[excerpt] The Lakers trailed, 83-81, after Iverson's wide-open jumper, when Lamar Odom inbounded the ball to Bryant with 7.9 seconds left. Bryant then shot from behind the arc, perhaps too quickly.
"It was designed for him to catch the ball and find what he could find available in penetrating or attacking the defense," Coach Phil Jackson said. "I have to give him the credit that he can shoot that shot. I have to allow his judgment that he felt like he could do that at that time.
"I wanted him to penetrate and Smush [Parker] was over in the other corner at the three-point line. We thought Iverson would come back and jump on the play and Smush would be open, but he took what he thought he could get."
Which, it turned out, was no closer than close.
"I was going to read the defense and see if I had an open look," Bryant said. "My balance was off, though. I was aiming left when I shot it. Those are the type of shots where you just kick yourself because you know that if you square up and just get your balance, you'll knock it down. It just didn't happen for us."
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