Robert Horry and the Lakers
May 27, 2002
by Brian Carnell
Robert Horry's clutch 3 pointer in yesterday's NBA playoff game is the reason I occasionally still watch the NBA. Having that opportunity and actually making the shot is the sort of thing that kids on playground fantasize about endlessly, and watching Horry actually make that shot was exhilirating (yes, I was on my feet shouting at the television as his shot swished through the net).
Sacramento's Chris Webber and Vlade Divac both chalked the shot down to a lucky play -- Divac just happened to punch the basketball to precisely the point on the court where Horry was standing.
But that ignores the fact that a) luck did not pull the Lakers out of a 20-point first quarter deficit to trailing by just two with 11 seconds to go, and b) much of success in life is about taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves, often through sheer dumb luck.
And what really made the win priceless was Horry's reaction -- while his teammates and everyone in the Staples Center were screaming and throwing up their hands, Horry's demeanor was cocky but subdued as if to say, "Of course it went in -- what else were you expecting?"
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