raptors and the Sixers, in the fight for a place in the conference final. After a free throw missed by Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler just pulled out to equalize at 90-90. There are then 4.2 seconds left on the clock.
The basketball world is then about to experience one of the most memorable moments in the history of the playoffs, a “buzzer beater” by Kawhi Leonard, the ball having bounced four times on the circle before crossing the net.
A real slap for Jimmy Butler who will remain marked for life, like all of his teammates, by this cruel outcome for the Sixers. To the point of having left Philly for Miami in stride, a change of team which could have been called into question in the event of qualification for the conference final, or even for the NBA final.
“It shows how fragile life is, he confided six months later. ” Not just basketball, life. Things can change in an instant, with the snap of a finger. And it hurts because we always think about what’s next. What would have happened if we had won this game? Would we have won the title? Will I still be in Philadelphia? Who knows ? We think about it. It will haunt you for the rest of your life, especially if you don’t get such an opportunity again. We were so close: an action, a possession, a little thing could have allowed us to win the title. »
Moments etched in the victors… and the vanquished
JJ Redick was also forced to leave the city of brotherly love following the departure of Jimmy Butler, direction of the Pelicans. He too will forever keep the painful imprint of this match in the back of his mind, with the image of his “go-to-guy”, Joel Embiid, crying in the locker room after the match.
“We come back to the locker room, and we see the emotion. Of course, I was also very moved. Joel started crying. These are moments that we do not forget. In the same way that we do not forget this shoot, we do not forget the moments that follow. You just can’t forget because it’s raw emotion.”
For the Raptors, this Game 7 was one of the founding elements that allowed the formation of Nick Nurse to seek the first title in the history of the Canadian franchise. Marc Gasol will remember what ultimately sums up the essence of basketball, these little details that make the difference, and which tipped that night in favor of Toronto.
“As in any other Game 7, every possession, every inch, every stray ball means a lot, obviously. We know that these matches lean one way or the other with these small details. We displayed an incredible defense to get there. That’s what we try to do, create opportunities, chances to win a game, to have a lucky rebound on the circle that allows you to go to the next round.
From long silence to intense joy
Danny Green, for his part, will remember this time, hanging on endless rebounds. A moment of silence that gave way to an explosion of joy.
“It was damn long. The system hadn’t really been designed that way, except that Kawhi should have the ball. In real time, it should be two seconds, but in the heat of the moment, it felt like ten minutes. We were screaming for the ball to fall into the circle. This is the biggest shooting I have witnessed. When he came back, we went crazy, the city too”.
In the heat of the action which preceded a general euphoria within the Scotiabank Arena, Serge Ibaka remembers having almost ruined everything, by wanting to place a tap which could have been sanctioned with a “goaltending”. Under the basket, we see the interior being just cooled by the resounding buzzer, before raising its arms to the sky.
“I thought he wasn’t going to come back. I was under the basket, trying to get an offensive rebound. The ball was bouncing and at one point I was close to going. Thank God I didn’t, because it could have been goaltending. It would have been terrible. If that had happened, I would have stopped my career.
