Garrison Mathews

It’s safe to say that you’ve played a game of epic proportions when you score 25 points on eight shot attempts, and your night’s defining highlight might not be one of those buckets. Accurate in everything he attempted on December 23, 2024, Garrison Matthews saw the circumstance firsthand, as he contemplated inbounds passing options with just 1.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Falcon-like in what immediately follows, Matthews unleashes a quarterback-type pass that floats across the court’s 94-foot entirety, only to fall flawlessly into the arms of a similarly-airborne teammate for a thrilling, buzzer-beating layup. Matthews’ statistics — and highlights — matched the rollercoaster vibe of Atlanta’s interconference battle brilliantly, as Atlanta watched a 19-point first quarter lead become a deficit before they found the late-game footing needed to secure a come-from-behind victory. Producer of one of NBA history’s most efficient outbursts, Matthews paired his 25-points-on-just-one-miss masterpiece with two rebounds, two steals, one block, and seven 3-pointers in 26 minutes.