In the last seconds of Wednesday night's Lakers loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Dahntay Jones, defending Kobe Bryant, sort of got all up in Kobe's grill, and Kobe got hurt.
It's unclear whether Jones was simply contesting the shot aggressively or stuck his leg under Kobe on purpose. (No foul was called.)
Unsurprisingly, Jones stuck by the play as legitimate defense.
Tape doesn't lie. Ankle was turned on the floor after the leg kick out that knocked him off balance. I would never try to hurt the man
Tape doesn't lie. Ankle was turned on the floor after the leg kick out that knocked him off balance. I would never try to hurt the man-- Dahntay
Leg kick that makes contact with a defensive player is an offense foul. Period. The nba changed that rule 2 yrs ago. Stop it!
Leg kick that makes contact with a defensive player is an offense foul. Period. The nba changed that rule 2 yrs ago. Stop it!-- Dahntay
I have the utmost respect for @kobebryant I would never try to intentionally hurt him. Just wanted to contest the fadeaway #thatsall
I have the utmost respect for @kobebryant I would never try to intentionally hurt him. Just wanted to contest the fadeaway #thatsall-- Dahntay
While, even less surprisingly, Kobe came to a different conclusion.
#dangerousplay that should have been called. Period.
#dangerousplay that should have been called. Period.-- Kobe Bryant
And he said this in a postgame interview.
"I just can't get over the fact that I have to wait a year to get revenge ... You can't walk underneath players, that's dangerous for the shooter. He Jalen Rose'd me."
It's a reference to the 2000 NBA Finals, when Jalen Rose, then a member of the Indiana Pacers, stuck his leg out underneath Kobe and got away with it.
(Kobe being Kobe, he also added a later tweet about recuperating from the ankle sprain — which will keep him out indefinitely — in kind of a weird way.)
Compression. Ice. Django. Zero Dark Thirty. This is Forty and 1 hour of sleep. #countonwill #countonhaters. On to the next.
Compression. Ice. Django. Zero Dark Thirty. This is Forty and 1 hour of sleep. #countonwill #countonhaters. On to the next.-- Kobe Bryant
Kobe's wife Vanessa sent out this somewhat confusing shot of his swollen ankle after the game.
The story might have ended there — but the BuzzFeed Sports I-Team has uncovered further photos that prove Bryant's point beyond a doubt. These images truly have no place in the game of basketball — or anywhere in civilized society.
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Warning: graphic material ahead.
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Words are almost inadequate, but a few come to mind. Harrowing. Abhorrent. Flamboyant Lil' Bo Peep.
(Background here.)