After LeBron James’ horror end to the Lakers-Spurs overtime game this past week, missing two crucial free throws that would’ve given LA the buffer needed to perhaps send the game to a second overtime, Kobe Bryant fans instantly took to social media to compare James’ and Bryant’s end-of-game heroics, claiming the Black Mamba would never miss clutch free throws like that ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4WkCXoOys8
Smh Kobe would’ve never missed hem free throws.
— Jaleel Wadood (@W4DOOD_) October 23, 2018
My king Kobe would have never missed 2 free throws
— chris (@chandaye) October 23, 2018
Lakers lost due to Bron missing free throws? LMAOOOO Kobe would NEVER
— voski (@Godflowvo) October 23, 2018
(There’s about another 100 examples on Twitter, if you want to look for yourself.)Well, the folks over at SB Nation have done some digging, and have actually found 10 examples of Kobe missing clutch free throws and the end of games that were integral to the end result.
https://twitter.com/LuvvVSFatCuz/status/1054613523396026368
The Lakers — after Kobe’s two missed free throws — did actually end up losing that game 91-88 to the Blazers, in a scenario that was eerily similar to LeBron’s against the Spurs.
Other than the above example though, SB Nation listed off another nine times since 2000 Kobe missed consecutive free throws in a two-possession or less game with a minute or less to play, and here they are:
“Here’s the list:
2001 – Lakers up four with 39 seconds to play, he misses both
2002 Finals – Lakers up four with 42.7 seconds to play, he misses both
2004 – Lakers down three with 55.7 seconds to play, he misses both
2004 – Lakers up six with 29.2 seconds to play, he misses both
2004 – Lakers down three with 4.4 seconds to play in OT, he misses both
2008 – Lakers up six with 7.4 seconds to play, he misses both
2011 – Lakers up five with 27.5 seconds to play, he misses both
2012 – Lakers up four with 37.4 seconds to play, he misses both
2013 – Lakers down six with 8.8 seconds to play, he misses second and third“
