Posted on 04/14/2016 6:14:45 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant went out with a Hollywood ending to his remarkable career.
Bryant scored 60 points in his final game Wednesday night, wrapping up 20 years in the NBA with an unbelievable offensive showcase in the Los Angeles Lakers' 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz.
He scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, posting his first 50-point game since February 2009 and rallying the Lakers from a 15-point deficit to win the final game of the worst season in franchise history.
The entire night was a tribute to Bryant, who is retiring after 20 seasons, five championship rings and 18 All-Star selections with the Lakers, who honored him before and after the game. Bryant is just the fifth player in NBA history to play 20 seasons, and the first with just one team.
"It's hard to believe it happened this way," Bryant said. "I'm still shocked about it."
With the entire Staples Center crowd standing, Bryant drained a 3-pointer with 59 seconds left. He hit another with 31 seconds to play, putting the Lakers ahead 97-96. He finished with an assist before checking out for good with 4.1 seconds left in just the Lakers' 17th win.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
RE: If he can still play like that why is he retiring????
1. Injury prone. He did not play a lot this season.
2. This game is a non factor where both teams ( Kobe’s team and the Utah Jazz ) were both NOT in the playoffs. Utah also did not play their best players and the game was quite loose ( not very tight defense ).
I’d say this was more like playground basketball.
He took fifty, that's 5-0, shots. Made 6 3 pointers while shooting 21 of them.
So yeah, pretty much another day at the office for him.
The Rockets will sweep Golden State in the First Round AND Donald will QUIT whining about the primary process, you heard it here, First.
WHAT?! You mean "Professional Basketball" is as fake as the WWE?! I'm shocked ..... SHOCKED I tell you!
This is news? While Kalifornia sinks into the abyss of Socialism! Another day in the collapse of Reality!!
Thanks for posting that, I fell asleep long before the game finished. I don’t think they’re that upset at being the 8 sees, and a four and out exit against the Warriors. Instead, they do no worse than get the #14 in the draft.
NBA equivalent of a participation trophy. And don't make me laugh when there's discussions about the "integrity of the game."
RE: This is news?
I posted this in the General/Chat forum under sports.
did you see the game? Wondering if the opposition gave him some slack so he could go out in glory.
I had to work at hotel, If I hadn’t would have found it to watch if not at hotel, at sports bar that covers everything with their 50 or so TVs
He has had some personal issues over the years and not all players liked him but he has been adored by people around the world for his skill at the game and charm off the floor.
73 and 9......oops, wrong thread.
LOL
Ah yes the incident in Colorado.
At first he denied the whole thing, then changed his story due to “evidence” shall we say, which the girl had from him.
Well in sports some athletes want to go out on top, go out while they can still perform at a high level.
I can think of some players, such as Willie Mays in his last couple of seasons, who were a shadow of their former greatness.
It helps when the opposing coach has his three best players sit on the bench as a courtesy.
...
That’s what I figured. But if the game meant nothing to either team I can’t blame them for making it the Kobe show.
If his incident in Colorado had happened in today’s media circus, he would never have had the career he had.
Because he can’t. At least not more than twice a year, with help from an opponent that took the night off.
In 1918 Ruth and Walker had 11 home runs. The next highest was 8. In 1919 Ruth had 29 home runs and the next highest was 12 with another five with 10 each. In 1920 Ruth had 54 home runs with the next highest being 19, and another eleven having 11 or more. Ruth transformed baseball, just as Curry is doing with basketball. THIS is the real story.
The NBA needs to create a yearly award named after Kobe. Ball hog of the year
He scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, posting his first 50-point game since February 2009 and rallying the Lakers from a 15-point deficit to win the final game of the worst season in franchise history. [17 w, 65 l, and it sez here, 56 games back]
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