The Los Angeles Lakers faced off with the Phoenix Suns on Monday night, securing another victory in the NBA‘s Western Conference. Forward Kyle Kuzma turned heads during the win after he somehow made an improbable no-look shot. There was no explaining how this ball went into the basket, but one fan said that it “must’ve been Kobe.”
Just how Kuzma drew it up ๐ pic.twitter.com/V68JnBOojy
โ NBA TV (@NBATV) February 11, 2020
During the play in question, Kuzma avoided an attempted steal by Kelly Oubre Jr. and then moved toward the basket. It appeared that he was trying to pass the ball to LeBron James, but it went sideways and ricocheted off the backboard into the hoop. Upon further examination, it was shown that Oubre may have dislodged the ball from Kuzma’s grip when he hit his arm.
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“@kobebryant with the alley-oop to @kylekuzma,” another fan commented on Twitter. There were several users weighing in and explaining that the late NBA icon was helping propel this team to victory two weeks after his death in a helicopter crash.
“Ya’ll know that was Kobe… that ball wasn’t going anywhere near the basket. Score that one to 24. #RIPKobe,” a Twitter user added to the conversation. There were a few fans that certainly thought this was just pure luck, but the majority truly believed that Bryant had willed the ball into the basket.
The belief among those that root for the Lakers is that this team is destined to secure a trip to the NBA Finals and then run rampant through the competition. Securing another championship for the city is believed to be inevitable. The fans envision James putting everything on the line for his friend and then leading this team to the Promised Land.
With a 40-12 record, the Lakers are in prime position. They have already surpassed the number of wins from last season (37) and have a two-game lead over the Denver Nuggets. There is still plenty of time remaining in the season considering that the NBA playoffs begin in April, so the Lakers will have to continue winning with regularity.
Finishing strong will not be a simple task. There are several difficult teams on the schedule, including the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Boston Celtics. Still, the fans have faith that Bryant is willing this team to victory and will take them to a championship victory. The Kuzma shot from Monday night is just another example for them.
(Photo Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)