Grieving Lakers return to practice
Team’s first game since Bryant’s death is Friday vs. Portland
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers ended practice with a few somber, almost plaintive laughs. As they left the court, they all passed under the oversized 8 and 24 outlined in white on the black wall above the door to their locker room.
Anthony Davis and several other Lakers paused and looked up at Kobe Bryant’s two retired numbers for a moment before they moved forward.
The Lakers are still grieving and mourning Bryant’s death Sunday in a helicopter crash along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others. Los Angeles’ players and coaches returned to work Wednesday at their training complex with a determination to keep Bryant and the victims in their thoughts while getting on with the business of basketball and life.
“We want to represent what Kobe was about, more than anything,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We’ve always wanted to make him proud, and that’s not going to be any different now.”
Vogel, who joined the Lakers eight months ago, was the only person to speak to the media after the workout. The loss apparently was still too raw for the players, including superstars LeBron James and Davis, who played in the Olympics with Bryant.
Although Bryant retired in 2016, he is still enormously important to his franchise and his sport. Ever since the Lakers drafted the 17-year-old guard from suburban Philadelphia in 1996, Bryant had been a face of this franchise and a basketball-mad city while he became a five-time NBA champion and his team’s career leader in points and games played.
The current Lakers are still grappling with the loss while they prepare for their next game Friday night at Staples Center against Portland.
In Indianapolis, Victor Oladipo’s only 3-pointer tied the score with 10 seconds left in regulation, and Malcolm Brogdon scored seven of his 15 points in overtime, helping Indiana rally for a victory over Chicago.
Oladipo had nine points in his first game back since suffering a season-ending knee injury last January. T.J. Warren had 25 points to lead the Pacers.
In New York, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 28 points in his first game with his new jersey number, Kyrie Irving returned to the lineup to score 20 and Brooklyn beat Detroit.
Irving didn’t play Sunday at New York after learning of Kobe Bryant’s death. Dinwiddie changed his number from No. 8, one of the numbers Bryant wore, to No. 26.
In New York, Dillon Brooks scored 27 points, Ja Morant had 18 points and 10 assists, and Memphis cruised to its fourth straight victory, beating New York.
Tempers flared with 48 seconds left in regulation when Knicks guard Elfrid Payton knocked Memphis’ Jae Crowder into the first row. Crowder and New York’s Marcus Morris Sr. were ejected.
In San Antonio, DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 38 points and the Spurs held on for a victory over Utah, snapping a three-game losing streak.