OG Anunoby’s Game 3 buzzer-beater had the basketball world buzzing.
The small forward drained a last-second three-pointer after catching an improbable Kyle Lowry inbound pass as the Toronto Raptors avoided going down 0-3 on Thursday in their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with the Boston Celtics.
Not only was the dramatic finish celebrated all throughout Canada, it garnered plenty of attention south of the border. So, with that in mind, here’s a sample of the reaction from some U.S. media outlets.
Stephen A. Smith: Brad Stevens 'dropped the ball' – First Take
Jaylen Brown of the Celtics described Anunoby being open on the game-winning shot as “a (expletive) disgrace” and tried to take responsibility for the miscue. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said that while Brown does deserve his share of the blame, Boston’s coach should also be held accountable.
“What the hell was Brad Stevens doing?” Smith asked on Friday. “We all love and respect Brad Stevens. He’s an exceptional coach but he dropped the ball on this one. … I don’t know why on earth he had them playing zone. It makes no sense to me. You man up, you marry your man, you’re in his face for those last 0.5 seconds. You gotta be all up in their mug and the last thing in the world you need to do is give up a three-pointer.”
Boston Celtics gave Toronto Raptors the one thing they lacked this series: hope – MassLive
No team in NBA history has won a seven-game playoff series after being down 0-3 – in fact, only three have even managed to force a Game 7 – so Anunoby’s clutch three breathed new life into the defending champions as MassLive’s John Karalis described.
“The Boston Celtics didn’t just lose a playoff game when OG Anunoby’s shot flicked through the net, they energized the Raptors,” Karalis wrote. “They didn’t just miss a chance to go up 3-0, they allowed the Raptors to believe in themselves again.
“Toronto has been away from home longer than any other team. Because of travel restrictions imposed in the COVID-19 pandemic, they holed up in Florida weeks before anyone else. Their bubble fatigue was further along than others. The weight of their situation was weighing heavier than it was on other teams. After two losses, their will to fight was challenged like never before.”
Raptors' OG Anunoby doesn't only beat the buzzer against Boston – CBS Sports
James Herbert of CBS Sports pointed out that, according to Synergy Sports, Anunoby led the NBA in effective field goal percentage in similar, late-quarter situations among players with more than 80 attempts.
“Anunoby has been proficient specifically when it comes to making three-pointers with little time to spare,” Herbert wrote. “He shot a career-high 39 per cent from deep in the regular season, but that number jumped to 46.7 per cent with less than four seconds on the clock, per Synergy.”
Hubie Brown-inspired play lifts Raptors past Celtics in final second – ESPN
Andrew Lopez delved into the specific play Nick Nurse drew up and its inspiration.
“If not for an old Hubie Brown DVD, the Toronto Raptors could be looking at a 3-0 hole in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics,” Lopez wrote. “As he was walking toward the bus following Thursday night's come-from-behind 104-103 victory over the Celtics, Raptors coach Nick Nurse glowingly talked about the origins of the final play that ended with OG Anunoby's game-winning 3-pointer.
"He told The Undefeated's Marc Spears about a set of DVDs from 2008 that featured various basketball coaches talking about different plays. The one he remembered the most featured Hubie Brown. So when his team had 0.5 seconds left to steal a victory, he went to Brown's play.”
Celtics express right mindset after Game 3 heartbreaker vs. Raptors – NESN
Sean T. McGuire of NESN listened to what the Celtics players and coaches were saying after the game and alerted a worried fan base that it’s not all doom and gloom in Boston.
“There clearly was frustration and disappointment between Boston Celtics players after their 104-103 Game 3 loss to the Toronto Raptors. With how the game ended — a buzzer-beater from Toronto’s OG Anunoby — that’s no surprise. But there was another common theme, as well,” McGuire wrote. “Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and even head coach Brad Stevens all explained the importance of turning the page and the importance of moving on.
“After all, in the big picture, the Celtics lost one game in a seven-game series. They still have a 2-1 advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.”
Kendrick Perkins praises Lowry, Anunoby – First Take
While Stephen A. Smith spoke about Boston’s missteps, his co-host Kendrick Perkins decided to focus on praising the two Raptors that touched the ball on the final possession.
“The pass that Kyle Lowry made was one of the best passes I ever seen that was inbounded. … In 0.5 seconds OG didn’t have to dip for the ball. He didn’t have to reach high. It was on time, on target and I knew that shot was going in.”
Game 4 takes place Saturday evening on Sportsnet.
