by Micah Hart
Well now, that didn’t take long. I was wondering how far into the 2011-12 season we’d get before someone got nice with the game-winner, and Kevin Durant decided five days was long enough. Works for me! Two straight years on the Horry Scale for KD, and I imagine many more to come.
For those that are new around these parts, the Horry scale examines a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time), importance (playoff game or garden-variety Clippers-Nets game), and celebration, and give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys.
Let’s get this show on the road for the year and see how Kevin Durant rates:
Difficulty
For mere mortals, that’s a tough shot. For Durantula, the 30-foot-fading-turnaround is almost a layup at this point. Still, with only 1.4 seconds to release, and three Dallas defenders rushing at him (well, two Dallas defenders — what you watchin’ there Dirk?), that’s a pretty impressive make.
Game Situation
Vince Carter was nearly the hero tonight, as his 3-pointer gave the Mavericks the lead with under two ticks remaining. As soon as his shot went through, I checked to see how much time was left, saw 1.4, and said to myself, oooh, that’s a little too much clock for the Thunder. Not like VC could help it, but just sayin’.
Importance
It is early in the season, but I’m going to give this one pretty high marks for import. For starters, the Mavericks are the defending champs, and knocked the Thunder out of the postseason in the Western Conference Finals, so that’s a nice little payback shot for OKC. It’s no ring, but it’s a start. Secondly, in a season with only 66 games, every win counts a little bit more — and every loss you can give a potential playoff rival helps as well. The Thunder nearly gave this game away and allowed the Mavs, who had been blown out two straight games to start the season, to find a little rejuvenation. Instead, KD is a killer, and all you’ll see in the standings tomorrow is a 0 in the loss column for the team from Oklahoma.
Celebration
The Thunder have terrific fans, so its no surprise to see them going hog wild. But what makes the celebration great to me is Royal Ivey, Durant’s fellow Texas alum (Hook ‘em!), coming in at the end in a suit to serve as hype man for his incredible teammate.
Grade
4 Horrys. I’ve already watched this replay about 25 times, and I could watch it 25 more. The ball barely touches the net! Sometimes I give Durant a little grief for settling for long jump shots in these scenarios when he might get something a little easier near the basket, but tonight no such option was available. Didn’t seem to bother him too much, did it? Either way, I’m just glad to have the Horry Scale back.
What do you think?
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Catch up on every single game-winning buzzer beater during the season and see how it rates on the Horry Scale.
4 Horrys? That’s a little high. We’ve seen beyond half-court shots that were fumbled mid-shot, regained, then shot with milliseconds to spare that made it for the win, and that was during playoff games. Three Horrys is the max you can give this shot.
Actually that shot you’re talking about was a Devin Harris shot while he was in NJ… hardly important, therefore it wouldn’te be more than… 4.5 Horrys. But because there was no such scale back then…
KD is the future, and the future is upon us. He is a great player, and a great role model. Go KD, and Go Thunder. Westbrook needs to get his head in the game for them to go ALL THE WAY!
here we go again with this mess. westbrook is the reason okc has all of this sucess in the first place.
No Westbrook is the reason they didnt make it to the finals, he makes bad decisions more often than not when it comes to being an actual point guard. He plays more like Lebron James without the Basketball IQ Lebron has, but yet he’ll take the clutch shots more often than he should, and he misses them most of the time. He is prone to having just as many bad games as a regular NBA player, and u can tell he’s Immature. Durant RARELY has a bad game, has been scoring champ two years in a row, and he’s very mature at only 23 years of age. Durant is a real leader, Westbrook can be a superstar but he needs to grow up.
I’m not dissin’ Westbrook. I actually believe he has the potential to be as good as Rose but he ABSOLUTELY NEEDS to work on controlling himself, the ball AND his emotions. If he didn’t have all of those turnovers, offensive fouls and bad shots the Thunder would be winning big all the time. Instead Durantula has to save the day and their games are close.
All I’m saying is if Westbrook fixes his issues.. they WILL WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP.
Approximately 22% of voters on the poll are sore losers, give it up that was a great clutch shot against the defending champs. Respect it.
We didn’t even rate Wade’s game winner.
because it wasn’t a buzzer beater.
It wasn’t a buzzer beater, barb.
it wasn’t a 3…..so it can’t be on the Horry Scale.
@ carrington banks: It doesn’t matter whether it is a two or a three-pointer. All it needs is to be a buzzer beater! Zee is totally right
Not a playoff matter game winner. Or a critical regular close to playoff jockeying type win. If it was the source rating system I’d give it 2 mics. In this case 2.5 Horry’s.
The reason why this didnt get 5 Horrys was because it was an easy shot for Durant, the game wasn’t really THAT important, but it was a legit Robert Horry type buzzer beater. However, Horry symbolizes coming up big in KEY games at KEY moments, when all hope is lost with the 3 pointer.
I don’t like Kobe, but they need a Kobe or Jordan scale for clutch moments like Wade’s game winner.
The game winner was good, but I think you guys forgot to do one on the game winner by Dwyane Wade against th Charlotte Bobcats?
This is about buzzer beaters! While Wade nailed a game-winner, it doesn’t qualify for this scale because the Bobcats had one last shot… Even if it was a nice shot.
Tough long 3 point shot. But he had time to catch, square up, and shoot. Only 6’2″ Jason Terry had a hand up. Durant can easily shoot over him. 3 Horrys.
If he made the shot right over dirk’s extended hand with one second of the clock I would of been impressed. This wasn’t even a playoff game, he made the shot over Jason Terry who is 6″2. but still he sometimes reminds me of kobe. I still remember the shot clearly by kobe over wade.
I give him 2 out of 5
Even the shot clock started late because he had 1.4 seconds and he had already release the ball with 1.1 remaining on the clock…? How is that even possible??!!
On Sports Science, teamed with Bargnani, they proved that it can be done in .8 seconds. He caught it, squared up, shot, and made it.
come on, it deserves 3 not 4. there’s no much D on him. he’s 7 footer with monster wingspan, he can get the shot off with ease. the two mavs that were supposedly chasing him was a feet far from him. he’s also known to be a veryy good catch and shoot player so the difficulty on that shot was not through the roof.
That shot was just sick! I hope Durant get’s the MVP this year.
D rose stillhas best go-ahead bucket in lst 5 seconds, crossed fisher, then a leaning hook shot ove 7 foot pau Gasol
Four Horrys out of Five?
Someone let me know of a more difficult shot/situation
That was a 5 all the way! Gave me goosebumps. What a player Durant is!
ARE YOU SERIOUS EH? first thing that comes to mind. lebrons 3 pointer from way down town against orlando in one of the playoff series.
just saying there are better game winning buzzer beaters, not saying this was bad – in facct, quite impressive
Back then there was no “Horry Scale” on this blog. However, it would be a 5 Horry, for sure!
Looking forward for Chauncey Billups’ latest HORRY.
Excellent post but I was wondering if you could write a litte more on
this topic? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Appreciate it!