When a basketball player almost poleaxed pregnant Penelope Cruz

Soon-to-be-mum Penelope Cruz had a lucky escape while watching a basketball match, when a player nearly fell on her.

The Vicky Cristina Barcelona actress attended the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Miami Dolphins in California with husband Javier Bardem, reports the Daily Star.

She avoided an injury when a Lakers player launched himself into the air reaching for the ball and smashed into a row of fans just inches from where Cruz and Bardem were sitting.