Video: Bismack Biyombo had a game-saving block at the buzzer
The Charlotte Bobcats and New Orleans Hornets are the worst teams in their respective conferences. A game between them is a battle for little other than draft position, and it's unlikely to prove worth watching. And while their contest on Monday night played to the script for most of the night, it's a point of pride for the NBA that any game can feature a few moments of greatness.
In the final seconds, Bobcats rookie big man Bismack Biyombo proved that maxim with the best defensive play of the night. Up two points with under 10 seconds to play, the Bobcats had a fairly inexplicable defensive breakdown and gave Hornets wing Trevor Ariza an open path to the basket for a dunk. As the last line of defense, Biyombo stonewalled him with a textbook two-handed block, giving the Bobcats a 73-71 victory, just their sixth of the season.
It was exactly the kind of play that made Biyombo the seventh pick in June's draft despite a dearth of experience overseas. Simply put, he has the potential to be a stellar NBA defender.
Congratulations to the Bobcats, who will now face in-state rival Duke in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
