After dominating the Miami Heat in their first meeting in December, Stephen Curry showed once again on Wednesday that he is a rising superstar in the league.
With the game on the line and his team down by a point with just 23 seconds left on the clock, the point guard drove past his defender for a layup and drew the foul for a 3-point play early in the clock. With the Golden State Warriors up 110-108, it appeared to be their game to lose.
And they lost.
With plenty of time left on the clock, LeBron James surveyed the floor and dribbled out the clock. Realizing no double would come, James held the ball until the very last second, then launched a ridiculous off-balanced step-back 3-pointer that hit nothing but the bottom of the net over the outstretched arm of Andre Iguodala. It left Golden State with virtually no time remaining on the clock for the last shot, and their desperate attempt to get something at the rim was easily rejected by the Heat’s defense.
Why Mark Jackson chose not to get the ball out of James’ hands is anyone’s guess. You could actually hear Jim Barnett, the Warriors analyst, pleading for his team to let someone else beat them as James went into his shooting motion. Instead, they watched helplessly as James hit the amazing game-winner and walked down the court while making back-breaking gestures at the crowd. He finished the night with 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
Naturally, plenty on twitter reacted to the amazing display:
Bron for 33333333! “Get down or lay down!” Beans
— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) February 13, 2014
#BeastMode “@mikeysmoothe11: @GregAnthony50 what do you think of that game winning shot by @KingJames ?”
— Greg Anthony (@GregAnthony50) February 13, 2014
That’s why he’s the KING @KingJames
— Micky Arison (@MickyArison) February 13, 2014
Hahahahah at Lebron. Get some of that
— BRANDON JENNINGS (@BrandonJennings) February 13, 2014
I picked the wrong night to be in a hotel without NBA TV. Can’t believe I missed that Heat/Warriors game!
— Steve Kerr (@SteveKerrTNT) February 13, 2014
That was a great NBA hoops game…..Wow!
— Tom Tolbert (@byronjr23) February 13, 2014
Really Golden State Warriors? Why would you not take the ball out of LeBron’s hands and make somebody else beat you?
— Detlef Schrempf (@Dschrempf) February 13, 2014
LeBron James wallet pic.twitter.com/rLWFnygN5c
— Tom Tolbert (@byronjr23) February 13, 2014
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James Park is the chief blogger of Sheridan Hoops.