Devonte’ Graham on Wednesday made one of the greatest game-winning buzzer-beaters in NBA history, banking in a shot from nearly 20m to give the New Orleans Pelicans a thrilling 113-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Just moments before Graham’s heave from three-quarters court, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nailed a deep three-pointer of his own with 1.4 seconds left to tie the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot, from about half the distance as Graham’s, came as he was avoiding a foul that would have sent him to the free-throw line for two shots.
Photo: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY
“I just wanted to get one up, honestly,” Graham said of his winning basket. “I didn’t want to take the ball out. I waited. Then J-Hart [Josh Hart] passed it to me and I just let it fly.”
Brandon Ingram, who led the Pelicans with 34 points, went through a wide range of emotions as the shot went up.
“I thought it was going in, but when it went in, I was in disbelief,” Ingram said.
Photo: AP
Gilgeous-Alexander was closely defended well beyond the arc.
Pelicans coach Willie Green said he thought Garrett Temple fouled Gilgeous-Alexander before he got the shot off.
“I mean, we even told the referees, you know: Look, we plan on trying to foul them before they shoot a three,” Green said. “And then he tried to foul him and they didn’t call anything, and he had to let him go because he didn’t want to give up a four-point play.”
Oklahoma City’s Kenrich Williams tried to put pressure on Graham’s final shot, but he wanted to be careful.
“I just didn’t want to foul, make a stupid play,” Williams said. “Just tried to show my hands. I knew that he was going to try to shoot that shot. And it went in, man, so you’ve just got to tip your hat to him.”
Graham’s shot was the longest game-winning buzzer-beater in the NBA in the past 25 years, ESPN reported.
The thriller marked the first game in the past 25 seasons to feature two tying or go-ahead baskets of at least 30 feet (9.1m) in the final five seconds of a game, it said.
Before Graham’s shot, Ingram (34 points) scored the Pelicans’ previous 10 points. He tied the game with a layup and then put the visitors ahead with a steal and a dunk on the next possession.
Jonas Valancuinas had 19 points and 16 rebounds for New Orleans, while Graham added 15 points and eight assists.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to lead the Thunder, making nine free throws as his team made all 19 of their attempts, with 14 in the fourth quarter.
There was more long-range action in Dallas, Texas, with rookie Austin Reaves hitting a three-pointer at the buzzer in overtime to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 107-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Reaves’ basket, his fifth from behind the arc, was the only Lakers basket in overtime scored by someone other than the team’s Big Three — LeBron James scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook added 23, and Anthony Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds after missing two games with a sore left knee.
Jalen Brunson scored 25 points, while Kristaps Porzingis had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks, who played their third straight game without guard Luka Doncic.
In other games, it was:
‧ 76ers 96, Heat 101
‧ Bucks 114, Pacers 99
‧ Cavaliers 124, Rockets 89
‧ Jazz 124, Clippers 103
‧ Kings 119, Wizards 105
‧ Magic 99, Hawks 111
‧ Nuggets 107, T’wolves 124
‧ Spurs 115, Hornets 131
‧ Trail Blazers 103, Grizzlies 113
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