The Lakers have had a whole lot go wrong this season. But on Wednesday, they appeared to finally catch a break.
Ahead 120-117 against the Timberwolves with 3.4 seconds left, Kobe Bryant missed a second free throw to give the Wolves a chance.
Ricky Rubio grabbed the rebound and headed for the 3-point line, letting fly a pretty good look. Kobe recovered to contest, and the ball came up woefully short. Rubio immediately protested. Upon further review, it seemed pretty clear that Kobe connected with Rubio's forearm, which was the cause of the airball, not that Kobe blocked it.
If the Wolves get that call, Rubio heads to the line for three free throws and a chance to send the game to overtime.
Following the game, the Wolves took the high road, but Rubio wasn't shy about his disappointment in the no-call.
"I don't like to lose. I hate it," he said. "Sometimes it's tough when you give everything and something like that happens."
Kobe disagreed that it was a foul, via ESPNLA:
"That's not a foul. They ain't calling that s---. I don't think I got him. That's a tough call to make," he said. "I just put my hand in. It’s not like I went out and smacked him across the arm or anything."
Kobe was then asked what would've happened had the call gone Minnesota's way.
"We would have gone into overtime and won the game. It’s as simple as that."
So, see, Wolves fans? It wouldn't have even mattered. The Lakers were gonna win, anyway.
