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- #21
MHSL82
Well-Known Member
You're close to my delusion. I don't pretend he missed the free-throw at a more critical time (OT) to make it a closer game. I pretend he made the free throws, went to OT, and just lost because the other team outscored us in general. I don't like to focus on how we lose, just did we win or not. The minutia gets me into the whatif mode and that's never helpful for moving on.
The more important the game, the harder it is to do. I mean, what if the Niners punt returner did not fumble TWICE in the 4th and OT in the NFC Championship game? Can we assume safe Smith would have turned it over otherwise? Could we assume the do-nothing-in-the-game Manning would have driven the field against that defense with 1-2 minutes or less? Maybe, but it's not likely. The Niners had the lead and a ball control offense that gave them the lead.
So that's harder for me to imagine it happened differently.... And reimagining Smith throwing the game away instead of the punt returner fumbling wouldn't help. It has to be the other team, can't be luck either.
The game last night against the New York Knicks is what I was imagining for the other game where Hayward missed his free throw. Against the Knicks, Hayward got fouled on a three-pointer with two seconds to go. He made all three free throws and the Jazz subsequently lost in overtime by seven. In the other game, he missed the last free throw and it bugged me. So I just imagine the Knicks game happened twice. Why can't the Jazz play well in overtime? Just kidding.