Ray Allen traveled before making possibly the most clutch shot in basketball history, shaping the legacy of LeBron James in a big way.
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Mike Breen has been synonymous with broadcasting excellence for a long time. You know the game’s afoot when you hear the characteristic call of ‘Bang!’ from the Knicks announcer. Breen has provided the play-by-play commentary for some of the game’s most iconic moments ever.
It is difficult to find a moment to top this one, however. The Heat, trailing the Spurs by 3 with around 5 seconds to go, drew level with this shot from Ray Allen. “Rebound Bosh, back out to Allen, his 3-pointer, BANG!” is the most memorable call of my childhood.
However, a closer look at the video reveals a slight hiccup – Ray Allen appears to have traveled while relocating. A writer at Sportscasting.com has pinpointed the relevant footage.
Ray Allen appeared to travel on his game-tying 3-pointer in Game 6
At the 0:28 mark, you can spot in slo-mo the exact moment when the 38-year-old collected the ball. His right foot seemed to be in the air at the time, which means it was his first foot down. Ray Allen went on to place it on the ground once again before hitting the pivotal shot of the series.
LeBron had scored the bulk of his points in the 4th quarter and overtime of Game 6. He was practically the only reason the Heat were even in the game in the Finals seconds. It was completely understandable for him to take the game-tying attempt.
Ray Allen says LeBron and Coach Spo still call to thank him for hitting his iconic shot in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals
One of the greatest shots in NBA Finals history.
(via @CBSSports) pic.twitter.com/iofE8lpaK0
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2021
Chris Bosh’s rebound might be even more important than Allen’s eventual shot. The 6’10” forward got himself in great position, hustled through two defenders and made the pinpoint pass to Ray Allen – right in his shooting pocket.
