BDG: How DJ Saved Tacos

So I’m sitting next to the television set and I’m full of hope.

“Extend the lead so we can play DJ Mbenga.”

The Lakers had just announced earlier that day that they had signed him to a 10-day contract. With the crushing blows of injuries to Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza, the Lakers were thin in the frontcourt.

But he was donning the purple and gold warm-ups and I was ready for his Laker debut. The anticipation had been building.

We’re in the middle of the Lakers blowing out the Nuggets in Los Angeles. If the opposition is held under 100 points, the crowd gets vouchers for free tacos at Jack-In-The-Box after the buzzer sounds.

With 5:03 to play, we return from timeout. He enters. The crowd gives Mbenga a roaring ovation. At least in my mind.

Two possessions later, The Nuggets come down the floor. The ball comes loose. Mbenga has the strip.

The rock rolls down mid-court as a scramble ensues. DJ is half-crawling on the floor, seeking out the ball like it’s the cure for the common cold.

He dives onto the hardwood. Jacques Costeau style.

Although he doesn’t fully manage to gather it up, his body knocks the ball into the hands of Jordan Farmar, who pushes it downcourt. Mbenga quickly recovers.

A couple of possessions later, Javaris Crittenton drives down the lane and scoops it off to Mbenga eight feet out.

With the Nuggets’ Steven Hunter in his grill, he arches the ball back behind his head and hoists up a jumper. Somehow, his knees stay bent even after he has left the ground.

It smacks off of the backboard, grazes the rim and hits the ground.

Miraculously, like a homing pigeon, DJ gathers the rebound. Official Dick Bavetta doesn’t realize that the clock should be re-set and whistles Lamar Odom for a shot clock violation after his trey fails to draw iron.

As animated as Phil Jackson has been all season, he gets out of his chair and barks at the officiating crew.

One way to resolve this. Jump ball. Mbenga to center stage.

Bavetta with the toss and Mbenga gets contact . . . with Steven Hunter’s arm. Nuggets recover the ball so no need to stop the action again with under three minutes to go. Yet DJ is determined to make amends.

Denver’s Anthony Carter gets a high screen at the top of the key from Hunter. Mbenga shades out and quickly retreats to his man down low. Meanwhile, Carter feeds Linas Klieza on a cut to the basket.

Swatted. Mbenga meets Klieza’s layup at the apex of it’s ascent. Okay, upon looking at the replay, maybe it was goaltending. Nevertheless, it still remains magnificent.

Linas hardly agrees and picks up a technical.

Nuggets coach George Karl gets to watch his son Coby sink a free throw for the Lakers.

DJ is still aggressive on defense. Maybe too aggressive. He plays piggy back with Hunter and is whistled for it. He would pick up three fouls in his five minutes of play.

On the other end, Coby feeds DJ in the post as the crowd is obliged to chant “We want tacos!” by the STAPLES Center arena music.

Mbenga attempts the closest thing the NBA has seen to a skyhook in about two decades. In and out. Heartbreak.

A couple plays come and go. Mbenga refuses to give Hunter rebounding position as Klieza fires up a three. Tacos are in jeopardy for the Lakers crowd. It’s off the mark and the dream is still alive.

Time passes and now we have under a minute to go. Hunter catches the ball baseline and attempts a running hook in the middle of the paint. But DJ shadows him. Mbenga contests the shot and it comes up short.

Farmar fouls Klieza. The Nuggets stand at 98 points. If he makes both, no one goes to Jack-In-The-Box.

The first sinks. The noise rises. Klieza’s second attempt rattles around the rim and spins out.

The game is decided, but the same cannot be said about the tacos. This one is going down to the wire.

Okay, the score is 116-98 with 43 seconds to play. So not really. But for the sake of all Laker fans who enjoy beef and cheese is a crunchy shell from a fantastic fast food chain, we will make an exception.

This should be the Lakers’ last possession. With just under 30 ticks remaining, Coby Karl fires up a three from the baseline. It’s way off. Camera pans to his father’s face and he isn’t showing any visible emotion on the outside.

But the Nuggets are in transition. Klieza is trying to go coast to coast.

He takes off with an intensity unknown to mankind. As he glides toward the basket, the Lakers’ Ronny Turiaf meets him at the top. His block attempt barely misses. If the fingerroll falls, so do the chances of taco time.

Out of nowhere, DJ appears. He is not suited with a cape, but it would be fitting.

Mbenga with the swat. The ball flies out of bounds.

The crowd erupts. The arena is standing on their feet. The thundersticks are clapping.

Turiaf practically goes crazy and nearly knocks off DJ’s hand with a high five.

Kobe is out of his chair shouting. Sasha raises a fist, clenched as if it were the hammer of Thor.

The Nuggets inbound it, trying to crush the possibility of free food at the exits.

It’s Klieza again, and he’s back at the rim. Coby Karl slaps the ball off of Linas’ knee. It’s Laker ball and the audience is overjoyed. I am a freeway ride away from STAPLES Center, but I feel the glee that is running rampant throughout the building.

DJ saved the day.

DJ saved tacos.