The Toronto Raptors on Friday somehow snatched defeat from deep within the jaws of victory.
Raptors wing Gradey Dick split a pair of three throws to give Toronto 110-106 lead inside a silent United Center in Chicago, Ill. The Bulls’ chances at a comeback were not looking good with just 6.2 seconds left.
Every basketball coach at any level would have the same advice in such a scenario: don’t foul. The only thing that could truly burn the Raptors in that scenario would be a 4-point play. It’s not hard to guess what happened when Bulls guard Coby White received the inbounds pass near the top of the key.
White hit a triple and got fouled by Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley, who did not give the offensive player enough landing space on his shot attempt. White drained the free throw to send the game to overtime, where the Bulls rode their wave of momentum to a stunning 115-105 win.
Several fans on X humorously applauded the Raptors for inadvertently pulling off arguably the season’s most impressive tank job yet. Many Raptors supporters expressed gratitude to Coby White for helping the team potentially get better NBA draft lottery odds in June.
Toronto currently has a 3-game edge over the Philadelphia 76ers for the 5th-best lottery odds in the NBA. But with the Sixers shutting down Joel Embiid for the rest of the season, the Raptors’ unexpected loss to the Bulls could eventually play a factor in the battle for the bottom.
