Horry Scale: Mikal Bridges Nails Buzzer-Beater to Sink Blazers from Downtown

A friendly reminder about The Horry Scale: It meticulously dissects a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) based on its level of difficulty, the game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time?), the significance of the game (playoff matchup or just a regular night in November?), and the ensuing celebration. Following this breakdown, we assign an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys, paying homage to the legendary hero of last-second heroics.

* * *

In a game that featured 42 lead changes, Mikal Bridges had the final say in overtime, capping a 33-point night with a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the New York Knicks a 114-113 victory in Portland.

How the game came down to Bridges’ 3-pointer was overtime was unusual. With 7.2 seconds remaining and the Knicks leading 111-110, Josh Hart needed to simply inbound the ball and wait for a teammate to get fouled so New York could extend the lead to two or three.

Instead, Hart committed a rare violation, moving several steps before he inbounded the ball, which is not allowed unless the inbound is coming after a score. The ball went back to the Blazers, who regained the lead on Deni Avdija’s 3-point play.

GAME SITUATION: With 3.4 seconds left in overtime and the Knicks trailing two points, Josh Hart caught the inbound pass and shoveled the ball to Bridges, who took one dribble before rising at the top of the 3-point line. Despite Blazers rookie big man Donovan Clingan contesting his shot, Bridges managed to get it off cleanly.

DIFFICULTY: Having perhaps his best game since joining the Knicks in the offseason, Bridges was oozing with confidence as he released the ball with 1.5 seconds left. And he didn’t seem surprised when it hit the bottom of the net. “Yeah, it looked good,” said Bridges when he was asked if he thought the shot was going in.

CELEBRATION: Bridges’ momentum carried him to opposite end of the court, where he broke into a bobblehead dance before the entire Knicks team joined the party as the Moda Center went quiet. The difference between the Knicks broadcast and the Blazers broadcast was about as stark as it gets.

GRADE: With Jalen Brunson still sidelined, Bridges carried the load for the Knicks, who had lost three of their previous 4 games. Clutch shot, clutch win. The Knicks’ first game-winning buzzer-beater since RJ Barrett hit a similar shot 2002 drew the rare double bang from broadcaster Mike Breen. We’ll give it 3 1/2 Horrys.