Normally, if your team is down 2 points with 30 seconds left, and the opponents are inbounding, the man out of bounds has to PASS the ball, and can be left unguarded, leaving 5 defenders to cover 4 potential pass-catchers on the inbounding team. By bunching up, the Lakers caused some of the Hornets to trip over each other, allowing the breakaway pass and bucket.

Still, ya gotta wonder, what were the Hornets thinking?

Or maybe they weren’t.

Don’t completely understand all the rules of basketball, so I’m clueless as to what happened. Anyone care to explain? (Watched this three times and couldn’t quite figure it out, other than the guy made a basket unopposed.)

CurtZHP on March 7, 2013 at 1:48 PM

Don’t give it another thought. “It don’t mean a thing.” Professional basketball is about as relevant as cricket.

CurtZHP on March 7, 2013 at 2:12 PM

The Lakers lined up for the inbound pass as if they normally would if they were on their offensive side of the court. The entire Hornet team was fooled by their alignment, and positioned themselves to defend the wrong basket. There was nobody between Kobe and the Lakers’ offensive basket (on the other end of the court), and Kobe sprinted for the inbound pass and dunk.

Awesome display of traveling Kobe. Three steps before the dunk.

Jeff2161 on March 7, 2013 at 1:23 PM

That wasn’t traveling. NBA rules allow two steps of continuation after you pick up your dribble when going to the basket. His left foot was already planted just inside the three-point-line when he picked up his dribble. He took one more step with his right, and leapt off his left to dunk.

Oh, and their offense wasn’t much better; the Lakers closed out the game on a 25-2 run.

CurtZHP on March 7, 2013 at 2:12 PM

Just look at the very beginning of the video, the Hornet (sort of playing center) trying to block out the Laker from the basket. At the very least, that guy was mixed up.

I think what went on is the Lakers set up for the throw-in in a manner such that the Hornets, trying to defend Kobe and the other Lakers instead of the proper basket, got pulled to the Lakers side of the court instead of defending theirs, which left Kobe free to score unopposed.

Atlas on March 7, 2013 at 2:10 PM

O.K. so instead of usually congregating near the basket they would normally be shooting for, they congregated at the other side of the court, drawing everyone away from the basket. Right?

CurtZHP on March 7, 2013 at 1:48 PM

I think what went on is the Lakers set up for the throw-in in a manner such that the Hornets, trying to defend Kobe and the other Lakers instead of the proper basket, got pulled to the Lakers side of the court instead of defending theirs, which left Kobe free to score unopposed.

Good Lt on March 7, 2013 at 1:18 PM

The must have been low on their electrolytes.

Awesome display of traveling Kobe. Three steps before the dunk.

Jeff2161 on March 7, 2013 at 1:23 PM

Please. When was the last time someone got called for traveling in the NBA?

Idiocracy. It’s coming.