When we’re home this summer, it’ll be brought up.” “I’ve seen him do this in summertime pickup games,” said James Worthy, who grew up in North Carolina with Floyd. “He just knew in his own mind that nobody could stop him,” said Johnson. Seconds later, Floyd was banking in a jumper to make the lead 109-106. The NBA’s best passer saw Byron Scott open underneath and flipped the ball there at laser speed - only to have Floyd come out of nowhere and slap the ball away. Johnson came downcourt, looking to calm the revolution. With seven minutes left, the Warriors had just gone ahead 107-106 to take their first lead since the first quarter. No shot was too amazing.Īnd did we mention defense? That, too. No drive was too reckless for Floyd to take. He got one step past them, and the ball was in the basket. No matter what Floyd did, the ball went down the Lakers’ throats. I’ve seen Magic Johnson and Kareem have those kind of games. But somehow, the ball hung on it and bounced into the basket. “There was one time when I was guarding him,” said Michael Cooper of the Lakers, “and he took a shot that I was sure would go over the rim. But as usually is the case after other-worldly performances, the spectators have a better view than the performer - and the spectators Sunday included the Lakers. “It was a hell of a feeling,” he would say later. When one of your friends asks why you bother paying attention to the stupidly endless NBA playoffs, this is the videotape to show him: the day that Eric Floyd entered another dimension and beat the Lakers one on five. In fact, it explained once more why you watch sports in the first place. The Lakers surely will squash the Warriors in Tuesday night’s fifth game, back in Inglewood. This game won’t mean much to the history of our civilization - or even to the history of this series. He scored 29 points in the period and 51 in the game, and the Warriors came from behind to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 129-121. He entered the other dimension, and he scored more points than anyone has ever scored in one quarter of NBA playoff basketball. He decided to drive for the basket every time down the court. The Warriors were trailing by 14 points, and there was no reason to hold back. Floyd started knowing this just about the time the fourth quarter began.
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