With the New York Knioks up 90-86 with a little over a minute remaining in the game, Danilo Gallinari took a pass from David Lee.

(Talk Danilo Gallinari and Italian basketball)

Gallinari  then sized up his defender Gerald Wallace, who had let his guard down because Gallianri was four feet behind the three point line.

Gallinari then raised up and nailed a three-pointer from way beyond the line.

The gall of Gallinari to not only  shoot a deep three, but at such a crucial part of the game was at least partly inspired by another player that he became much more familiar with recently- Larry Bird:

A few days ago Donnie Walsh handed Danilo Gallinari a DVD that could alter the trajectory of his career. Walsh, the Knicks’ president, gave Gallinari a collection of Larry Bird highlights, a captivating 30-minute compilation highlighting many of Bird’s best moves, passes, post-ups and rebounds.

Gallinari said he had watched the tape at least 10 times over the past three days and that every move was seared into his mind.

“In practice I have no limits,” Gallinari said when asked about whether he had any boundaries when shooting. “I feel comfortable from that range.”

Read the full New York Times article: Inspired by Bird, Gallinari boosts the Knicks