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This is an off the top of my head observation, and I certainly haven't gone back through each of Rasual Butler's 92 games in a Clipper uniform to make this list comprehensive. Having said that, to the best of my recollection, every time Rasual Butler has hit a big three in the closing minute of a close game as a Clipper, the team has gone on to lose the game.
- Last season in the second game, Rasual tied the game against the Suns with a three with 11 seconds on the clock... and the Clippers let Steve Nash score the game winner seconds later.
- Last Saturday, Rasual made not one but TWO threes in the final 47 seconds of the second overtime to tie the game in unlikely fashion... and the Clippers let Deron Williams score the game winner seconds later.
- Last night, Rasual made a three to put the Clippers up three with 29 seconds to go. The Pistons got 4 points in two possessions around a single Clipper free throw to force an overtime that they easily won.
Conversely, I can remember at least one game (the fateful water main game in Memphis last season) where Sool had a chance to win the game at the buzzer and did not; I feel like there were others, though I can't name any off the top of my head.
Help me out here, Citizens. Has Rasual Butler ever hit an actual game winner for the Clippers? Are there other "not-game-winners" like the three above that I've forgotten? What about other misses on game winners?
I have no larger point here. It's not a knock on Butler as it's not really his fault that the team is unable to get the stops necessary to make his heroics count for something, that as long as there's still time on the clock for the opponent, no matter how little, the Clippers will find a way to lose. It's just an observation.