Kobe makes a very valid point by being upset with Dahntay Jones, as undercutting jump shooters has been a huge problem in the NBA for years. Kobe mentioned in his postgame presser that he felt he Dahntay “Jalen Rose’d me,” and it is very true. Check out this article from the LA Times in which Jalen Rose admitted (ten years later) on a Grantland podcast that he intentionally hurt Kobe Bryant during Game 2 of the 2000 NBA Finals (Video here, fast forward to the 2:25 mark). The issue isn’t the tight defense, it is the undercutting the shooter.
Bruce Bowen has made a career out of trying to end other players’ careers, and it was celebrated like he was some sort of defensive genius. Unfortunately there were no rules against his tactics, so they couldn’t call him for his dirty play. One way or another the issue still needs to be addressed and as it sits now the Mamba is out ‘indefinitely thanks to an intentional or unintentional dirty play.
The Lakers lost on the last second miss by Kobe Bryant by a score of 96-92.
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