[Saba Sports News] Even though Boban Marjanovic didn’t play in the Houston Rockets’ win against the New Orleans Pelicans, he still earned the biggest applause of the night.
The game saw a moment of impasse with 3:31 left in the second quarter when Dyson Daniels of the Pelicans missed a long-range three-pointer, resulting in the ball getting lodged at the top of the backboard. Multiple attempts by officials and players to retrieve the ball were unsuccessful, even with the aid of mop handles.
This is where the towering 7-foot-4 Marjanovic came into play. His entrance onto the court was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, which escalated when Jalen Green handed him a mop handle. The play-by-play announcer excitedly urged to “Give the people what they want!” as the Toyota Center crowd stood in anticipation. Chants of “Boban” filled the air.
This wasn’t the first time Marjanovic played the role of a backboard rescuer. In 2020, he had a similar moment when Kristaps Porzingis, another tall player, couldn’t dislodge a stuck basketball. On both occasions, Marjanovic received a standing ovation and high-fives from his teammates, proving that sometimes, the most heroic figures don’t necessarily wear capes.