Sixers Lose Game 7 On Improbable, Off-Balance Buzzer Beater

Just milliseconds away from taking the deciding Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals into overtime, the Sixers lost on a buzzer-beating, fade away jump shot that slowly bounced up off the rim twice in a moment of drama that would've seemed like overkill in Hollywood.

The shot — taken by Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard, of course — brought a close to a gutsy, wildly back and forth game and series. The final: Raptors 92, Sixers 90.

It marks the end of the season for the Sixers, who have been sent home in the semifinal round for two consecutive years. This matured 2019 version of the team, however, took the second seeded Raptors to seven games, a far cry from last year's semifinals, which Philly lost to Boston, four games to one.

The Raptors took a 50-41 lead early in the third quarter. However, the Sixers rallied back furiously, going on a 16-0 run and leading by seven at one point before the quarter was done.

Down 85-80 in the fourth, the Sixers staged a slow and steady five point comeback to knot it up at 85. Critics will have a long offseason to point out that the Sixers then had three straight possessions to take the lead, but failed to convert, including one which ended in a shot clock violation. Despite the bizarre sequence, when the Toronto defense was firing on all cylinders, it looked utterly impenetrable.

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The Sixers spread out their offensive attack, relying on double-digit point games from all five of their starters. Joel Embiid had 21, Jimmy Butler 16, Ben Simmons 13, Tobia Harris 15, and JJ Redick 17, including four three-pointers. On a night where the Raptors played stellar defense, it's hard to place blame on the Sixers shooters.

What could have been a game-changing possession began with just 24 seconds remaining, with the Sixers trailing 89-86. They went to Embiid down low, and he was fouled. He made both free throws, making it 89-88 with 10 seconds left. The Sixers quickly fouled Kawhi Leonard to stop the clock, but he only made one of two free throws. Jimmy Butler got the ball and drove the length of the court to tie it all up at 90.

There were four seconds left. Of course, the Raptors gave the ball to Leonard. He dribbled to the far corner, leapt up and back, and released the ball with just 0.2 left on the game clock. Had he begun his leap a fraction of a second later...

The ball hit the corner of the rim, bounced up, hit the opposite corner, bounced up again, and then somehow dropped through the hoop.

It's been that kind of week for Leonard, who finished off a legendary series with a monstrous 41 points.

The Raptors will now advance to play the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals. The Sixers, who will have a ton of questions to answer on the future free agents Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris this offseason, will have to wait another year for their NBA title run.