Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
Rattles Around
Wednesday
May 14, 2003
I nearly went to bed during the 3rd quarter of last night's Lakers/Spurs game on TNT. San Antonio was up by more than 20, and they looked to have the game in hand. But I didn't trust the Lakers. Not at all.
Sure enough, Los Angeles started charging back. Kobe Bryant sparked the Lakers with a pair of treys at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, Bryant was unstoppable. Bruce Bowen did a good job defending him, but to no avail; Bryant seemed able to score at will. The Lakers chipped away at the lead, bringing in down to single digits, to within 5, and finally within a basket.
San Antonio got a quick burst, pushing the lead back up to 6. But the Lakers hung in there. On one critical play with less than :20 to go, Shaq was fouled as he went for a layup. Three-point play. One point game.
Late in the game, the Spurs' Stephen Jackson hit one-of-two from the charity stripe, and the Lakers rebounded and called timeout. Spurs fans nationwide felt a collective "oh no" feeling. A collapse here would all but cost them the series.
Final Lakers possession, Kobe Bryant had the ball in the corner. I expected him to fire a crazy three... but instead he dished to an open Robert Horry, standing outside the three point arc. Tim Duncan was guarding Horry, but didn't rotate over in time to cover him. Split-second thoughts rushed through my head...
Oh no, not Horry!
He hit the winning three in a crucial game vs. Sacramento last year!
Noooooooooo!
The shot looked to be on target. It hit back iron, front iron, went halfway in... and then struck back iron again and rattled out. David Robinson rebounded it, and the game was over. Wow.
Of course, it's not over yet. There's still Game 6 in L.A., and then a possible Game 7 in San Antonio. And like I said before, you can't count out the Lakers as long as they're still alive...
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