The NBA Finals series delivered another nail-biting basketball action after the Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-108, in Game 5 Friday (Saturday, Manila time).
What made it more thrilling were the crucial plays that happened in the last three minutes, where the two teams constantly traded baskets.
Jimmy Butler found Duncan Robinson for a three-pointer. Robinson returned the favor to Butler for a jumper. Lebron James drove for an and-one. Butler pulled up from midrange against Markieff Morris. James followed up on a missed layup. Anthony Davis had a putback from an airball of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Butler scored clutch free throws.
And then the Lakers' doom.
With 12 ticks left, James tried to penetrate the basket but was forced to kick out the ball to Danny Green after Butler and Robinson cornered him. Green was left open from beyond the arc with 8.9 seconds to go, only to miss a possible go-ahead triple for the Lakers.
The Lakers had a second chance to put the game ahead after a Morris rebound with six seconds left. With an assist to Davis in mind, Morris tossed the ball out of bounds instead, throwing their chance to clinch the NBA title in the process.
Many didn't take the last play well as Green and Morris drew flak from social media, especially for Lakers fans.
American rapper Snoop Dogg, a diehard Laker fan, took to social media his disappointment following the uncontested shot by Green.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Snoop Dogg shared an edited photo of Green with the back of his jersey that read "How many more f****** threes am I going to miss."
Another video went viral as the Long Beach native voiced out tirades to unanimous players in the Lakers bench. "Get your ass in the gym right now and go work on your f****** shot. Get your a** up and get workin' in the gym."
While some expressed dismay, James defended Green despite missing the crucial shot and told the press that they just have to "live with it."
"I mean if you just look at the play, I was able to draw two defenders (Butler and Robinson) below the freethrow line and find one of our shooters at the top of the key for a wide-open three to win a championship," said LeBron, who posted 40 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
"I trusted him. We trusted him. And it just didn't go. You live with that... I wish he could have it again. I wish I could make a better pass. But you just live with it."
Meanwhile, the James-Butler duel also became one of the highlights in Game 5, drawing praise from several basketball stars as well.
Butler played another herculean performance, posting another triple-double of 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in 47 minutes of play, his longest so far in this Finals series. After answering queries from media, he was seen leaving the press room with a classic "hooper-walk" style.
"This Bron vs Jimmy match up has been special to watch," tweeted NBA veteran Tristan Thompson.