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Peja Stojakovic · By February of 2004, it wasn’t necessarily too early for the eventual NBA champion Detroit Pistons to begin envisioning the idea of a rewarding title run through June within their trains of thought. Yet, even with one of league history’s most revered defenses, Detroit — similar to the rest of the NBA — ran into a player, metaphorically, with a history of being difficult to keep track of: Peja Stojaković. Encouraged to put his catch-and-shoot accuracy on showcase during a tie game with just five seconds left, the Croatian star delivers an inbounds pass, wholly intent on retrieving it back. Cutting back atop the 3-point arc with the long-armed, 6-foot-9 Tayshaun Prince attached to his purple jersey, Stojaković finds the space needed to raise into a crowd-quieting 22-footer to seal victory on February 11, 2004. The go-ahead bucket became a highlight for the Sacramento Kings great in a season that featured both a fourth-place finish in the Most Valuable Player race, and a ticket to the upcoming weekend’s All-Star Game. Stojaković was excellent in the high-profile win, logging 25 points (on 9-of-18 shooting), eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and four 3-pointers. · State of Mint · State of Mint