How 4 free throws changed NBA history for decades 

Kenny Smith. My bad.

Those free throws also changes Nick Andersons career. He went on to be scared to drive the ball because he didn't want to get fouled. His FT dropped to as low as 40%!!

Fun fact, I met Nick Anderson at a ball camp this summer and he’s a great dude. He was teaching the younger kids at the camp free throws at one point, and he bricked a few of them. The past repeats itself…

Nick Anderson after that finals went from like a 70% free throw shooter to a 56% free throws shooter in his remaining year. It really affected him mentally

Without Nick they wouldn't have even been there. Hate it happened to him. The guy was a BIG piece on those Magic teams

Orlando at that time was THAT team. Shaq was everywhere. Penny was everywhere. Even as a Rockets fan, I was scared. And yet, you couldn't hate them. They were just too damn likeable as a team. Those 4 fts were like pins and needles. The first time I saw it, I couldn't believe it. And after that game I knew Houston was winning.

I remember this SOOO well. I was a Magic fan at the time and watching him miss those free throws was painful. What isn’t mentioned is that it basically ruined his career because those missed free throws and then Jordan embarrassing him in the playoffs the next season basically destroyed his career.

That Magic team is my biggest what if in NBA history. Even as a Laker fan, I never want to Shaq to leave because they could have been truly amazing.

I've started following the NBA properly for like 3 years now, and love watching this channel to further improve my understanding ❤ Keep up the good work 👍

"If Orlando wins the Finals....Shaq probably doesn't leave for LA". You would think so wouldn't ya...as a Raptors fan tho I have to point out that LA is special to some of these players. XD

This game broke my heart. To this day, I still believe the Magic would've won the championship IF Nick made those FT's. That would have been a huge confidence booster and momentum builder! I was a huge Penny and Magic fan during this time. I even bought the shoes and a Penny jersey.

I like how he bypassed Reggie Miller and his 1995 Indiana Pacers like they never existed or played Orlando in the ECF that year 😁

This dude made a lot of research!! Appreciate this Casey!! This is far the most fun entertaining video you made in a while. For me the last one is when you told us about your story how you get to be an sports reporter :) keep it up man Happy New Year and God bless this 2022

I remember watching Rockets/Magic finals. The Magic never recovered and Nick Anderson never was the same.

I was in middle school living in Orlando during this era. The Magic had the red carpet laid out for them. When they beat the Bulls I just knew they would win the chip. But Nick Anderson ruined thos dreams. I remember those free throws like it was yesterday. It still hurts to watch....

Imagine having an all-timer 50 point game only to have Shaq bring the hoop down as the highlight of the game

Simply an amazing "What if"!! More so for me as I'm born Chicago and with Nick being from here I hurt when he missed these shots. Now I will say I am a big Horace Grant fan so I was happy for his play that year but knew it was a one off and MJ will always be the GOAT.

Man I remember being 8 years old at the game when Nick stole the ball from MIke. It was like we’d already won the championship. Took a long time to get over Shaq leaving.

Penny and Shaq were an awesome Duo on the Orlando Magic, your right it's sad that they didn't get to play together longer, but I didn't know the whole story behind it. Thanks Casey for the knowledge and the Great Video! Damn that sucks for Nick Anderson missing those free throws. That's why they are called free throws lol, but the pressure really gets to the player at the line it blows my mind how a great NBA free throw shooter misses free throws at the end of the game in front of all those fans I couldn't imagine the pressure. Example Paul George last season with the other LA team the Clippers. I liked how you showed that video clip of PG13 in the beginning of the video, same situation happen to PG13, no one thought Paul George was going to miss the FT's he missed but he did the pressure had to get to him. Another Solid Video Casey... A.M.HOOPS Nothing but the best 👌!!!

Awesome video Casey. Two thumps up for the history lesson.

Two things… first, IIRC the Magic went 41-41 in Shaq’s rookie season, not 45. Second, it was only the second round when the Magic beat the Bulls. You didn’t even mention there was still a ECF against the Pacers. 🤷🏻

Nick Anderson, I never forget that game!!!

That’s what called a butterfly effect

awesome video, love the wild speculations off of one little event. That ONE free-throw could've altered the NBA as we know it, just crazy how one simple shot you learn as a child can change the legacies of tens of hundreds of people

Just to set things straight, the Magic made it to The Finals on the SECOND YEAR of the Shaq-Penny partnership. I think that's unprecedented and still unmatched by any combo up to this day.

I remember game 1 1995 finals well . Every other Magic player who went to FT line made free throws even Shaq,Nick the only one who didn't .

Great recap

Nice I really love this content💯🏀❤️

Hey man, glad i found your channel a while back. Great content, and informative. Keep at it! You are basically my go to Basketball channel atm :D

Amazing take once again!

alternate history breakdown pretty awesome!

What a fantastic video idea, congrats bro🖤

As a young Orlando Magic fan because of Penny and Shaq I remember this moment clearly at only 9 years old.. I was heartbroken for the magic to be swept in the finals.. I remember my Uncle who lived in texas was rooting for the rockets.. Making it even harder knowing my other family member was happy the magic lost, but there was positives out of it. I lived in Utah and went naturally back to the Jazz fanship only to watch MJ destroy us 2 years in a row in the Finals. Aww... Good times lol. Thanks Nick!

What a fantastic video 👏🏼

I always says Ben Simmons is the new Nick Anderson. All Star caliber players, who in one game went had an event, that destroyed them and they couldn’t recover mentally.

Love this video!

Happy New Year to my favorite hoops content creator of the year. U the best ❤💪🏽

Maaaan. I was watching this game. That was a back breaking moment....yes, Magic fan😭😭😢

I love these story videos

Amazing what ifs. Makes me thinking 👍

brilliant video idea brotha

Loved the first part of that video. Those free throws will hunt my dreams forever tho

C. Webb is the most underrated player in NBA history.

Great video

What if they won, Shaq doesn't leave and Penny doesn't get hurt. That was my team when I was a little kid being from Memphis and Penny playing for Memphis.

This video just unlocked a new park of me

Kenny Smith had an absolutely amazing 2nd half of that game 1 vs the Magic .. he was on fire 🔥

love u man

NICE VIDEO!

I felt bad for Nick Anderson after missing those 4 free-throws, that moment had him rattled for yrs.

Very cool vid

Phenomenal video

Lol... love what you did with this...kinda like how Marvel did what ifs.....it would be interesting if this could be made into an animated series

Really enjoyed the what possibilities from the missed free throws. I have 2 ideas for some what ifs that could be interesting. 1. What if Carlos Boozer stayed in Cleveland with LBJ?? 2. What if Detroit draft Carmelo Anthony? The James v Anthony rivalry would have been insane in the same division.

Yeah this was crazy how things alternated like What if

Great video I agree

Wow, minus-blowing idea A.M. ! Thanks for the video

If Amderson hits just one ft, the Magic lose the finals 4-1 to the Rockets.

More of these videos please

i love this video

Imagine Nick Anderson sitting at home watching this

I watched this finals on TV. First & second I was, OK, bad luck. After third & fourth I was astonished. From that point I knew Rockets gonna make 2nd title.

If Shaq never left Orlando, Penny would have stayed healthy a lot longer, and IF they got one or two championships, a Hall of Famer for sure. They had great chemistry together, and Penny's just a humble guy, Shaq would have never had the same problems he had with Kobe. They could go on to separate ways later but they would have had each others' backs in their prime. What a pity!

Chris Webber was the no doubt #1 pick in the 1993 Draft. It was just as clear and consensus as Shaq going #1 in 1992. You don’t get Penny Hardaway and 3 1st round picks otherwise

That’s crazy !

This hurts

I love this concept of the NBA Butterfly Effect

Videos of people destroying their TVs will never get old 😂

Still revered in Champaign Illinois, Illini Baby!!.

That game was the very first NBA game I had ever watched. I was eleven and had just started playing basketball. I knew of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and was waiting for the legendary Eurobasket 95 to start. I decided to be a magic fan cause I liked how Penny played and the Magic had better looking jerseys :D Cheers

Oh yeah… as a rockets fan…..that was a miracle lol @6:49 btw it’s Kenny smith not Kenny Anderson.

IF.......he made 1 free throw.......that doesn't necessarily change anything except the Magic getting a win in game 1. Instead of getting swept they possibly could've just suffered a gentlemen's sweep. So basically your whole premise is shot. You don't know that the game 1 win would've given them the confidence to go out and win 3 more in that series against a defending champion.

There is a 30 for 30 about this called “This Magic Moment”

NICK ANDERSON!!! Use to see him out and about in Orlando. He'd look at me like ,"You know who I am?" Never said a word to him. Happened at least 15 times over the years and a friend of mine even introduced him to me at a club. I just looked at him and didn't even speak. Cost us the Championship in '95 and ruined "That Magic Moment". The city was electric then, but the Orlando Magic has NEVER recovered.....

Hey man can you do a what if scenario on zha zha pachulia injuring kahwi leonard how that impacted the spurs the raptors the warriors and clippers. Really enjoyed this one.

People totally forget what a badass Horace Grant was. Dude was so cool looking to me as a kid lol I have his cards still

0:50 I tried recreating the same situation practising on my own, I went from 85% (20 shots) all the way down to 50%.

Wow that’s crazy

1:16 I assure you young man anyone who watched 90s basketball has not forgotten that.

Nick Anderson is one of the most humble and coolest pro athletes you'll ever meet. Shaq leaving destroyed the Magic, Curse of the Shaqino is real. 😆

Oklahoma City going the finals in year four doesn't compare because they used to be the Seattle Supersonics, as opposed to being an expansion team. They moved to Oklahoma City and changed their nickname after Kevin Durant's rookie season.

Yeah, Shaq changed every franchise he ever went to. Except like half of them.

I was at that game as a boy. I cried.

Man this is a great theory

A lot of what ifs !

"The Butterfly Effect" is the most fascinating concept that ever existed. You can dig through your entire life and the big events and realize how the smallest thing could have made that moment not happen. You aren't even reading this right now if THAT one little thing happened differently.

I saw it happen live and it was a serious Domino effect after that

An amazing butterfly effect.

I would say the sun's Steve Nash turn around was pretty freaking prolific as well

wild

Anderson’s missed free throws is what the MCU calls a Nexus Event.

The funny thing is that I made the EXACT same argument last year. Its not a stretch to think that the Magic could have been champions and a potential dynasty fell over missed FTs

Happy new year

Shea Serrano actually wrote a really interesting chapter about this in his book Basketball (And Other Things)

First off. This still hurts to watch, so, thanks a lot, gonna go and cry myself to sleep again. Second IIRC, Penny was a starter from the beginning, but at the SG, position, and only became the starting PG, once they traded Scott Skiles to the Bullets/Wizards

Shaq took the responsitility for the loss, he sad Nick never should be in the position to decide the game after blowing up a big lead in the second half

Nick Anderson, the biggest choker in Orlando Magic History

Those four free throws coulda changed nba history

This is crazy damn like it’s all could have been possible . But Kobe going out ring chasing 😳

This is life! Life is no IF