Los Angeles Lakers analyst Stu Lantz laughed at Giannis Antetokounmpo Thursday night, and the laugh was so genuine and wholesome that it was hard not to appreciate it.
Bronny James may have been the star of the game, leading the Lakers in points and assists while crossing up Antetokounmpo. But during the Milwaukee Bucks’ 118-89 romp of the Lakers, Antetokounmpo’s clear carry garnered the best reaction.
With Milwaukee leading by 11 in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo attempted to back down Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin. After knocking Goodwin down, the former NBA MVP tried to regain his dribble but made a clear violation by carrying the basketball when doing so.
LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Austin Reaves immediately recognized the carry from the Lakers bench, imploring any referee to blow their whistle. Lantz quickly chimed in on the broadcast with, “That’s illegal.” But their pleas were useless, as the officials let the carry slide.
While it may not have been the right call on the floor, it provided better entertainment value on the broadcast. Shortly after, the announcers got a good look at the replay, and Lantz couldn’t help but laugh.
“If that’s not an illegal dribble, I don’t know what is,” Lantz said with a hearty chuckle.
It was perfect. And it was all the analysis Lantz needed to offer for the audience to know how he felt about the call, or lack thereof.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com