On any given night, any NBA player can leave an arena as the hero after making a game-winning play. But, in the case of Celtics forward Grant Williams, that opportunity resulted in anything but a storybook ending during Monday’s overtime road loss to the Cavaliers.
The hotly contested matchup came down to the wire, with the score tied, 109–109, with 5.1 seconds left in regulation. Celtics guard Payton Pritchard raced up the floor and missed what likely would’ve been a game-winning layup, only for Williams to fly in and get fouled on a putback attempt with 0.8 seconds left on the clock.
With Boston on the verge of victory, a confident Williams began chirping with Donovan Mitchell before stepping to the free throw line. The fourth-year forward then proceeded to tell the Cavaliers star that he would make both attempts, an awkward moment that ended up serving as a brutal reminder of what can happen when you speak a little too soon.
