RealGM

Sorry to make a new thread on this, but I didn't think it fell within any of the current threads.

I DVR'd game 4 (I assume most of you did also) and watched it again last night, sober. I noticed something very interesting (at least I thought it was and I assume my Kobe hating brethren will as well) on the play late in the 4th quarter when Ray gets free on the baseline.

The Lakers defensive assignments get mixed up and Ray is being guarded by Farmar at the elbow while House is checked by Kobe on the baseline. Ray runs towards the baseline and Farmar correctly switches to House (who moves to the other side of the court) expecting Kobe to naturally switch back to Ray. Except he doesn't, he starts moving up to double PP at the top of the key, then realizes he's in "no-man's land" and left Ray wide open but it's too late and PP passes to Ray who then makes the reverse layup on the baseline.

The interesting part is that Lamar Odom screams at Kobe and make two hand gestures in his face. Kobe sits there just taking it and his body language indicates he well aware he blew it.

Funny how Sasha is getting killed (rightfully so) for allowing Ray to get an easy layup at a crucial time in the game, while Kobe is getting a free pass for the same transgression. Star treatment I guess.

It could have been an isolated incident. Anyone who play pickup basketball knows they get beat every once in a while, or miss an assignment. Vujacic consistently played sorry ass hacky jerky defense all series.

Ghost of the Garden wrote:It could have been an isolated incident. Anyone who play pickup basketball knows they get beat every once in a while, or miss an assignment. Vujacic consistently played sorry ass hacky jerky defense all series.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Kobe played crappy defense like that of Sasha. I just thought it was interesting to watch Kobe get screamed at and have to take some of his own medicine from a teammate.

Ah - the Ray Allen triple pump reverse. Should be on the NBA Finals highlight films for decades to come (but it won't - Jordan's "Oh! A Spectacular Move!" shot will fill the lay-up quota).

Just wanted to watch it again (the highlight stops before you see Odom say anything to Kobe).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfu0u-YcdlM

that lay up was simply amazing

What I don't get is the fact that Ray's sweet up and under lay-back didn't make the top 10 plays of the Finals on nba.com

I think the problem was that when the play happened live, the announcers (and myself, frankly) didn't realize what exactly had happened since Ray was screened out by the traffic in the paint. I remember thinking it took him a while to get that shot off, but I thought it was a simple up-and-under past Gasol). All Breen said was "Ray Allen...squeezes it in", when you needed a Marv Albert "Oh! A Spectacular Move!". It wasn't until the baseline replay that you could really see what happened and that he had to triple-pump to avoid hitting the underside of the rim (and then spin the ball with English to avoid Odom's block on the weak side). When Jordan made his move, he had the advantage of everyone getting a clear look at it since no defenders actually bothered to you know, jump.

As a result, it hasn't become a talked-about play. And it should have been. Ray's playoff highlights always seem to end up forgotten (the personal 19-0 run against Philly and an NBA playoff record nine three-pointers, the 46 points and ridiculous fall away three to beat Sacramento, taking the Spurs to the buzzer in game 6 with Rashard Lewis and Radmanovic missing the series with injuries).

But no worries - he has his ring. And I think the lay-up past Vujacic will actually be one of the plays most remembered from this series.

the problem with the layup, is, in real time it doesnt look spectacular at all, it looks like your avverage run of the mill up and under layup, which is why it wont be on anyfinals reels or sportscenter top 10

you need to slow it down with the super slow motion or w/e it is to see how truly spectacular it was

oh and the fact mike breen hd the call, so it was lifeless and detatched and horribly biased

i didnt know that was the biggest comeback ever in the finals until after the game, his call gave no sense of urgency or importance...worst call of a great game ever