The year is 2020 – and Carmelo Anthony is still hitting game winners. The 35-year old forward completed the Portland Trail Blazers’ come from behind victory in Toronto on Tuesday night, as he drilled a jumper from the free throw line with four seconds to beat the Raptors by the final of 101-99.
According to ESPN, Melo now has 17 go-ahead field goals in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime, which is four more than any other player since 2003-04.
Anthony finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-17 shooting, including 5-8 from three-point range. Of the clutch shot, Melo says, “I trust in my workout, I trust in my shot. It’s a shot I work on every day, and it went in.”
“A guy with his type of ability, it’s just a matter of opportunity,” Damian Lillard said, per ESPN. “He had one guy guarding him, and he got to his spot. Once he got to his spot and I saw him raising up, I thought it was going in.”
As a result of last night’s win the Blazers have snapped their four game losing streak and now sit at 16-22 for the season. Check out some of the reactions to Melo’s game winner in the tweets embedded below.