A game-winning three-pointer, a doozy of a shootout shot, a perfect bounce pass and a mascot's shot blocked illegally make up our plays of the week this time around.
In another tough season for Washington Wizards fans, Jordan Crawford gave the team something to cheer about. Unable to hold multiple fourth quarter leads, Crawford's buzzer-beater after a nice move didn't give the Portland Trail Blazers a chance to fight back. Crawford finished the game with 13 points, all of them coming in the fourth quarter. Washington won 98-95.
In the opening weekend of the (technically) 2012-2013 NHL season, the Detroit Red Wings pulled off one of the first shootout wins of the year. A Pavel Datsyuk game-tying goal with six minutes left in regulation set up an eventual shootout between the Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets. In just his second career NHL game, Damien Brunner jammed the puck past Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's skate inside the near post to help the Red Wings to their first win of the year. Here's a GIF clip of Brunner's smooth move right in front of the net. The video highlight is right here, after the 4:00 mark of the game's highlights.
If you need a reason to root against Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder, here's exhibit A: some extra-curricular antics. Maybe we're being a bit harsh here, but at least it's a laugh-worthy prank, as Westbrook goaltends on Rocky's backward half-court shot (which he has actually made before).
The Golden State Warriors have one of the better shooters in the NBA on their team in Stephen Curry, though he showed off his passing prowess with this play. Curry's one-handed bounce pass to Jarrett Jack was one of many highlights in a 106-99 Warriors victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.