The posterizing took place in the second quarter at the Staples Center. The Hornets held a 44-40 lead with 3:40 to go in the half. Derek Fisher held the ball in the corner and fed Pau Gasol in the paint. Gasol posted his man up, but faced with a double-team, he looked for an outlet pass.
Fortunately for him, Kobe was at the top of the key, and after catching the quick pass from Gasol, the superstar accelerated into the lane and took flight. Okafor tried to block the shot, or at least to get a body on Bryant as he hit the peak of his jump, but it proved to be in vain.
Bryant wouldn't be denied on this one, delivering a massive dunk over Okafor's head.
Kobe managed to pull off the dunk despite playing on a sprained left ankle, but given his elevation on that play, I'd say it's feeling better already. It's tough to posterize someone with a bum ankle, so for Kobe to drop a slam like that, it's got to be fine.
The thunderous jam changed the entire tenor of the game for the Lakers, energizing the Staples Center crowd and the Lakers themselves. Los Angeles would go on to take control of the series with a 106-90 win over the plucky Hornets, with Kobe chipping in 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the floor.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
