Su Yan's logo Three-pointer struck like a dagger to the throat, ending all suspense in the game.
The Knicks defeated one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference, the Lakers, and claimed the win.
Perhaps this was also a microcosm of this year's championship race.
And as this game ended, fans shifted their attention from the regular season to the upcoming playoffs.
Very soon.
The regular season ended.
The playoffs arrived as scheduled.
And when it came to the playoffs, the battle for the championship was essentially a contest between four teams.
The Knicks and Heat in the Eastern Conference, and the Lakers and Thunder in the Western Conference.
The other teams were strong as well.
Teams like Rose's Bulls and the Celtics were all Eastern Conference powerhouses.
The Spurs and Grizzlies in the Western Conference were no slouches either.
But the toughest teams were still those four.
There were several major storylines in the playoffs, all centered around these teams.
First and foremost, could the two-time champion Knicks win another title, complete a three-peat, and establish the New York Dynasty?
Could Paul joining forces with Kobe help the Lakers add another championship?
After LeBron brought his talents to Miami and endured endless criticism, the team strengthened its weak interior during the offseason by acquiring peak Gortat.
As they launched another charge at the championship, could they finally win it and ease the criticism?
With the Four Young Thunders' roster preserved, they had also added Big Cousin Cousins.
Could the five-star Thunder ascend to the throne? That was surely the wish of countless Oklahoma fans.
Everyone had their reasons for chasing the title. Who would laugh last was the biggest question of the playoffs.
Rose's Bulls, the aging giants of the Celtics, the Spurs' GDP, and... the Black-and-White Twin