As the old adage goes: if you come at “The King,” you had better not miss. Timing up a perfectly-synchronized cut to attack the opposition’s unbalanced zone defense, Malaki Branham is presented his chance, locating the spare key under the mattress and sneaking through the front door of the Los Angeles Lakers’ defense. Left with only a single, high-profile defender in his path, Branham accepts the challenge, taking a pass before gliding through the air for a hanging, one-handed flush over their star defender. Despite falling tantalizingly short in their late-game surge, the San Antonio Spurs’ second unit remained noteworthy, with Branham leading the charge. Continuing his impressive stretch of recent play, the second-year guard recorded 17 points, two rebounds, and three 3-pointers on February 23, 2024. · Feb 24, 2024