Last night, not just in NBA basketball, but all basketball, was insane. Some of the greatest results, games, and chokes in recent memory happened, as well as something that’s happened only twice in 38 years. Let me take you through it.
March Madness lives up to its name
Up to last night, only 16 seed in history had beat a 1 seed, back in 2018 when the UMBC Retrievers beat a Virginia team with a 7-man rotation by 20 points, scoring as many points in the second half as Virginia conceded on average per game that season.
Then 1 became 2. Farleigh Dickinson somehow bested #1 seed Purdue and 7’4” Canadian Zach Edey. The definition of David vs Goliath. Purdue’s largest lead was 6, with 11 minutes left. FDU then went on an 8-0 run in the next minutes to take the lead, and having it be as high as 13-3.
With the score at 54-53, the next 4:30 were scoreless. This was bad news for a Purdue team that needed to come back. The next few minutes were filled with struggle for Purdue, as they eventually slumped to a 5-point loss, 63-58.
The biggest comeback of the 22-23 NBA Season
The San Antonio Spurs side we used to know is gone. Long past are the days when this team were perennial contenders with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobilli, and Tony Parker at the core. Now they’re just trying to tank for Victor Wembenyama or Scoot Henderson. Last night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies seemed a formality.
However, midway through the 3rd quarter, the Spurs had a different gear on. They were leading the Memphis Grizzlies 84-55. Their win probability, according to ESPN, was 99.7%. Then the Grizzlies went on a 9-0 run. A 9-0 run turned into a 27-9 run for the rest of the quarter for Memphis. The comeback was on.
Memphis would score the first 5 points of the 4th quarter, cutting the lead to 7. However, the Spurs successfully repelled any Memphis progress, and with a minute left, it looked like a massive collapse was off as they were up 9. But Dillon Brooks nailed a 3.
San Antonio were unmoved, however, as they had successfully wasted enough time to have a 6-point lead with 17 seconds to go. Jump ball. All they needed was to get this and waste the clock. The win probability was at a staggering 98.8%. Even if the Grizzlies scored, it was still their ball and they could waste the clock. What could possibly go wrong?
John Collins won the tip. Devin Vassell kept it in, however, it went to Desmond Bane, who passed it to Luke Kennard, who nailed the three. 3-point game. Despite this, there were only 10 seconds left. The Spurs needed to waste time for only 10 seconds. However, the Grizzlies pounced on the Spurs and forced ANOTHER jump ball in midcourt. 8.6 seconds left, Memphis win it, Kennard puts it to Brooks, at this point all the Spurs need to do is to foul anyone. They’re in the bonus, as long as it isn’t a shooting foul it’s only 2 free throws, so they’ve won. However, this thought slips the mind of all 5 players, and John Collins misses the block attempt, and Brooks nails it. The San Antonio Spurs choke a 29-point lead, as well as a 9-point lead with a minute left and a 6-point lead with 17 seconds left. Against all odds, the Grizzlies send it to OT.
After a hard fought OT, a late 7-1 run by Memphis wins them the game 126-120, a 37-point swing from that point in the middle of the third quarter.
Minnesota-Chicago, the Double-OT Thriller
This game was amazing. DeMar DeRozan dropped a 49-point double-double on 60% shooting. Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic dropped a combined 61 points as well, and no other Bulls player scored more than 8 in the game. The Timberwolves had a more team performance, with 6 players scoring double digits, the team high being a retro Mike Conley performance, with him scoring 28.
Into the game, and a mini-collapse of Minnesota’s own happened when after they were up 95-85 with 9:29 to go, they had to settle for OT. Into OT, and the Bulls opened the scoring with a Zach Lavine layup. The Timberwolves made two free throws to level it. On the next possession, Mike Conley stripped the ball from Nikola Vucevic and Jaden McDaniels scored the 3 to give Minnesota the lead. Then, Nikola Vucevic made up for his turnover with a rare 3. Then, a turnover and miss later, Mike Conley scored a 3 to give Minnesota a 3-point lead again. On the next possession, DeMar DeRozan got an and-1 on a layup and made his free throw, tying the game again. In the last minute, Jaden McDaniels scored a layup with 42 seconds left to give Minnesota a 2-point lead. They needed a stop, but couldn’t do it. Zach Lavine made a shot with 11 seconds to go and Jaden McDaniels missed the buzzer beater.
Now we go to double OT. A minute in, Chicago opened scoring through DeMar DeRozan. On the other end, Mike Conley got fouled and made both his free throws. Then on the next possession, Zach LaVine made a 3 and Naz Reid stepped out of bounds. This was the turning point in the game, as Chicago made a 2 to open up a 5-point lead, the largest of OT, and the Timberwolves couldn’t recover. The Bulls won 139-131.
Maxi Kleber pulls off a buzzer beater to beat the Lakers
Any Lakers games are fun to watch. You can see them implode or perform. They did a bit of both in this game. They came back from 14 down in the 3rd quarter, but had a 4-point lead with 7 seconds left. Let me explain.
With 20 seconds to go, D’Angelo Russell bricked a game-sealing three and Dallas came up the floor. Struggling to find an opening, they put it to Maxi Kleber, who put up a 3 and was fouled. He didn’t make the shot. It was a clumsy foul, with Anthony Davis putting his back into Kleber well after the shot was gone.
Kleber made 2 free throws, and the Lakers called timeout, 109-108 with 7.2 seconds to go. Anthony Davis was fouled right away and went to the line for 2.
Free throw 1, clunk.
Free throw 2, swish.
The Mavs were now down 2 with 6.7 seconds to go. They called timeout. From the inbounds, they put it to Kyrie, who was double-teamed. Kyrie found an open man on the three point line in Maxi Kleber. The pass was perfect. Kleber caught it, found his target, bang. 111-110 as the buzzer sounded. What an end, and what a collapse by LA.
Well, that’s all. All this happened in one night. Can you find a better night of basketball, because I certainly can’t. I’m Jim James, until next time.