How The Lakers Free Up Kobe
With the game tied and 9 seconds left, everyone and their mother knows that Kobe Bean Bryant will be getting the basketball. So how was he able to get free for a pretty easy (for Kobe) jumper? Some great execution from the Lakers and some poor execution from the Raptors:
After Ron Artest inbounds it to Pau Gasol, he cuts backdoor while Kobe comes to the basketball. The Lakers have run a play like this in the past, except instead of a backdoor cut, it was a backscreen set. Phil Jackson chose not to go with the backscreen, and I think that is smart. It prevents the Raptors from switching the cut and denying Kobe outright. On the other side, Lamar Odom sets a back screen for Derek Fisher.
