Clippers’ J.J. Redick Picked the Perfect Time to hit his First Ever Game Winner

LOS ANGELES – It's the shot every kid who grows up on the black top dreams about: ball in your hand, three seconds on the clock…2…1…swish…Game!

For Los Angeles Clippers guard J.J. Redick, that childhood dream became a reality on Thursday night at Staples Center when he hit the game-winning buzzer beater to sink the Portland Trailblazers and snap the team's three-game losing streak.

The 2006 College Player of the Year had never hit a game-winning buzzer beater at any level. Not at Duke University where he was named the two-time ACC Tournament MVP, and not in high school where he was named a McDonald's All-American. But in his 10th NBA season, Redick finally nailed the game-winner.

"Obviously I had to get open and DJ had to screen, but there was a moment I could've gone kind of over the screen," Redick said of the buzzer beater. "At the last second I went under the screen and DJ changed the angle…and Chris doesn't panic."

"Chris," is of course future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul who perhaps made the play of the night when he threw the inbound pass between center Mason Plumlee's legs and into the waiting hands of Redick.

The highlight-reel assist was all the more astonishing when shown on slow-motion instant replay. The Clippers trailed 88-82 with 2:11 remaining in the game, but made an improbable come back thanks to the clutch shooting of Jamal Crawford. Crawford scored 8 points in the final two minutes including a game-tying three-pointer with 11 seconds left, a shot that countered Portland point guard Damian Lillard's three seconds earlier on the other end.

The victory snaps the Clippers three-game losing streak, their worst of the season, and is just their fourth win in their last 11 games. However, the W firmly solidifies LA's fourth seed in the Western Conference and inches them closer to securing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.