Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby KobeMVP888 » Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:41 pm

(40-41)Image at Image(16-65)

Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 7:30 PM PDT
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Referees: Monty McCutchen, David Guthrie, Haywoode Workman

Line: Jazz -7.5


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GAME PREVIEW: JAZZ AT LAKERS

by NBA.com

(AP) - Kobe Bryant is down to one last shot, and everybody knows he's going to take it.

After two decades spent dazzling the world, Bryant will end his basketball career at home with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz. He'll walk off the court in front of his devoted fans in the building where he hung five championship banners.

He retires this week as the third-leading scorer in league history. Nobody ever got to spend 20 seasons with one NBA team before the 37-year-old Bryant, and he intends to thank Los Angeles with one last display of his transcendent talent.

"It means everything" to finish at home, Bryant said.

"I grew up a die-hard Laker fan, so it's like a dream come true for a kid to grow up and play for his favorite team, and play here for 20 years, his entire career," he added. "I've seen the city grow. I've seen the city develop, and vice versa. There's no place I'd rather end my career."

Tickets are reselling for hefty sums, and merchandise commemorating the day is moving briskly. Fans without seats will gather downtown to show love for Bryant, a globally admired athlete who both fearlessly represented and strongly resembled LA.

Flashy. Confident. Clever. Combative. Bursting with ambition.

And always entertaining.

"I've grown up in front of this crowd from the age of 17," Bryant said. "A lot of faces that I saw in the crowd in my very first game are still here. That's very special. Kids that are sitting there now, that were kids when I first came in, now come to the game with their kids. You know, that's pretty cool to see."

While Bryant's fellow Nike athletes around the globe wear shoes honoring the event they've dubbed "Mamba Day," the Lakers will attempt to send Bryant out in style against the Jazz, who could be eliminated from the playoff race shortly before tipoff.

Utah (40-41) can only claim the Western Conference's last remaining playoff spot if it wins this game and Houston loses earlier in the night to Sacramento. The Rockets enter with the same record but hold the tiebreaker over the Jazz, who lost control of their destiny by falling 101-92 to Dallas on Monday for their third loss in four games.

"We gotta go to Los Angeles and try to win a game under very different circumstances, with it being Kobe's last game, and see what happens elsewhere and hope for the best," Utah coach Quin Snyder said.

Lakers coach Byron Scott expects Bryant to play more than 37 minutes, and Kobe's teammates will be feeding the ball to him on practically every possession - admittedly not much of a change from most games during this otherwise horrific season.

With two 30-point performances this month, Bryant has proven he's still capable. He'll have every opportunity to run up the score one last time.

"I think it's going to be crazy," Scott said. "We got a chance to celebrate one of the greatest to ever play the game this season, and I think we did it the right way."

Although some things went very wrong, they turned out all right for Kobe.

Bryant said last week that every season is a failure unless it ends with a title. The 15th such failure of his career has been comically bad, yet the ineptitude of the worst team in Lakers history (16-65) actually has made it easier to enjoy his farewell tour.

"We're not playing for a championship, and I'm pretty black-and-white on where I stand with that sort of stuff," Bryant said. "I've allowed myself to take the blinders off and enjoy the fans, enjoy the crowd. Laugh a little bit more. Engage a little bit more."

Indeed, the Lakers' recent games effectively have been tribute evenings for Bryant, with opponents shaking his hand and lining up for turns to guard a player who profoundly inspired most of the current NBA.

When Bryant was asked to name his greatest basketball accomplishment Monday, he didn't cite his rings. Instead, he chose his ability to find the motivation to return from three consecutive season-ending injuries from 2013-15.

Bryant hasn't had a major health setback this season, although he sat out 16 games, constantly iced his joints, rarely practiced and hardly ever attended morning shootarounds.

He reached the finish line on his feet.

"He didn't take nights off," Scott said. "I think his competitive nature and the way he went about his business gained him a lot of respect around the world."

Scott calls Bryant's farewell tour "much-deserved and much-needed." He has even fantasized about the perfect walk-away moment for Bryant: A patented fallaway jumper in the final seconds of a tied game.

"I would love for that to be the ending of the story," Scott said.

Bryant knows he can't have an ideal finish because he isn't playing for a championship in his final game. He won't join Peyton Manning, Joe DiMaggio, Bill Russell, John Elway, Ray Bourque, David Robinson, John Wooden or the other sports icons who ended their careers at the pinnacle.

Instead, Bryant's finale is the conclusion of a 20-year competition with himself.

One last time, Kobe just wants to play.

"For me, it's coming out in front of the fans and competing hard, and playing against Utah and them not taking it easy at all," Bryant said. "To me, that is the greatest form of competition. That's the best last game to have. A very competitive one. A physical one. That's the way basketball should be."

Bryant has had dreadful performances in the Lakers' last two matchups with Utah, scoring five points in each while shooting a combined 3 of 19 from the field in blowout losses. The most recent marked the most lopsided defeat of his career and tied the worst in franchise history, 123-75 on March 28.

Rodney Hood, who went 1 for 11 in the Jazz's loss to Dallas on Monday, led Utah with 30 points in last month's meeting - all in the first half.


http://www.nba.com/games/20160413/UTALAL/gameinfo.html
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz vs. Lakers)

Postby KobeMVP888 » Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:54 pm

I'm looking so forward to tomorrow night! I'll be wearing my "Thank God for Kobe" shirt that I bought at the game when he received his MVP award in 2008, also against the Jazz.

I still don't know how to post YouTube videos, so can someone fix my link under the TWCS, ESPN2 signs.

Robert, I hope to see you before the game. Craig, perhaps you can join us, too.
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz vs. Lakers)

Postby Lakers4Life » Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:51 pm

KobeMVP888 wrote:I'm looking so forward to tomorrow night! I'll be wearing my "Thank God for Kobe" shirt that I bought at the game when he received his MVP award in 2008, also against the Jazz.

I still don't know how to post YouTube videos, so can someone fix my link under the TWCS, ESPN2 signs.

Robert, I hope to see you before the game. Craig, perhaps you can join us, too.



Kenny,

Thanks for the offer. But unfortunately my wife has me tied up tomorrow. I can't even hang out at a sports bar with my homies on the biggest night for a Laker fan since the 2010 Finals vs Boston. :pissedkobe:
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby Lakers4Life » Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:31 pm

I can't change people's post or else I would fix for you
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:15 am

Yep, this is it folks! Kobe's last game. Tough to believe how fast 20 years as blown by. I was 25 when Kobe was a rookie! Now I am approaching 45 and getting older and older as time flies. It's going to be a great night of Basketball, Kobe's game and the Warriors going for 73. I will watch both. I feel really fortunate to be able to grow up as what I call the perfect time. As a young kid I was able to witness Magic's Finals MVP in 1980 approaching 9 years old. As a teenager I was able to enjoy Showtime and have bragging rights in HighSchool 1985-1989, then as a young adult I was able to enjoy the 3Peat of Kobe and Shaq, then approaching 40 I was able to enjoy Kobe and Pau doing there thing in 2009/2010. I have witnessed every Championship in LA except 1972. I was only 1 :waaaaa: in 1972.
Last edited by 3Peatkb24 on Wed Apr 13, 2016 9:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby Nycitylaker » Wed Apr 13, 2016 6:45 am

Too special a day/night not to post. Sooooo many memorable games. Too many fights between Laker brothers and Kobe haters. Sooooo many personal stories shared on this and previous versions of this sight. I can't recall one without feeling inclomplete for leaving another one out. So I will salute the Mamba. I will be forever grateful I got to witness his career end to end. And shared it with a group of True Laker Fans, the likes of which I will NEVER come across whom are more passionate, knowledgable and dedicated. Let us lift our glasses to the greatest Laker of them all. Kobe Bean Bryant. Salud!
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz vs. Lakers)

Postby KobeMVP888 » Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:00 am

Lakers4Life wrote:my wife has me tied up tomorrow.


I think I'd stay home for that, too. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby Moos » Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:49 am

:kingclaphands:
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Wed Apr 13, 2016 11:21 am

What even makes this game more interesting is, the Jazz may have something to play for? If the Rockets lose to the Kings, a Jazz win gets them in the Playoffs as the 8th Seed. If the Rockets win then the Jazz are playing for nothing, maybe the Jazz 'mail' it in and Kobe goes for 50!! Rockets game will be over before the Lakers/Jazz.
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby NuggetsCountry » Wed Apr 13, 2016 11:44 am

What is left for me to say? To say Kobe is my own personal GOAT is redundant; you all know how I feel. Elgin in his era :geezer: ; Magic in his. But, KBB has provided me with more shock and awe during his reign! Some will say it is because I could watch him every night on League Pass. This is true. I could rarely see Elgin or Magic as they were rarely on national TV. Jordan was ALWAYS on national TV, so I saw him more, plus BSPN constantly hypes MJ due to hacks/homers like Wilbon.

I will miss seeing the results of Kobe's drive and work ethic, shown daily on the game court. These are traits that made me so successful in my work life, so peer respect is mine to share with Kobe. I will miss those unbelievable shots and clutch performances. I do not expect to see another homegrown Laker of his stature, EVER.

I salute you, Kobe, as you ride into the sunset. Kobe, I hope it is not too depressing, as some who share your early age retirement can commiserate.

I have placed a whole greatest hits section on our board for us to go back to in later years: 81; 62 in 3 quarters, etc. I view them often, although I have a lot of that on my personal DVDs and DVR.

I have shed tears for Kobe's exit for 3 years, as circumstances, conspiracies, and incompetence have surrounded Kobe's record injury recoveries and "sucking-it-up", while he strains to be a team player with a shit JV team, at best. So............jack it up Kobe. IDGAS!


KOBE FOR 50!!!



one last time................ :xclaphands: :waaaaa: :LOBtrophy: :pissedkobe: :standingO:
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby lakerevolution » Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:53 pm

Can't add much more to what's already been said - Kobe means more to us than just the rings and clutch buckets, he represents die-hard spirit and the need to separate from the mundane pack. He did everything his way and though his entire career has been filled with some of the lowest lows on and off the court, he has reached the highest of heights as well, and we salute him for it.

See ya, Kid. Enjoy life now!
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby KobeMVP888 » Wed Apr 13, 2016 4:14 pm

Another great read, brethren. Enjoy!

I'm at Lucky Strikes thinking of you guys.

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/kobe-b ... -tributes/
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby Julius Russell » Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:02 pm

Kobe putting on a mini show!!!!
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:03 pm

Pretty good pre-game stuff! I seen where Magic honored Kobe. So far both teams struggling as it is 6-6 with only 5 minutes left in the Qtr. Kobe has scored already and in Roy Hibbert's last game as a Laker as well he has 4 early Points. Jazz should mail it in, they cant get into the Playoffs because the Rockets won but we will see.
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Re: Gm 82: KOBE'S LAST GAME THREAD (Jazz at Lakers)

Postby Lakers4Life » Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:04 pm

It's an honor to share this game with my TrueFan Family!!
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