Does It Get Any Better?

Last year I could pick my top Tyreke Evans plays for my own personal favorite highlight reel. They included the second best comeback in NBA history with the 35-point come from behind win in Chicago, the first game against Brandon Jennings and practical buzzer beater win, the buzzer beater against the Nuggets, and the steal on Gilbert Arenas only to get fouled and ice the two free throws to win the game, and the infamous free throw that sealed his place in history with 20-5-5 and eventual NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

Tyreke by all accounts is a quiet, reserved young man. He rarely shows emotion on the court good or bad. Sure he explodes to the rim and there is energy, but there were not many occasions where you could read what the then 20-year old was thinking last season. There were bursts of emotions after a few of the games mentioned above, but nothing like we saw from the now 21-year old last night.

Tyreke said many times last year his top moment on the court was the first official buzzer beater against the Nuggets to win the game. He said he always wanted to hit the game winning shot with a buzzer beater. As great as that first one was, one would have to think that after last night's miracle shot that that shot catapulted to the top of the list. I cannot tell you how far he made the shot from. No one else seems to really know either, as I have heard 45, 50, 55, and 60 feet claims. All I know for sure is that it was well beyond the traditional half court shot...and it was nothing but the bottom of the net! After such an amazing shot Tyreke exhibited energy that encompassed what all Kings fans felt at that moment. With teammate Donte Greene already on the court before the ball was even close to the net ready to celebrate as if he knew it was in, Tyreke dodged what would have been a pile at the free throw line and in a running leap, jumped onto the scorers table and took what looked like a bow. In reality the bow was his momentum carrying him forward and that of Greene joining him along with Jeter atop the table, but a bow would have been well deserved. At this moment I cannot think of a better way to have ended the 2010 portion of the season. Here's hoping that that shot gives Tyreke and the rest of the Kings players the confidence that seems to have been lacking lately and sends the team on a winning streak that allows them to climb out of the NBA basement!