Kyrie Irving Game Winner: Former NBA Champions Point Out Just How Absurd Clutch Buzzer-Beater Is

The Denver Nuggets‘ 5-game winning streak has come to a devastating end after Kyrie Irving decided to take things into his own hands. The defending champions have been giving nightmares to the best teams on the court this season. However, Irving wanted to give the Nuggets a taste of their own medicine with a crafty game-winner that has left the internet stunned. What’s noteworthy is how this got the attention of a few former NBA players!

After Luka Doncic‘s game-tying three, the Dallas Mavericks had just 2.8 seconds left to make a play. With the scores tied at 115 all, Irving caught the ball near the baseline and rushed inside the three-point line to release a left hook shot over Nikola Jokic. The 31-year-old superstar left no time on the clock, thus sending the Nuggets back home.

Former Los Angeles Lakers veteran Matt Barnes was in denial after Irving pulled that shot off. In ESPN’s latest Instagram post that showcased the game-winner, Barnes commented, “Off hand from the free throw line over a footer….”. The appreciation doesn’t end here. Richard Jefferson, Irving’s former teammate from the Cleveland Cavaliers, also commented, “Most skilled player I’ve ever seen”. Jefferson’s praise did not stop with the comments. 

The Cavs champion was one of the broadcasters of the game today. While many might call this game-winner lucky, Jeffersons’s words will prove why this was no miracle. 

Richard Jefferson reveals why this game-winner was a planned one from Kyrie Irving

With 2.8 seconds, a catch-and-shoot jumper would be the best option. However, there was no chance for a jumper the way Irving received the ball. He had to go for the hook shot, that too with a left hand, as a 6’11 Jokic was guarding him. The internet termed Irving’s game-winner a “lucky lefty,”  but Jefferson already shared in the broadcast why it is not. The 43-year-old shared on live TV, “That is one of the nastiest games I have seen in a while and to have that type of finish from Kyrie Irving.” 

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He added, “And as a former teammate, let me tell you, as soon as he released it, I have seen him make shots like that…not a game-winner, but, what a shot!”. Jefferson and Irving shared the court from 2015 to 2017 for the Cavs. In 2016, they delivered one of the most iconic championships in NBA history. So when Jefferson admits that this is no luck, then we must seriously consider it! 

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