Manu Ginobili scored the oddest 3-pointer of the season, and nobody else on the court noticed

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January 3, 2018 3:41 PM

Manu Ginobili's pass to LaMarcus Aldridge had a bit too much heat on it and ended up going straight through the basket, leaving many on the court confused.

Manu Ginobili scored on an attempted pass to LaMarcus Aldridge on Tuesday night, causing a confusing scene on the court.
Officials on the court didn't notice, leading Ginobili to protest his case while running back on defense.
Even Spurs coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged he did not know what exactly happened in the moment.

Manu Ginobili scored the strangest bucket of the NBA season on Tuesday night for the San Antonio Spurs when an attempted lob pass to LaMarcus Aldridge ended up going through the basket.

As the third quarter came to a close with the Spurs looking to add to a healthy lead against the New York Knicks, Ginobili attempted a pass to Aldridge under the basket. But Ginobili ended up putting a bit too much heat on the ball and rocketed it straight through the basket for a 3-pointer.

But for a moment, no one noticed.

Knicks forward Michael Beasley picked up the loose ball, playing it as a rebound, and brought the ball up the court as Ginobili pleaded his case to the officials while getting set on defense. Eventually, the referees convened and awarded Ginobili the basket.

"I went crazy because once you make a shot like that you want it to count," Ginobili said after the game. "So yeah, it was very awkward, but common sense, I guess. The refs reviewed it and we got it."

He wasn't the only one confused. The Spurs' stoic head coach, Gregg Popovich, one of the brightest basketball minds alive, even acknowledged being a bit caught up in the moment and not realizing a basket had been made.

"I did not, in all honestly. I did not," Popovich said. "Then everybody started grabbing me and saying the ball went in. I said, 'Yeah, the ball went in!' I acted like I knew what was going on."

Ginobili would finish with 12 points on the night as the Spurs beat the Knicks, 100-91. San Antonio goes on the road again Wednesday night to play the 76ers in Philadelphia.

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