Why didn’t Trevor foul?

Trevor Ariza said after the game that he expected Andre Iguodala to drive to the basket on the final play, not pull up for a 3-pointer.

“I didn’t expect it,” Ariza said. “I thought he was going to try to go to the rim. I could have fouled him on the way up, but I didn’t expect him to pull up. He hit a tough shot. He’s a good player and that’s what good player do, they hit tough shots.”

Lakers coach Phil Jackson seemed nonplussed that Ariza didn’t foul before Iguodala got the shot up. So did center Pau Gasol.

“We shouldn’t have gotten to that point anyways,” Gasol said. “That’s the learning part of it, and also hopefully the fact that when there’s six seconds left and we have a foul to give, we can’t take that kind of a chance and let that guy take a three and win the game. At least put him on the line and make him earn it.”

Kobe Bryant said he was OK with Ariza’s defense on the play.

“In hindsight we should have taken the foul,” Bryant said. “Trevor play him and played him well. He was 0 for 6 on threes but he made the big one at the end….

“Trevor contested it, hats off to him. He’s an extremely talented player and I obviously think the world of him. We spent a great deal of time talking in the summer and I was happy with the way he played.”