Toronto Raptors hero OG Anunoby said he was not surprised to hit the buzzer-beating three-pointer against the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs, insisting: "I don't shoot trying to miss."
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Anunoby nailed the game-winning three as time expired to lift the Raptors to a 104-103 victory over the Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
After Daniel Theis' dunk had put the Celtics ahead by two points with a half-second remaining, Anunoby caught a cross-court pass from Kyle Lowry and hit a stunning shot from beyond the arc at Walt Disney World Resort.
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The Raptors snapped a run of back-to-back defeats as they reduced the Celtics' lead to 2-1 heading into Saturday's Game 4.
"I expected to make it," Anunoby said. "I don't shoot trying to miss. Every shot I try to make it. I wasn't surprised."
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Anunoby continued.
"No one was rattled after [Theis' dunk]," Anunoby said. "Everyone stayed confident about the next play. Let's focus on running this play and getting a good shot off. We were confident in anyone that took the shot that [they] could make it. This group is resilient. Just a next-play mentality."
Raptors star Lowry, who provided the assist for Anunoby's winner and finished with 31 points, complimented his teammate.
"That pass was nothing, that shot was everything," he said. "He deserves all the love and celebration he's getting tonight, that kid works extremely hard and, like I said, it's his moment."