Hardwood Paroxysm: The greatest things we’ve ever seen on a basketball court

The greatest thing I ever saw in person was Kevin Love, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook all score forty-plus points in the same game

By Jordan White (@JordanSWhite)

The game just wouldn’t end. That’s mainly what I remember. There was a certain stubbornness bleeding out of the three stars that night. Kevin Love refused to let a shoddy roster be an excuse to not compete against the Thunder. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant simply wouldn’t accept losing to the lowly Timberwolves. So they battled, all night long, hitting improbable shot after improbable shot.

It was Love’s turn first. With less than two seconds to go in regulation and the Timberwolves down by three, everyone in the entire building knew Love would take the last shot. To the Thunder’s credit, they covered him well, but Love calmly rose over Russell Westbrook and sank the game-tying three.

Then it was Kevin Durant’s turn. In overtime, the Wolves had a three-point lead with ten seconds left. As it was with Love, everyone in the building knew who would take the last shot. The Thunder ran a nice flare screen for Durant, who got a great look in the corner, and tied the game.

Not to be outdone by Durant and Love, Westbrook took his turn to play hero in the second overtime, scoring nine points in that final frame. The Timberwolves had absolutely no hope of stopping his penetration and activity around the rim.

Westbrook, Love and Durant have all had better, more important games since this largely inconsequential late-March game. But I’m not sure there’s been another game where three top-ten players, at the height of their powers, each have transcendent performances on the same night.

And to think, I was disappointed Ricky Rubio wouldn’t play.