Originally Posted by
Boroming
LOS ANGELES -- It says something -- something far from good -- that the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors thanks to yet another game-winning shot by Kobe Bryant. It says even more that the defensive play of the game was made by a man named Lapo Elkann.
Elkann isn't a D-League player the Lakers brought up on a 10-day contract. He's a man who was sitting in his cousin's courtside seats. And with the Lakers ahead by four points and a ball heading out of bounds on their defensive side of the court, Elkann with both of his hands in the air, then knocked the ball off Toronto guard Jose Calderon's head before Calderon could save it. The ball landed out of bounds, last touched by a Raptor, possession awarded to the Lakers, who went on to win 109-107.
"Tough play, because it was a two-point game," Calderon said. "I was looking to pass to my teammate. I wasn't looking, and I look back and the guy just hit the ball."
Elkann offered an apologetic shake of his hand to Calderon. Ron Artest came over, patted Elkann on the head, and told him "Good D."
Elkann truly was sorry he hurt the Raptors.
"Having two Italians [Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli] on the team and being Italian, I wished for them to win," Elkann said. "I saw the ball coming on me, and I pushed it."
"I'm not an expert in basketball," he said, explaining his ignorance of the rules. "I know more about soccer than I do about basketball."
He pulled up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo of the Juventus Italian football club logo. But if he's a soccer guy, he should know you're not supposed to use your hands.
"You can't," Elkann said. "The only one who's allowed to use them is Maradona, in the World Cup."
So now the Lakers have their own "Hand of God" play. There's nothing heavenly about them lately, evidenced by their need to be bailed out by an once-in-a-lifetime fluke play from a fan and a nearly twice-a-month shot by Bryant, who has hit seven game-winning shots this season.
io non ho parole -_-
