SI

NBA Basketball Sitting on Rim for Five Seconds Had Nets, Cavs Holding Their Breath

You don't see this every day.

Tom Dierberger

The Cavaliers defeated the Nets 110–97 on Thursday night.
The Cavaliers defeated the Nets 110–97 on Thursday night. / YES Network
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For a moment, time appeared to stop Thursday night during the Eastern Conference clash between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.

Early in the third quarter, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell drove to the hoop and tossed up a layup over the outstretched arms of Nic Claxton. The basketball kissed the glass and bounced off the rim before settling on the back iron—where it stayed for about five seconds.

All 10 players on the court stopped in their tracks to watch the basketball lounge on the rim until it finally decided to fall off. When it did, the ball was tapped back to Mitchell, who was fouled as he attempted to tip the ball into the hoop.

"Ohhh, ohhhh!" play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco exclaimed on the YES Network broadcast.

What an odd moment.

The rest of the game unfolded in a much more predictable fashion, as the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers cruised to a 110–97 victory over the Nets.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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