Bizarre mishap costs LeBron in cruel ending

1 year ago 90

Gordon Hayward got the tiebreaking layup connected a goaltending telephone against LeBron James with 6.3 seconds to play, and the Charlotte Hornets held disconnected the Los Angeles Lakers 134-130 for lone their 2nd triumph successful 11 games.

James scored 18 of his 34 points portion starring a stirring fourth-quarter comeback by the Lakers, who erased a 16-point shortage successful the 2nd half. James scored oregon assisted connected 11 consecutive points successful the last 2:30, and helium drove for the tying layup with 30 seconds left.

After Hayward got an violative rebound and drew the goaltending call, James fed Dennis Schröder for an unfastened country three-point effort — but the German defender missed, and P.J. Washington deed 2 escaped throws to crystal the Hornets' 2nd triumph connected their six-game trip.

It a cruel last play for James and the Lakers. The four-time MVP received the inbounds walk and instantly attempted to thrust to the basket, and looked acceptable to walk by his archetypal defender erstwhile the footwear connected his near ft slipped off, causing him to travel over.

It was a play that near adjacent James' biggest critic, seasoned writer Skip Bayless, successful disbelief.

Washington scored 24 points, portion LaMelo Ball had 23 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists against his hometown team. Terry Rozier besides scored 23 successful his instrumentality from a two-game lack with a bruised close hep arsenic the Hornets earned their archetypal roadworthy triumph implicit the Lakers successful 5 tries since January 2018.

Austin Reaves scored 20 points and Russell Westbrook had 17 for Los Angeles, which has mislaid 3 straight.

Anthony Davis missed his 4th consecutive crippled with what the Lakers earlier connected Saturday called a accent wounded successful his close foot. There is nary timetable for the instrumentality of the eight-time All-Star large man, who was playing superbly earlier his latest large wounded successful 3 seasons of miserable health.

Thomas Bryant had 8 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers earlier leaving the tribunal with 3:16 to play portion holding his close enarthrosis successful evident pain. Bryant, who returned to ticker the last possessions, has been coagulated arsenic Los Angeles’ starting centre successful Davis’ absence, and a important wounded would beryllium different large stroke to the rotation.

Restricted escaped cause Miles Bridges attended the crippled and sat straight nether the handbasket connected the Hornets' extremity of the court. He gave high-fives to his erstwhile teammates during pregame warm-ups.

Bridges, who played his archetypal 4 NBA seasons with Charlotte, pleaded nary contention to a home unit complaint past period successful Los Angeles, receiving probation and nary jailhouse time. ESPN reported earlier Friday that the Hornets are closing successful connected a caller declaration with Bridges, who is apt to person a lengthy suspension that can't statesman until helium is signed by a team.

“Yeah, we’re not going to remark connected that close now,” manager Steve Clifford said erstwhile asked earlier the crippled astir the report.

Two days aft getting tally disconnected the aforesaid tribunal by the Clippers soon earlier halftime, Charlotte jumped to an 88-72 pb implicit the Lakers aboriginal successful the 3rd 4th with a 21-5 tally instantly aft halftime. James started a comeback successful the 4th quarter, cutting the Hornets’ pb to 114-111 connected a driving layup with 4:51 to play.

Right earlier Hayward’s decisive last-minute play, Reaves stole a walk from Ball — but the Lakers someway couldn’t people connected a 4-on-1 break.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!