No. 2 overall draft pick D’Angelo Russell scored 12 points on 5 for 14 shooting with four rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. Sixers coach Brett Brown was asked before the game if rookie C Jahlil Okafor, who has been involved in three off-court incidents so far this season, will now have a bodyguard with him, as has been reported. By the time Bryant’s pull-up jumper sent Bradley Beal backpedaling and gave the Lakers a 103-101 lead with 30.8 seconds remaining, the Verizon Center sounded more like Staples Center in Los Angeles. With 58 seconds left in the fourth quarter, he hit a 3-pointer to put the Lakers up by two. There’s no telling exactly how much is left in the tank for the next five months, but on Wednesday, Kobe was Kobe.
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Bryant scored 20 to lead the Lakers, who at 2-15 are the NBA’s second-worst team.
“I like Bryant because he’s the type of player who always wants to improve upon his performance”, the Ghana coach Avram Grant said during Monday’s press conference.
Bryant, who grew up in Montgomery County, appeared in his final game at the Wells Fargo Center. “It’s really just a matter of us just giving a team hope and not coming out and playing the way we should be from the start and then having an uphill climb”. It was the first win for the Sixers since March 25 at Denver.
“I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain in 2009 for the fans, for us, to meet in the Finals”, James said. Clarkson scored 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting. The move fell through when Jordan was sacked a year before Bryant entered free agency, and he made a decision to stay a Laker.
After the game the future Hall of Famer said that he wasn’t expecting that reaction or tribute but it was very emotional and he is extremely appreciative. I just gotta figure out how to solve getting stiff as the game goes on….
Bryant received a roaring ovation from the crowd during introductions. Scored 22 points on 12 first-half turnovers.
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As Bryant was taking his first steps in what would become a stellar career, James was in Akron, Ohio, doing everything he could to mimic a player with unrivaled offensive skills. Lakers G Lou Williams returned after missing the two previous games following the death of his grandfather…. Nosebleeds are going for $75 and up, compared to tickets for Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, which start at less than $10.
