Derek Fisher and Kevin Durant have something in common: they’ve both caused heartbreak to the defending champion Dallas Mavericks this season with a last-second shot.
Durant did it to the Mavericks for the second time this year on Saturday night, drilling a jumper with 1.5 seconds left to lead the Thunder to a 99-98 win over Dallas in Game 1 of their first round playoff series.
Derek, who is no stranger to postseason heroics, hit a game-winning trey against the Mavericks back on February 22nd as a member of the Lakers. Durant hit his own buzzer-beating trey on December 29th against the Mavericks.
But this time Durant only needed two points and he sank a leaner in the closing seconds to give the Thunder the lead. After the game, KD used a motto that Derek has long lived by, surmising that the postseason is about winning by any means necessary:
"No matter how you do it," he said, "you’ve got to get it done."
Fish and the Thunder took Game 1, 99-98 (Getty Images).
Fish helped the Thunder get it done too, playing 16 minutes of solid basketball that included an assist to Durant late in the third quarter, a rebound and a steal. He also drew a key charge in the second quarter.
NEXT UP
Fish and the Thunder host Game 2 on Monday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 CDT and the game can be seen on TNT.
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