The Kobe Bryant retirement tour is about to make its fourth stop, and the fading superstar has had mixed results in the first three.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly setting its sights on Oklahoma City superstar Kevin Durant when his contract expires next summer.
In the penultimate third-period of play, Bryant would knock down back to back three’s as the Lakers would find a renewed vigor in the frame, outscoring Atlanta 30-20 to enter the fourth with a significantly smaller deficit, 72-66. Hawks C Tiago Splitter (hip) missed his seventh straight game…. Julius Randle had eight points on 3-of-12 shooting and five rebounds, well short of the double-double efforts Lakers coach Byron Scott expects him to average.
The circus was showing in a less-enthused arena, and the Lakers (3-16) acted like it. By halftime, their discombobulated offense had mustered all of 36 points, otherwise known as a typical quarter for Golden State.
Lou Williams returned to his hometown and led the Lakers with 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting. “Teach him all that you taught me about finding who I was off the court”, said Abdul-Jabbar. “It was a cool moment“, Wade said. “It was probably the weirdest game I’ve ever coached”.
That did not happen often against Atlanta.
Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding reported Bryant made the decision because he doesn’t want to “detract from [games]”. “Equinox pick-up games, dude”.
Of course, Bryant’s scoring struggles did not dissuade the continuous fan support surrounding his final National Basketball Association season.
The Atlanta Hawks looked dominant for a portion of the game, wretched for a spell and, generally, better than the Los Angeles Lakers on the night of Kobe Bryant’s swan song at Philips Arena. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is a recent example.
Bryant, who won gold with the U.S. team in 2008 and 2012, told ESPN Radio: “I would love nothing more than to be in an worldwide environment and be around some of the other great athletes one more time”. “That’s more special than any gift”.
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In a balanced offensive outing for the home-standing Hawks, Paul Millsap (15 points), Jeff Teague (13 points) and reserves Kent Bazemore (15 points) and Mike Scott (14 points) all contributed heavily in Atlanta’s win. They’ll have to top Zoo Atlanta tonight, though naming a real life black mamba after Kobe Bryant is pretty awesome.
