“8. 7. 6.” The crowd roared, so engaged in the game that you could not say they were on the edge of their seats but jumping out of them eagerly. Everyone in the stadium was up, waiting nervously, staring intensely at the ball carrier. Caleb was cool, calm and collected. Ticking the final seconds in his head as he stared down his defender.

“5. 4. 3.”

“Run it!” yelled Caleb. He stood at the top of the key behind the 3 point line. His Big came in to set him a screen. He rolled to his left with no one in sight. The pick set him up straight to the mid range elbow, right where he wanted it in rhythm. 

“2. 1!” With a deep breath, Caleb pulls up and releases the shot, perfectly at the 1 second tick like he had practiced it a million times before. Everyone inhales anxiously as if it was queued 

by the release. The buzzer echoes throughout the stadium and everyone’s heart stops. 

This was a big game for Caleb Irving, It was his first game playing in the NBA. They were set to play the Boston Celtics, and he was ready. He’d been dreaming about this since he was a little kid practicing basketball on his own outdoor hoop. Running point guard for the Orlando Magic, fluent scoring like rhymes and dishing out dimes. He put in the work. Now he’s ready for it to pay off.

Caleb was young, nimble. He stretched for warm ups but it was for no use. His palms were dry, knees strong, and arms never felt looser. When the team lined up for tip off he could feel the tension in the air. But he wasn’t bothered by it. Caleb brushed it off and set his mind on one thing, putting the ball in the net. 

The buzzer sounds and the ball is thrown in the air. The Magic receive the tip off over the Celtics. Caleb pulls up, top of the key 3, bucket. Next possession, Caleb crosses over right into a snatchback left. 15 footer, bucket. Then Caleb takes it right at the rim, beating his defender for an easy left hand layup. All game Caleb is feeling it, letting go of the ball and guaranteeing a make. Pick right, pull up 3, automatic. Caleb can see his name rising in the media, being known around the league. The crowd is loving it, and so is he.

Boston makes a switch defensively and now Caleb is guarded by Carter. Caleb crosses left into a step back 3, miss but there’s a foul on the shot.

“Come on man! That’s not even a foul. This is garbage” Carter jumps on the ref, pleading his case but cannot persuade him. Caleb sinks both free throws in routine. Next possession Caleb drives right at Carter just to cross right into a mid range fade. Carter is turned around and lost as the ball is drained. “Bro he pushed off. This gotta be an offensive foul ref! Come on” shouts Carter as an excuse.

The game continues, Caleb scoring with ease, yet the other team is keeping it close. We enter the 4th quarter as the Magic hold a 3 point lead. Caleb is able to get to the rim but Boston just keeps raining threes. There’s 2 minutes left and we have a tie game. Caleb has the ball and drives on Carter. He pulls up for a mid range but misses right. Another foul is called. 

“Aye, someone’s paying the refs now. Oh my god! These refs aren’t real.” Carter can’t believe the calls at the end of the game. Nonetheless, Boston scores after Caleb makes his free throws. Caleb is left with the ball in his hands yet again. He calls for an Iso.

“You ain’t got nothin, c’mon.” says Carter as he stares at Caleb intensely. Caleb takes on the challenge. He drives right, steps back mid, swish. 

“Talk your talk bro. Talk your talk!” Caleb chirps at Carter as they rush to the other end of the court, the crowd loves it. The Magic needed to get a stop but fail. The Celtics hit a three putting them up by 1 with 8 seconds left. The crowd gets tense, everyone excited for the finish of a back and forth battle of a game. Carter and Caleb were still jawing at each other, going at it until the final buzzer. Caleb grabs the inbound of the ball and everyone locks in. 

“8. 7. 6.” The crowd roared, so engaged in the game that you could not say they were on the edge of their seats but jumping eagerly. Everyone in the stadium was up, waiting nervously, staring intensely at the ball carrier. Caleb was cool, calm and collected. Ticking the final seconds in his head as he stared down his defender.

“5. 4. 3.”

“Run it!” yelled Caleb. His Big came in to set him a screen. He rolled to his left with no one in sight. The pick set him up straight to the mid range elbow, right where he wanted it in rhythm. 

“2. 1!” With a deep breath, Caleb pulls up and releases the shot, perfectly at the 1 second tick like he has practiced it a million times before. Everyone inhales anxiously as if it was queued 

by the release. The buzzer echoes throughout the stadium and everyone’s heart stops. 

The ball floats through the air like slow motion in every single Michael Bay movie ever, and tension builds. The longest second of Caleb’s life as the ball comes down… Clank! The ball bounces off the iron and goes out. Half the crowd cheers while the other half is left jaws wide open. Carter jumps in the ai-

“Damn. Hold on, hold on. Let me bring this back.” says Caleb as he chases down his rebound across his yard so he can set himself back up on the street.

“Run it!” yelled Caleb. His imaginary Big came in to set him a screen. He rolled to his left with no one in sight. The pick set him up straight to the mid range elbow, right where he wanted it in rhythm. 

“2. 1!” With a deep breath, Caleb pulls up and releases the shot… Clank!

“Are you kidding me? Oh my god.” Caleb chases his rebound once again shamefully. He grabs the ball and runs right back into the street across from the hoop where he had been previously. “Ok ok, this is the one” he says as he exhales slowly.

“Run it!” yelled Caleb. His imaginary Big yet again, came in to set him a screen. He rolled to his left with no one in sight. The pick set him up straight to the mid range elbow, right where he wanted it in rhythm. 

“2. 1!” With a deep breath, Caleb pulls up and releases the shot… Clank!

“This has got to be a joke, oh my god.” Caleb runs to his ball once again but not before it rolls across his driveway to meet his mom.

“Caleb, it’s dinner time” his mom says in a curious tone. “What are you doing out here anyways?”

“I’m just practicing my shot. I’ll be inside in a bit” explains Caleb taking deep breaths in between each sentence like he just got done running a marathon. 

“Ok but not much later. You got homework for school tomorrow too.”

“I know, I know. Just give me 5 minutes.” Caleb’s mom leaves and he goes right back to his spot on the street, at the top of the key behind the 3 point line. “Alright, this is the one that counts. For the game.” says Caleb determined on finishing his dream game. Without wasting time Caleb gets straight to it. 

“2. 1!” Caleb pulls up at the elbow and releases the shot… Clank!

“How?! Go in the hoop! This is bull sh-”

“Lets go Caleb, inside.” demands his mom.

“Ok, ok. Fine.” Caleb runs down the ball and drives to the hoop for an effortless layup. The crowd goes wild! Everyone jumps up and down filled with excitement. The stadium has never been louder. The Magic just knocked off the Celtics at the buzzer. The fans go crazy, building a bond with their new, young, star player.

“Caleb Irving has just won his first ever game and it came off a game winner. What a game.” Caleb imitates the commentators at his imaginary game.

“Truly a future star in this league, Phil. What a shot and what a game. Caleb Irving is special” says the other fake commentator with excitement. Caleb returns his ball to his garage and walks inside. Leaving his dream world for the day, but not for life.