On the day after Christmas, the Hawks and Cavs unleashed a heart-pounding double-overtime game that culminated in perhaps the closest thing to a missed game-winner — that actually went in — we’ve ever seen. Jeff Teague‘s step-back 20-footer seemed to bounce against every piece of iron before falling through as the buzzer sounded ending the second overtime with a 127-125 Hawks win.
Earlier in the game, Teague had hit a game-tying three-pointer with under 10 seconds remaining to force the second overtime. But this jumper at the very last second in the second overtime, appeared to bounce off the rim at least two different times. It takes a special sort of touch to finagle that conclusion, but Teague was up to the challenge and the Hawks moved to 16-13, the third best record in the East, and the only other team besides Miami and Indiana with a winning record.
Teague finished with 34 points and 14 dimes on 14-of-24 shooting, but it was his soft touch on his final bucket that sealed the game for the Hawks, who became the only team with two buzz-beating winners so far this season (Al Horford knocked down a baseline jumper to get a win against the Wizards earlier this season). Horford added 25 points in the victory Thursday night.
Teague’s big night came despite Kyrie Irving‘s 40 points (17-of-33 shooting) — 16 of which came in the two extra sessions — nine assists and four steals in the loss. Dion Waiters added 20 points and Tristan Thompson 22 for the losing Cavs.
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