How it should have ended

Staples Center.  Game 7.  Western Conference Finals.  Shaquille O’Neal, super-sized in every way, lumbers to center court to jump center against Pau Gasol.  He and Kobe fist bump.  It’s the beginning of the end of the Shaq / Kobe rivalry – the story line of the decade here in Los Angeles. 

Fast forward to the end of the first overtime period.  The Suns are up by 2 points and Shaq is at the free throw line.  If he makes both free throws, the Suns are Western Conference champions.  More importantly, he’ll have the last laugh on Kobe.  If he makes at least one, the Lakers will have to hit a 3 point shot to force a second overtime.  The first shot goes through - nothing but net.  The entire arena is shocked, no one more than Shaq himself.  The second shot goes up.  It hits the back of the rim.  The crowd is so silent, you can hear a pin drop. The ball bounces off the front of the rim high in the air.  It looks like it might go in, but glances off the side of the rim and into Lamar Odom’s waiting grasp.  The Lakers call timeout. 

Everyone in the arena, actually everyone in the solar system, knows that Kobe Bryant is going to take the last shot.  They need a 3 pointer to force a second overtime.  It’s desperation time for the Lakers.  Luke Walton throws the in-bound pass unexpectedly to Pau Gasol. He fakes a shot and then manages to kick it out to Kobe behind the 3 point line.  Since this is my fantasy, Shaq runs out and fouls Kobe as he shoots.  The shot goes in (of course) and Kobe makes the free throw to win – game, set, match. 

Now that would have been a bang.  Instead, we get the whimper. 

The Suns go down in the first series to the Spurs 3 to 1.  The rumor is that Mike D’Antoni will lose his job.  Shaq has two years left on his deal, but will miss more games than he’ll play as he winds down his career in Phoenix.  The run and gun Suns will spend the next several years searching for a new identity, all in the quiet shadow of the ascendant Lakers dynasty. 

But wait.  This is the type of story that never dies.  Fast forward 20 years.  Kobe Bryant is driving a little too fast up the 405 in his drop top Impala.  He pulls over when he hears the siren.  The policeman who saunters up to his car is 7’ 1” and grinning ear to ear…

Comments

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Nice post, sounds like an interesting way for things to play out!