After stealing an upset win against the Western Conference-leading Utah Jazz, the Golden State Warriors hosted the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center.
Despite the defending champions jumping out to a double-digit lead in the first half, an attempt from Kyle Kuzma woke the Warriors bench up on Monday night. After Warriors rookie James Wiseman was called for a technical foul for elbowing Montrezl Harrell, Kuzma stepped to the line to shoot the Lakers’ technical free throw.
Although Kuzman is a 72.6% free throw shooter in his career, the Lakers forward uncharacteristically launched an airball from the line. Following his blunder from the free-throw line, the Warriors bench exploded.
Via @usatodaynba on Twitter:
Kyle Kuzma airballed the technical free throw and heard it from the Warriors bench 😂
🎥: @espnpic.twitter.com/NDQietHun3
— USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) March 16, 2021
Via @NBCSWarriors on Twitter:
The Warriors' bench after the air ball 💀 💀 💀 pic.twitter.com/lLqUr9NbTg
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 16, 2021
While the Warriors were able to get some jokes off, the Lakers got the last laugh. A triple-double from LeBron James paired with 27 points off the bench from Harrell helped the Lakers dominate the Warriors in a blowout victory, 128-97.
After the game, Kuzma blamed an “earthquake” for his missed technical free throw.
Via @jovanbuha on Twitter:
Kyle Kuzma on air-balling the technical foul FT: “San Francisco had a 3.5 magnitude earthquake. Shit started rumbling. I don’t know. I got scared, and it went far off to the left.”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) March 16, 2021
Kuzman finished the contest with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field with five boards, four assists and two steals in 28 minutes off the bench for the Lakers.
