Down by two with 3.2 seconds left, Kobe Bryant merely wanted to drive for a tying basket. His foot slipped when he got the ball, and Miami’s defense forced Bryant to throw up an off-balance 3-point shot.
Yes, everything went wrong on the Los Angeles Lakers’ final possession but Kobe somehow made it all right.
Bryant banked in his final shot over Dwyane Wade’s outstretched arm at the buzzer, ending the superstars’ sensational duel and sending the Lakers to their eighth straight victory, 108-107.
Bryant scored 33 points, but his falling bank shot from straightaway likely will rank among the most incredible highlights of his career.
“It was the luckiest shot I’ve ever taken, by far,” Bryant said.
“A great player hits an unbelievable shot. There are a couple of guys around the league that make big shots, but there ain’t many, and he’s one of them,” said Wade.
The matchup between U.S. Olympic teammates was the center of an action-packed game.
Neither star was perfect, Bryant shot an air ball on a potential game tying shot with 24 seconds to play.
After Wade put Miami ahead 102-100 with 49 seconds left on an awkward one-handed shot from the baseline, Miami appeared to sew it up when Wade’s two free throws put the Heat up 106-102 with 9.3 seconds to play.
“I only get a chance to play against them twice a year, and I take on the challenge and I enjoy it,” Wade said. “I enjoy the competitive nature that I know Kobe’s going to bring every night, and I’m going to bring the same things. I think he understands that as well, so it was a good battle going back and forth. He got the last laugh this time.”
