The Lakers needed a win. They lost three games in a row. And last night’s game against Toronto was a difficult place to start.

But the Lakers found an incredible assist for its win. And it was help from a person that wasn’t even on court. Kobe Bryant’s team defeated the Toronto Raptors of Andrea Bargnani with the decisive help of Lapo Elkann, says Corriere della Sera.

The Agnelli family and Fiat heir “helped” the Lakers during the final moments of the game by anticipating the Raptors playmaker Josè Calderon on a ball that was going out of bounds. With 1:48 mins left, Elkann, who was sitting in first row, prevented Calderon from keeping the ball in play, and ultimately received a standing ovation by Lakers fans. Obviously Calderon disagreed. At the end of the match the Italian Bargnani said: “It was a crucial moment, we were trailing by two points. What was he trying to do?”

Elkann, apologized to Calderon during the match saying: “I saw the ball going out and I hit it. I’m not an expert on basketball”. The game, won 109-107 by the Lakers, was decided by a Kobe Bryant shot at the buzzer. We’ll see if in the next Nba Draft the LA Lakers will pick Lapo Elkann to once again defeat the Toronto Raptors. The Staples Centre has found a new hero.