Yuta Watanabe scores 17 points, including a game-winning 3-pointer, with 14 seconds left, netting Irving’s game-winner in dramatic win over Raptors – Basket Count

Became a game-changer and played a key role in a come-from-behind play that overturned a maximum 18-point deficit

Yuta Watanabe showed a stunning performance against his former home in the game when the Nets entered the home of the Raptors.

This place is a special place for Watanabe, who played until last season and took the opportunity to establish himself in the NBA. The fans were the same, and when he was sent to the court with less than 3 minutes left in the first quarter, Raptors fans gave Watanabe a big round of applause. And as soon as the step was sunk back in the middle of the drive, the performance increased as time passed.

The team allowed Fred VanVleet to score 25 points in the first half alone, trailing a maximum of 18 points. Still, when Watanabe, who started as a substitute, read the return pass to VanVleet and succeeded with a one-man rushing attack by Steele, he also scored a corner three and came back from 10 points behind to end the first half.

In the second half, as Nick Claxton, who recorded 6 blocks in this game, confirmed 2 blocks, the strength of the defense increased and a counterattack began. When Durant scored 9 points and Kyrie Irving scored 8 points, Watanabe also scored free throws and under the goal from the transition, catching up with the last quarter.

From there, it was back and forth between the offense and the defense until the end, but Watanabe made the difference in an important scene. In the 3 minutes remaining, when the score was equal, he attacked Pascal Siakam who received the ball in the corner and jumped to check the shot, attracting both and setting up an easy shot for Ben Simmons. With 14 seconds to go, she trailed by one point and sunk a valuable corner three from Irving’s kick out to give her a two point lead at the end of the game. After that, a Scotty Barnes free throw tied the score, but Irving sank the game-winning 3 in a one-on-one with VanVleet to end the heat.

Watanabe made 6 out of 7 field goals, including 3 3-point shots, and recorded 17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Although he played for around 21 minutes, he scored an efficient 17 points, and the goal difference when he participated was +12 high. Watanabe, who showed his growth against the old team, was able to secure a victory from behind the Nets, making it five wins in a row. It is in 4th place, one game behind the Cavaliers, who are 3rd in the Eastern Conference.