Kobe Bryant Calls Dahntay Jones Out On Twitter, Says Play Was ‘Dangerous’
Kobe Bryant suffered a “severe ankle sprain” during the final seconds of the Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. The black mamba, who is out indefinitely due to his injury, said that Dahntay Jones should have been called for a foul after he made a “dangerous play.”
Jones was guarding Bryant during the final seconds of the game and may be responsible for the star’s sprained ankle.
When Kobe went up for his shot, Jones jumps to block the shot and ends up with his legs underneath Bryant. It’s unclear if Bryant landed on Jones’ foot or if he just had to make a last minute adjustment when he came back down to the court. Either way, Bryant sprained his ankle and the Lakers star is out indefinitely.
Kobe took to Twitter after the game to call Dahntay Jones out for making a dangerous play.
Kobe simply wrote: #dangerousplay that should have been called. Period.
Jones, however, doesn’t think that he did anything wrong. Jones responded saying that the play wasn’t dirty and that he would never intentionally hurt another player.
Jones said: Tape doesn’t lie. Ankle was turned on the floor after the leg kick out that knocked him off balance. I would never try to hurt the man.
Kobe does kick his leg out on the shout but he is also bumped by Jones on the way down.
Here’s a look at the play.
What do you think? Did Dahntay Jones make a dirty play?
Leg kick that makes contact with a defensive player is an offense foul. Period. The nba changed that rule 2 yrs ago. Stop it!
— Dahntay (@dahntay1) March 14, 2013
I have the utmost respect for @kobebryant I would never try to intentionally hurt him. Just wanted to contest the fadeaway #thatsall
— Dahntay (@dahntay1) March 14, 2013
Kobe, of course, has good reason to think that Dahntay Jones purposefully tried to injure him. Why? Well, let’s take a look at the video. During game 3 of the Denver Nuggets / Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 Jones purposefully tried to trip Bryant.
Jones admitted fault for the 2009 proud play but said that this was not the same thing.
Now what happened in 09? I am not proud of but it was a heated playoff series with a championship on the line
— Dahntay (@dahntay1) March 14, 2013
In the end, it doesn’t really matter if the play was dirty or not. Kobe will sitting on the sideline for an undetermined amount of time regardless of any punishment handed down to Jones.
Kobe said this is as bad a sprain as he’s had since 2000 playoffs. He “doesn’t know” how it will respond, when he’ll return.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 14, 2013
