Knicks' Second Straight Championship! Su Yan: Back-to-Back FMVP!

Kobe shot, forcing up a three-pointer in an attempt to keep his team alive.

But the pressure was too much.

That shot was no different from... a desperate, haphazard gamble.

He should have attacked the basket, drawn a foul, and gone for a three-point play. That would have been a much steadier way to get three points.

Or maybe... he could have stuck with the fadeaway he was good at and taken two points first.

But a desperation three like that...

With Su Yan defending him...

Was next to impossible!

"Clang!"

Just as expected, it missed.

The crucial rebound?!

Chandler secured it, and the Knicks immediately called timeout, taking complete control of the ball.

The Lakers were desperate, too.

After the timeout,

Curry inbounded from midcourt and passed to Su Yan. Kobe's eyes were blank as he mechanically fouled Su Yan.

He knew they had lost.

That foul was muscle memory—and one last struggle.

"Swish!"

"Clang!"

Su Yan made one of two free throws.

He gave the Lakers one last glimmer of hope.

"Whoosh!"

Kobe rushed over at once, throwing caution to the wind as he forced up a three-pointer to keep the Lakers alive.

A three-pointer was worth one more point than a two-pointer.

The significance of the three-point shot was on full display in that moment.

"Swish!"

It went in.

Kobe's incredible Big Heart carried him to a miraculous, game-saving three-pointer.

But it didn't matter.

Only 5.4 seconds remained. The Lakers still trailed by three, and the Knicks still had the ball.

The Lakers had no timeouts left, either.

The situation looked utterly hopeless.

The Lakers?... They still hadn't given up. They fouled Su Yan again, trying to send him to the free-throw line.

He'd just made one of two, seemingly giving them a chance, but in reality,