NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
A note about The Horry Scale: This system analyzes a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) based on various criteria including difficulty, game context (whether the team was tied or trailing), significance (is it a playoff clash or just a regular November matchup?), and the level of celebration that follows. We then assign an overall rating from 1 to 5 Robert Horrys, honoring the iconic figure synonymous with dramatic last-minute victories.
* * *
Who is that masked player?
That’s the question echoing in the minds of Philadelphia 76ers fans as Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton executed a putback basket at the last second, just after Tyrese Maxey had managed to hit a game-tying three-pointer.
Instead of extending the game into overtime and the opportunity to snap their six-game losing streak, the 76ers fell to a troubling 16 games under .500 with their 105-103 defeat on home turf. Meanwhile, the Nets improved to 21-35, claiming sole possession of 11th place in the Eastern Conference — only half a game behind the current Play-In Tournament contenders.
GAME CONTEXT: After trailing by 17 points early in the third quarter, the 76ers staged a comeback, leveling the score with Maxey’s long-range shot from 26 feet with just 23 seconds left. The Nets opted not to take a timeout, resulting in a missed three-pointer by Keon Johnson with 1.1 seconds remaining. Claxton soared over Paul George to secure the rebound and then…
DIFFICULTY: Suggesting Claxton was simply in the right place at the right time doesn’t capture his impressive performance. He dominated the interior throughout the game. Observing Johnson’s missed shot from across the baseline, Claxton deftly navigated around Guerschon Yabusele, seized the ball above George’s outstretched arm, and released it with only 0.2 seconds remaining.
CELEBRATION: As silence enveloped the crowd at Wells Fargo Center, Claxton nonchalantly strolled to the corner of the court awaiting his teammates to join in the celebration. Finishing the game with 16 points, nine rebounds, and five blocked shots, Claxton had to wait for the raucous celebration to die down before he could finally remove his protective mask.
late night find pic.twitter.com/RaihL8htTS
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 23, 2025
GRADE: This marked the Nets’ first game-winning buzzer-beater since Kyrie Irving’s memorable shot against the Raptors in 2022, contributing to Brooklyn’s seventh win out of their last nine contests. They also leapfrogged the 76ers in the chase for a Play-In spot, possibly identifying this moment as the catalyst for the Nets’ late-season playoff drive. Three Horrys.
