Kemba Walker’s buzzer-beater lay-up sends Hornets over Knicks
Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker has developed a reputation for hitting clutch shots, both as a star at Connecticut in college and in his first four NBA seasons. More often than not, it comes in the form of a stepback jumper, usually involving one of Walker’s patented crossovers. We saw it in this season’s opening game and will see it again soon enough.
However, the New York Knicks saw a different kind of clutch Walker shot in Friday night’s game in Charlotte. With the Knicks up 102-101 and just four seconds on the clock, Walker took the ball looking for a buzzer-beating winner. Instead of taking a jumper, he darted past several New York defenders, put up a lay-in with his left hand, and saw (or at least heard) it go through the hoop at the buzzer. Here’s the video:
Walker didn’t just give the Hornets a 103-102 win — he also saved his team from some embarrassment. Charlotte led by as many as 21 points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth before New York took the lead on a Carmelo Anthony three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining. The victory finally ended the Hornets’ 10-game losing streak that has seen them drop from near .500 to one of the worst records in the league.
The Knicks will leave town wondering what they need to do to stop a big layup in the final seconds. Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving iced Thursday night’s game with a teardrop over Iman Shumpert to keep the Knicks from that victory, as well.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
