He entered the game with the highest scoring average at the Garden of any active player at 30.7 points per game in 15 games. “And that’s the first time that he hinted to me that this might be his previous year”.
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Kobe staying healthy enough to play in all 82 games would arguably be one of the most surprising outcomes of the year, but would definitely be a great way to give him an opportunity to enjoy what could be his last hurrah as a professional athlete.
He’s done it as well as anybody. They were there to see Bryant, and in that sense, he did not disappoint. Both players are still trying to find their form after missing much of last season with injuries, although at 37 years old the question remains just how much Bryant has left.
Bryant has been struggling in his first five games of the season. “If this is the last time, I’m fine with that”, Bryant said. But even if it is, he doesn’t want one of those farewell tours where teams he’s spent two decades battling honor him.
The surprise of today’s game was certainly the play of the much maligned point guard Jose Calderon.
“To be able to come here and have the performances that I’ve had here in this building, I feel extremely, extremely fortunate”, Bryant said.
All of which led Bryant to outline what he hopes all those cheering fans remember about him even if he failed to do so Sunday.
In what might have been the final appearance of Kobe Bryant at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks defeated Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers for their first home victory of the season, 99-95.
Also coming off the bench that day for Los Angeles were two guards, Byron Scott and Derek Fisher.
NEW YORK (AP) – It’s off to Florida now for Kobe Bryant, for two more games that will potentially be his last in those cities.
MILE HIGH FOR TY: The Nuggets finally moved on from Ty Lawson and his troubles when they traded him to Houston over the summer, and he returns to Denver on Friday with a Rockets team that seems to be getting used to having him in the backcourt with James Harden.
Lakers’ Kobe Bryant looks over his shoulder as he is guarded by Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony in the first half at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Bryant was injured toward the end of the season. “It’s just me trusting those guys out there and believing in those guys and letting them know I’m relying on them”. “I told him that we have to talk about this”, Scott said.
You are probably wondering why I am talking about the Knicks a lot instead of the Lakers. James took a knee to the leg Friday and said he would get round-the-clock treatment so he could play against the Pacers.
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“Just thought it was going to take him a few time [to develop]”. “I’ve always been in the camp that this will be it for Kobe – if he’s not going to chase a ring with another team, why would he put himself through all this physically to be part of a multi-year rebuilding process he will not be on the court to see the rewards from?”
