The Lakerhead

Lakers Beat Hornets With Closer

The last time the New Orleans Hornets came to Staples Center, I attended that game and watched my Lakers lose.  You can read about my heroic struggles of that previous game here.  It’s epic.

Tonight’s game was even stranger.  The Lakers beat the Hornets 115-111, but not before giving up a 13 point lead with the familiar Phil Jackson “I’m going to rest Kobe during the 4th quarter until there is 3 minutes left and then unleash hell on the other team!  Ahahahaha!” strategy, which every so often costs us a game.

The Hornets all but seal the deal up 3 points and enjoying a 4 on 1 fast break led by Chris Paul in the waning seconds of the game.   But magically, Chris Paul (who finished with 21 points and a massive 16 assists) decides to chuck the ball and go up for a layup.  Fisher takes the charge, and then forces overtime with a 3-pointer.

Enter the best closer in the game.  Kobe Bryant, finally warmed up from playing about half the 4th quarter, starts going crazy.  Fadeaway, yes!  Flip layup from the baseline?  Sure, why not.

Then he starts heading to the free throw line, with James Posey trying to talk trash to him and get in his head.  Kobe jaws right back and looks at Posey while dribbling the ball before he shoots the free-throw (how insane is this?  Shouldn’t he be looking at the rim and concentrating?).

This was followed by a quick, intense stare at the rim and a swish.  The man is cold blooded.  I truly believe somewhere, growing up, Kobe has lost the human emotion of nervousness.

Kobe gets 11 points in the overtime session alone, has 39 total, and keeps his Lakers at #1 with a 45-10 record.  It feels like the Lakers are always winning.  It feels like Showtime.

Even our fans are winning big time, like this guy who took home $165,000 for making a half-court shot against the Hawks 3 nights ago.