Former Duke basketball star Grayson Allen lost the game for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Around the Duke basketball program, Grayson Allen is known as the hero who helped the Blue Devils to a National Title in 2015.
He’s a hated villain anywhere outside Durham, though, and many people took joy in his failure on Wednesday night against the Dallas Mavericks (30-24).
With 2.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Allen rebounded a missed free throw by Luka Doncic, seemingly ending the game as the Memphis Grizzlies (27-26) led by two, 113-111, and the former Blue Devil being nearly a 90-percent free throw shooter.
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However, the basketball gods had a special ending prepared for the national television game of the night.
Allen missed both of his free throws, his only missed shots from the charity stripe of the night, which left 1.8 seconds for Dallas to advance the ball and for Doncic to hit a 3-point floater for the win, 114-113.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1382543215228686337?s=20
Grayson Allen led the Grizzlies in scoring with 23 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor, 6-of-11 from three-point range, but the costly 3-of-5 from the free throw line.
Tyus Jones added six points, two rebounds, and five assists in the loss for Memphis while Justise Winslow did not play because of a thigh injury.
Former Blue Devil JJ Redick was playing in his second game with the Dallas Mavericks since being traded from the New Orleans Pelicans, and after struggling in his debut, he added nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from downtown off the bench.
Duke basketball standout has support from teammates
Even after his missed clutch free throws, Grayson Allen’s teammates, Ja Morant and Kyle Anderson, would not let Grizzly fans throw negative comments at the former Blue Devil.
https://twitter.com/JaMorant/status/1382544859496640512?s=20
give me G at the line 10/10 im rolling wit em!
— SLOWMO (@KyleAnderson5) April 15, 2021
https://twitter.com/JaMorant/status/1382556408168787968?s=20
Allen is currently averaging 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 42.9-percent from the field, 40.4-percent from three-point range, and 88.4-percent from the free throw line.
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Memphis currently sits as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a half-game lead over the Golden State Warriors for the No. 9 seed.
The Grizzlies return to the floor on Friday, April 16 at 8:00pm EST against the shorthanded Chicago Bulls (22-32).