The Phoenix Suns and the LA Clippers were in a back-and-forth struggle in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, and then chaos ensued.
With 30.9 seconds to play, Paul George's layup netted the Clippers their first lead since early in the third quarter. After a timeout, Devin Booker quickly nailed a 15-footer to give the Suns back the lead. George answered with a long 2 to put the Clippers ahead 103-102 with 22.2 seconds left. Following a Suns turnover and missed 3-pointer, George was fouled and went to the free throw line, hoping to give LA a three-point lead.
George would miss both free throws, and the Suns still had a chance.
After another missed 3 by the Suns and the ball being tipped out of bounds by the Clippers, head coach Monty Williams had 0.9 seconds to get Phoenix over the hump. Who's name would Williams call? Booker, right?
Nope, it was Deandre Ayton, as Jae Crowder alley-oop to the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA draft at the buzzer gave the Suns a 104-103 victory and a 2-0 series lead.
Teammate Chris Paul led the praise on Twitter, as the NBA's biggest names took to the platform to show love to the game-winning play.
HELLLLLLL YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Chris Paul (@CP3) June 23, 2021
WTF 😳
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) June 23, 2021
Ayton for Da win 🇧🇸
— Buddy Love !!!! (@buddyhield) June 23, 2021
THTS GAME MAN 😳
— Melo (@MELOD1P) June 23, 2021
That's up there with D Fish no cap 🔥
— Lonzo Ball (@ZO2_) June 23, 2021
dats a dime bossmann @CJC9BOSS 🥽
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) June 23, 2021
What a pass!!!!
— Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) June 23, 2021
Great screen by book . Hell of a pass.
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) June 23, 2021
After the game, CP3 made sure to show love to the designer of the play.
Big time play call Coach Mont!!!!!!!!
— Chris Paul (@CP3) June 23, 2021
Tyson Chandler, a member of the Suns from 2015 to '18, was reminded that the game-winner looked really familiar. As a Sun, he scored a winning basket against the Memphis Grizzlies running the same play.
That looks familiar 👀
— Tyson Chandler (@tysonchandler) June 23, 2021
Shout out to Coach Jay Triano! After practice 1 day he was kickin random NBA facts to me and was like " did you know theres no goaltending on a out of bounds play?" I was like really?? Nooo he said look it up.. 3 weeks later we found or selves in that situation
— Tyson Chandler (@tysonchandler) June 23, 2021
