After Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely’s touchdown as time expired was ruled incomplete due to his toe being out of bounds during the opening game of the 2024 NFL season, people immediately got flashbacks to Kevin Durant.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Ravens trailed the Kansas City Chiefs 27-20, as Lamar Jackson found Likely in the back of the end zone for what was originally ruled a good touchdown and would have cut the Chiefs lead to 27-26. Baltimore had signaled it was going to go for a two-point conversion and the win, but was unable to get the chance to do so after the pass was deemed incomplete upon review.
TOUCHDOWN OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tune in on NBC! pic.twitter.com/wBV678H6yw
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 6, 2024
Durant found himself in a similar situation during Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals when he was with the Brooklyn Nets. With the Nets trailing the Milwaukee Bucks 109-107, Durant made what he thought was a game-winning 3 with one second to go. However, with his size 18 shoe, Durant unfortunately had his toe just on the 3-point line when the shot went up.
ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREATS AT WORK. pic.twitter.com/FoaZPuAhNw
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) June 20, 2021
The Bucks would go onto win the game 115-111 in overtime and then advance all the way to being crowned NBA champions over Durant’s current team, the Phoenix Suns. This Game 7 would be the last playoff game that Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden would all play together in Brooklyn. Even in the loss, Durant had one of the greatest Game 7 performances ever with 48 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Kevin Durant said that he initially thought his shot at the end of regulation was a three.
"But my big ass foot stepped on the line," Durant said, in part. "I just saw how close I was to ending their season with that shot."
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 20, 2021
The side-by-side comparisons of the two moments went viral.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 6, 2024
Isaiah Likely x Kevin Durant. ???? pic.twitter.com/unjECcNKQt
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) September 6, 2024
Even the Bucks chimed in.
Game of inches. ????
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) September 6, 2024
Given the two situations and players involved, Durant’s 3-pointer is pretty obviously more significant, as he has still not won an NBA championship since 2018 with the Golden State Warriors, and that Nets team would have been heavily favored to do so, but instead it led to their demise. Likely broke out in Week 1, finishing with a career-high nine receptions and 111 receiving yards, as well as a touchdown, but the Ravens now find themselves 0-1 after posting the best regular-season record in the league last year at 13-4.
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, exclusive content, and access to our seasonal magazines! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
