We have to admit something: We don’t watch a ton of NBA Summer League ball.
And we had no idea that if an opening-round Summer League game went to double-overtime, it turned to sudden death. First basket wins (though SBNation says it can’t be a free throw).
That’s where the Timberwolves and Warriors found themselves Tuesday in their Vegas matchup – locked at 76-76 after four quarters plus an overtime.
Enter C.J. Williams.
C.J. Williams wins it for the Wolves and the Summer Squad finishes with a 78-76 victory over the Warriors! #WolvesInVegas https://t.co/HD0DRtZAug
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) July 12, 2017
The 27-year-old N.C. State alum, who went undrafted in 2012 and has bounced around with NBA Summer League teams since, hit the backboard floater in the lane to get the Wolves the 78-76 win Tuesday.
“It’s a new feeling. It’s weird. You’re used to having a certain amount of time to play,” Williams told NBA.com afterward about playing sudden death, later adding: “You want to show these teams that you can win … and that’s why we’re here.”
Here’s another angle on it.
Watch Minnesota's sudden death OT win pic.twitter.com/HHd0iyYTWF
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) July 12, 2017
And look how happy Thibs looks in this screengrab from the NBA’s YouTube highlights.
Anyway, the Wolves (2-1) and Warriors (0-3) will actually go again Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to start bracket play. The Wolves are seeded 11th, while Golden State is 22nd. It’s a knockout format, so the loser is done.
The sudden death thing doesn’t come up a ton. There was this ridiculous scramble back in 2014 though (and is that Adreian Payne missing a shot toward the end?).
