Deandre Ayton tipped-in a dramatic last-second pass to give the Phoenix Suns a 104-103 Game Two victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
With just 0.7 seconds left on the clock, Ayton received an alley-oop pass from Jae Crowder and finished it off with aplomb.
It means the Suns race into a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals – despite still missing star guard Chris Paul, after he was placed in the league’s health and safety protocol after testing positive for Covid-19 – as they aim for their first trip to the NBA Finals in 28 years.
“The celebration was a little shaky because I wasn’t too sure what I did,” Ayton told reporters after the game.
“I wasn’t sure if it counted, I didn’t want to be a blooper, none of that. I just wanted to get to the next play or for the refs to confirm what it is.
“I was so anxious. I was so stressed. It was a lot.”
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The moment topped off an impressive performance from Ayton, who finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds.
Meanwhile, teammate Cameron Payne scored a career-high 29 points as both sides traded the lead throughout.
The all important Game Three is set for Los Angeles on Thursday.
“I thought we played well and we had a chance to win the game,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue told reporters after the game.
“They won on a tip-in and now we have to go home and take care of business. We’ve been in this position before, even though we hate it.
“But our guys competed and they made a big play at the end.”
