With fractions of a second left on the clock, Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard put up a game-winning shot against 76ers centre Joel Embiid in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series on May 12, 2019.
For a split second you could hear a pin drop inside a sold-out Scotiabank Arena and a fully packed Jurassic Park. Both places had been electric all night long but as soon as the game’s final shot went up, pretty much all of Canada held its breath.
Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Swish.
Then, pandemonium.
Five years ago today, on May 12, 2019, Kawhi Leonard created a lifetime of memories for Raptors fans (and broke the hearts of Philadelphia 76ers supporters) when he made The Shot — the only Game 7 buzzer beater in NBA history.
That bucket gave Toronto a 92-90 win over the 76ers and sent the Raptors to the Eastern Conference final en route to the 2019 NBA championship.
The celebrations inside the arena mirrored how fans were watching from afar.
This story is from the May 12, 2024 edition of Toronto Star.
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This story is from the May 12, 2024 edition of Toronto Star.
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