Laettner v Subzero

[pamtar]

Gotta do it. Seriously, its up there.

Yeah, "the shot" was in the ncaa's, but dayum - its UNC.

Discuss, my merry Devils...

[anon]

This one needs to mull around in my mind for a while. For now, Christian has the edge, because it was a win-or-go-home.

Go Duke!

[roywhite]

Might be the single biggest shot ever of the Duke -- UNC rivalry.

That's a good place to start.

[pamtar]

Agreed Roy. That's kinda how I'm seeing it too.

The only thing that makes me think differently is the fact that it sent all those baby blue sweater vests home in tears.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

When Rivers stays around for another year (or two or three) and does it again, THEN he can be compared to Laettner. But this sure is sweet! And very clutch. Makes up for his missing the free throws!

[pamtar]

Not in any way comparing him to Laettner as a player Ozzie, just the shot he made tonight.

[weezie]

Agreed Roy. That's kinda how I'm seeing it too.

The only thing that makes me think differently is the fact that it sent all those baby blue sweater vests home in tears.

Yeah, sweater vests. Game over.

[ArkieDukie]

I thought the same thing. The shots are different, and yet they are the same. Austin has the ball and is dribbling while the rest of the Duke fandom world is yelling for him to shoot the darn thing already. Watch the game clock as the shot leaves Austin's hands and heads for the basket. The shot goes in; Austin goes running toward the other end of the court and ultimately gets tackled by his teammates. Eerily similar.

I have thought for a while that this team needed a m*****f***** (a Coach K term), and I believe that Mr. Rivers showed his willingness to answer the call. Maybe he's been taking bada** lessons from Nate James?

I cannot wait to see how the team goes forward from this victory. It was a huge win.

[FerryFor50]

Eh great shot but not close to Laettner's shots. (Including the one against UConn the year before)

Those were survive and advance games. The UNC game is pretty close in importance but Duke doesn't win the championships without the Laettner shots.

[monkey]

Don't think it matches Laettner because not in the NCAAs but move on over Jeff Capel ... the 1995 3 to send the Duke-UNC game at Cameron into double overtime versus Stackhouse and Wallace just got eclipsed

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Don't think it matches Laettner because not in the NCAAs but move on over Jeff Capel ... the 1995 3 to send the Duke-UNC game at Cameron into double overtime versus Stackhouse and Wallace just got eclipsed

I'll agree with you on this! And I'll put it next to Walter Davis' shot, but I don't talk about that game.

[pamtar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X1ewxVwhug

Im up to around 20 views.

[BlueTeuf]

But I'd vote for Gene over Sam in the "Dennard and Banks, so long and thanks" game.

[gwlaw99]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X1ewxVwhug

Im up to around 20 views.

Crowd shot at 35 seconds is priceless.

[Greg_Newton]

Laettner's two buzzer beatings in the tournament probably have to take the top two spots, but I'm not sure anything else is above this. Without a doubt the greatest shot of the rivalry, IMO.

[Edouble]

Crowd shot at 35 seconds is priceless.

I want the the full court picture as Austin's shot was released with a double exposure of that crowd shot superimposed over it as a poster.

[Starter]

No comparison. Laettner's is regarded as the greatest shot of all time by some. Rivers' shot is a great Duke moment, and a great moment in general, but the stakes weren't even close to as high and it didn't feature a miracle pass. This doesn't make Rivers' shot any less awesome, of course.

[subzero02]

Eh great shot but not close to Laettner's shots. (Including the one against UConn the year before)

Those were survive and advance games. The UNC game is pretty close in importance but Duke doesn't win the championships without the Laettner shots.

The shot versus UCONN was during the 1990 NCAA tournament... The shot versus Kentucky was during the 1992 NCAA tournament

[JNort]

Laettner hit his in a tournament and it allowed us to go on and eventually win a championship but we should never have been in that position as a team in the first place. Duke was a top dog that year and Kentucky had struggled a bit and was expected to get killed by Duke.


Austin's shot was as the underdog and against our biggest rival and on their home court. People were calling into radio stations predicting Duke loses by 15 and 20 points. Even on our very own DBR many showed no faith in this team to win or even stay close. Austin has been heavily criticized as well as the rest of this team. UNC had 5 potential lottery players on the team with another NBA prospect in Bullock and were preseason favorites to win it all.


So who gets the award for best moment? Depends on what you like, the shot that sends us on to eventually get our 2 national championship victory despite being the favorite or the underdog that won against its biggest rival while on the road.

I am undecided and I like it that way.

[superdave]

Bobby Hurley. 3-pointer vs. UNLV. 1991. National Semifinal.