So So Gay

We all have personally seen many different and crazy ending to games.
Be it the Derek Fisher's "0.4" that changed the rules for the amount of time under which a player is allowed to "catch and shoot", that also had a sick "not-so-game-winner" by Tim Duncan, not to forget Kobe's shot right before that one!




Then there was Tracy McGrady's "13 in 35"



AND NOW THERE IS THIS AS WELL:


"The Grizzlies had the game almost certainly won in the final second of regulation, but Rudy Gay inexplicably missed a chance to end it with a missed free throw.
Up 99-97 with .4 of a second left, Gay could have banged his final free throw off the rim, leaving the Suns without enough time to rebound and throw up a length-of-court shot.
Gay swished the free throw. Afterward, Gay said he tried to miss, yet he tossed up the shot with perfect arc.
So the Suns called timeout and got the ball in the frontcourt. They designed a play where Hill threw a lob for Richardson, who leaped and tipped the ball in just before the buzzer.
That sent the game to overtime." 

Jason Richardson credits "the basketball gods."

That's as good a way as any to explain the final 1.1 seconds of regulation in Phoenix's 123-118 double-overtime victory over Memphis on Friday night.

Richardson scored five of his 38 points in that tiny span and, thanks to a made free throw that Rudy Gay intended to miss, the Suns forced overtime and stole what seemed a certain Memphis victory.

"I haven't done that in my lifetime," Richardson said. "That was just a crazy turnaround. They thought they had a win. I guess the basketball gods were on our side."

Steve Nash scored 13 of his 25 points in the overtimes to send Memphis to its third loss in a row.

Memphis seemed safely ahead when O.J. Mayo's two free throws made it 98-94 with 3.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

But Richardson banked in a 3-pointer to make it 98-97 with 1.1 to go, then Nash fouled Gay on an inbound pass. The referees put 0.4 seconds on the clock.

Gay missed the first free throw and clearly intended to miss the other so time would run out. But it went in and, after a timeout, the ball moved to Phoenix's frontcourt and Grant Hill lofted a perfect lob to Richardson at the rim. The shot went in to tie it at 99.

"Grant threw a great pass," Richardson said. "He's known for great passes. He threw one to Christian Laettner to win the game [for Duke against Kentucky 18 years ago], so he threw a great pass up there and I almost missed the layup, the dunk or whatever you want to call it, but I'm glad it rolled in."

without video it is very hard to explain how funny and stupid Rudy Gay looked right after that 1.1 seconds to go in regulation!  too many ironic moments.  even M.Conley got in on the "irony' of the outcome...