The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Utah Jazz on Sunday with a little help from Utah coach Will Hardy. The Lakers took a 105-102 lead on a LeBron James jumper with 41 seconds remaining before Walker Kesler cut the lead to one on the ensuing possession.
James then missed a three-pointer on the next trip down the floor that could have put the game away. Instead the Jazz had the ball in Collin Sexton's hands with a chance to win the game, which Sexton almost did by making a driving layup with less than two seconds remaining. Unfortunately, his coach had called a timeout which negated the would-be game-winner.
Lakers announcers Bill Macdonald and Stu Lantz were beside themselves in disbelief.
Macdonald called Sexton's drive as horror turned to joy, "Oh no, no, no, no, no basket. No basket! They called a timeout!"
"Why would he call a timeout," Lantz wondered. "I mean, Hardy was right there when they got the defensive stop and they look at—he gave the motion like to keep going! Then when they get in a position to attack he's running to midcourt to call a timeout."
The Lakers then won a few seconds later as Sexton had his shot blocked as he tried to get off a jumper against three defenders at the buzzer. As both broadcasters agreed, the Lakers will take that any day of the week. And boy did they need it coming off three loses in their previous four games.
Meanwhile the Jazz fell to 4-16 on the season as they lost their fourth straight game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lakers Announcers Shocked by Jazz Coach Calling Timeout to Negate Game-Winner.
