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Throwback Thursday: Gordon Hayward’s almost-buzzer beater (VIDEO)

NCAA Championship Game: Butler v Duke

Hayward’s final shot against Duke

Getty Images

NCAA Championship Game: Butler v Duke

Hayward’s final shot against Duke

Getty Images

On Wednesday night, Gordon Hayward hit a ridiculous, step-back jumper over the arms of Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson to give the Utah Jazz a win over the Fighting LeBrons.

It was nasty.

But it also wasn’t the first time that we saw Hayward putting up a game-winning shot. For those that don’t remember, Hayward’s half-court prayer in the 2010 national title game bounced off the front of the rim, meaning that Duke escaped with a 61-59 win.

Here’s the video:

A couple of things that I forgot about this shot:


  • Hayward had a chance to give Butler the lead on a step-back jumper with 3.6 seconds left -- he missed -- that looked an awful lot like the one that he hit last night.
  • Kyle Singler got laid out by Matt Howard on a screen that freed up Hayward for that last second shot.
  • I love Brad Stevens’ reaction to the miss. Like his reaction to the win over Gonzaga from two years ago, his arms never uncross ... but he does fall to his knees as the ball bounces off of the rim.