Video: Knicks’ Smith hits game-winning buzzer-beater to top Suns
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By Ben Golliver
Wednesday was a busy night for J.R. Smith.
The Knicks guard caught the attention of referees just before halftime with a sneaky flagrant foul against Suns guard Goran Dragic. But before the night was over, Smith would rewrite those headlines with a walk-off game-winner.
With the Knicks and Suns tied at 97 with one second on the clock, Jason Kidd inbounded the ball to Smith from the sideline. After using a Tyson Chandler screen to try to free himself from P.J. Tucker, Smith stumbled and nearly fell before collecting himself to launch a fall-away, off-balance jumper at the buzzer. The shot, from just inside the three-point line in the left corner, gave the Knicks a 99-97 road win.
Smith celebrated his heroics with a little salsa dance. Check out an animated GIF of the dancing act via @TheKnicksWall.
The shot marked Smith’s second game-winner of the month. He beat the Bobcats in Charlotte with a jumper on Dec. 5.
Smith finished with a team-high 27 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals on 11-for-27 shooting in 37 minutes. Kidd added 23 points, eight assists and and six rebounds. Jared Dudley led the Suns with 36 points, five rebounds and three assists.
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I am so bummed at what has happened to my beloved Suns. Sarver seems like a nice guy, and Banks is doing his best, but the two of them together are not half of Jerry Colangelo. Please Jerry, for the love of making all things right in the universe, come back!!
So Smith takes Dragic out for the rest of the game with a clear cheap shot significantly more dangerous than any punch an NBA player could ever throw but gets to stay in the game to win it at the end. Gotta love the NBA where saying "the ball don't lie" will get you ejected faster than intentionally injuring a player.
@swillyish I thought I was the only one who thought that!! That was a clear cheapshot. Yknow NY has definitively improved, but god do I hate some of their players, not because they suck but you can just tell theyre slimey scums (Kidd, JR Smith, Chandler) they may play ball "well" but theyre not great sportsman in my opinion. may disagree but just watching them play some games its eh. The funny thing is they always have to win at the buzzer instead of a clear win, happens to them alot. they should learn to close out games properly. lmao. tough one for dragic though, that kid has got talent and that was a clear intent.