Ryan Kelly decided to attack basket in team huddle
Lakers forward Ryan Kelly commits a foul as he tries to block a shot by Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard during a Jan. 5 game in Portland.
The Lakers’ game-winning basket on Monday night came from an unlikely source in third-year forward Ryan Kelly.
Kelly’s dunk with two seconds left, to break a 102 tie, certainly took the Portland Trail Blazers by surprise.
Portland managed to make up a six-point deficit with 25.2 seconds left, led by rookie guard/forward Pat Connaughton, who scored six late points including a three-pointer with 4.8 seconds on the clock.
During a Lakers time-out, Coach Byron Scott drew up a play involving guard Jabari Brown inbounding to Kelly, who held the ball for a few beats outside the three-point arc, waiting for Brown to take a hand-off.
Instead of going to his teammate, Kelly turned directly to the basket, took two dribbles and threw down a dunk over second-year forward/center Noah Vonleh.
Scott thought the Blazers might give Kelly a path to the basket, based on how they were defending the Lakers throughout the game, but he didn’t expect his forward to score so easily.
“I didn’t figure they would give him the lane that open. He did a great job of reading it,†said Scott after the game. “He made the right play.â€
The Blazers had one last chance to score, but Vonleh missed a rushed jumper and the Lakers improved to 3-4, with one preseason game left to play Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Scott’s play was for either Kelly or Brown, although Brown may have been the first choice.
“It was either one, just take what they give you. If you can hand it off without them obstructing [Brown] whatsoever, [he should] just take it to the basket --- if not, Ryan, just make a play,†said Scott.
Kelly made up his mind before the Lakers hit the floor that he was going to attack the Blazers himself.
“[Scott] drew it for me to catch ... and look to dribble hand-off with the inbounder, Jabari, which we did,†said Kelly, but there was no hand-off.
“As soon as Coach drew it up, I know that I was going to do that,†admitted Kelly. “I knew that they were going to try and switch, switch everything.â€
“There’s so much pressure on each defender to not let their man get the ball in an end-game situation -- if you can get by your own man, you’ve got an opportunity.â€
Kelly took advantage of that opportunity, shocking the Blazers with his game-winning dunk.
Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
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