Carter Is All The Way Back

If there were any lingering doubts about whether or not Vince Carter had recovered from the knee injuriy which plagued him for the last season+, they were put to rest tonight in Atlanta in a furious few minutes of action where Air Canada performed like only he can in willing and dazzling the Toronto Raptors to an overtime win over the Hawks.

At one point down 16 and looking like they were en route to yet another anemic offensive effort, the Raptors, leade by Vince Carter charged back and won the game. On most nights that would be story enough, but on this night it was all about how they won. Carter, who had only 10 points at halftime shook loose from the constant double teams in the second half, and finished with a season high 43. Again, not nearly the whole story.

What happened at the end of regulation time was an example of one athlete imposing his will on a game in a manner reminiscent of Reggie Miller's last second heroics against the Knicks. Carter sank shot after shot to work the Raptors into a position to be down 3 with 8 seconds left, and, as expected, got the ball. Raptor fans watched in horror as Carter, expected to try and drain the game tying trey, instead charged towards the hoop, and that's where the magic began. As he leapt towards the rim, Carter was met mid air by Theo Ratliffe, and the whistle was sounding as Carter twisted his body, more than two feet off the ground, in a complete 360 degree circle and rolled the ball into the hoop. Atlanta fans even leapt to their feet.

Carter calmly sank the game tying free throw, and went back to his own end to try and stop the Hawks, with 5 seconds left. ANd, unbelievebly, the best was yet to come. With the clock winding down, the Hawks inbounded to Jason Terry, who curled around Alvin Williams and put up a shot from about 18 feet out near the right baseline...and Vince Carter exploded like no one else can, his head level with the rim, his torso above Terry and Williams, he seemed to hover in the air waiting for the ball, which he swatted away to protect the tie.

But then he bounded after it, caught it inches from going out of the sideline, and in mid air signalled for a time out to give the Raptors one last shot at the win with a second on the clock.

Mo Peterson missed that shot...off of a Carter inbound...but Carter had his way in overtime, and as expected took and sank the winning shot in OT with less than 2 seconds left on the ticker. But the fans who watched the game will remember that less than his incredible exhibition of sheer athletic brilliance and will which allowed the Raptors the chance to get in a position to be playing an extra frame.

I'm not sure if that last second block was a more awe inspiring leap than his dunk over either the frenchman or Duncan, but it might have been. No one has ever gotten up like this guy, and I doubt anyone else ever will in my lifetime. You had to see the 360 shot at full speed, knowing what was on the line, or the block from court level view to get their full effect. It was simply insane.