This is how your Uncle slaps you for doing something stupid at the family reunion.
The Hornets celebrated too soon and then weren’t sure if they’d be celebrating at all. Meanwhile, team owner Michael Jordan chewed out one of his own players.
Lamb knocked down a 22-foot jumper from the right wing with 0.3 seconds left, and then had to wait and see if it counted after the Hornets were assessed a technical foul for having too many players on the floor. The basket was upheld and the Hornets escaped with at 108-107 win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night after trailing by 10 late in the fourth quarter.
As Lamb thrust out his chest and yelled and the crowd erupted with screams, officials quickly blew the whistle and gathered at the scorer’s table to check the replay monitor.
Replays showed Malik Monk and later Bismack Biyombo had come off the bench and run several yards onto the floor in anticipation of Lamb making the shot at the other end.
As Monk, a second-year player from Kentucky, retreated to the bench, he got chewed out by Jordan, a six-time NBA champion who was sitting at the end of the bench. Jordan playfully slapped at the back of his Monk’s head — twice. Monk smiled with a touch of embarrassment.
Flip the page for the slap and some of the Twitter reactions.