Manu Ginobili scored the oddest three pointer of the season and nobody else on the court noticed
- Manu Ginobili scored on an attempted pass to LaMarcus Aldridge on Tuesday night, causing a confusing scene on the court.
- After the ball went through, officials on the court didn't notice, leading Ginobili to protest his case while running back on defense.
- Even Spurs coach Gregg Popovich admitted to not knowing what exactly was happening in the moment.
Manu Ginobili scored the strangest bucket of the NBA season on Tuesday night for the San Antonio Spurs when an attempted lob pass to LaMarcus Aldridge ended up going straight through the basket.
As the third quarter came to a close with the Spurs looking to add to a healthy lead, Ginobili looked to find Aldridge under the basket, but ended up putting a bit too much heat on the ball, and rocketed it straight through the basket for a three pointer.
But for a moment, no one noticed.
Knicks' forward Michael Beasley picked up the loose ball, playing it as a rebound, and brought the ball up the court as Ginobili pleaded his case to the officials while getting set on defense. Eventually, the referees convened, and awarded Ginobili the basket.
You can watch the confusing sequence play out below.
"I went crazy because once you make a shot like that you want it to count," Ginobili said after the game. "So yeah, it was very awkward, but common sense, I guess. The refs reviewed it and we got it."
He wasn't the only one confused. Stoic Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, one of the brightest basketball minds alive, even admitted to being a bit caught up in the moment. "I did not [see the ball go in], in all honestly. I did not," Popovich said. "Then everybody started grabbing me and saying the ball went in. I said, 'Yeah, the ball went in!' I acted like I knew what was going on."
Ginobili would finish with 12 points on the night as the Spurs beat the Knicks 100-91. San Antonio goes on the road again tonight to play the 76ers in Philadelphia.