Lakers Guard Steve Blake Victim of Twitter Hate Following Blown Game-Winner
Steve Blake must've anticipated the criticism coming his way for missing a crucial shot during the Los Angeles Lakers' 77-75 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday.
But you can forgive him if he didn't expect belligerent fans to threaten his family on Twitter because of it.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Blake and his wife, Kristen, were inundated with hateful rants and critical conjecture like this after the score went final. After practice on Thursday, Blake said of the fan reaction:
"It's pretty disappointing that there are a lot of hateful people out there, but you move on. I just don't appreciate it when it's toward my family. You can come at me all you want but when you say things about my wife and my kids, that makes me upset.
That's why I don't look at that crap. I'll just let it be.
"
Kristen responded to the flood of malicious speech with grace and Bible verses:
"Now that I've successfully blocked over 500 people it's time to say my prayers and go to bed. :D
— kristen blake (@kristenblake2) May 17, 2012"
""But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you" Luke6
— kristen blake (@kristenblake2) May 17, 2012"
Blake missed what would've been the game-winning shot for the Lakers in the waning seconds of their come-from-ahead defeat in OKC on Wednesday. The play was designed to get the ball to Kobe Bryant, but Metta World Peace opted to pass the ball into a wide-open Blake, who clanked the shot off the opposite side of the rim.
Blake finished the game with five points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field, all of which were attempts from behind the arc. He'll look to turn that around—and silence the legions of haters out there—when the Lakers and the Thunder reconvene for Game 3 at the Staples Center on Friday.
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