The movie playing in Kyle Lowry’s head ends with the ball swinging to him in the corner, his opponents helplessly rushing over to stop him. He sees himself square up, rise, and let fly. Nothing but net. Lowry is buried by his celebrating teammates, his whole career building to this very moment. He’s a champion. He did it. It’s a story for the ages.
Except reality doesn’t go that way. Instead Lowry gets the ball in the corner, down 106-105 to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, He does indeed rise and let fly, but Draymond Green gets his fingers on the ball, spinning it harmlessly off the side of the backboard and out of bounds.