Bryant inspires Lakers in rout
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Kobe Bryant would've been proud.
A day after Bryant would have turned 42 and nearly seven months after he and his 13-year-old daughter died in a helicopter crash, the Lakers found numerous ways to honor the fallen icon and Gianna.
First was their 135-115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday in Game 4 of their first-round NBA playoff series.
The Lakers wore the “Black Mamba” City Edition jerseys that included a heart with the No. 2, the number that Gianna once wore.
They sported the Kobe V Protro 5x Champ Nike shoes. And most importantly, the Lakers mimicked Bryant's competitiveness and skill to extend their series lead to 3-1 with a chance to close out the series in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Mamba Mentality indeed.
“Everyone has their own definition about it or their own mantra about it, but you don't see any benefits if you don't work,” Lakers star Lebron James said. “To be able to continue his legacy is something that hits home for me. It's easy for me because I've put in the work. If you want to see results, you got to work at it.”
So before the Lakers took the court, they did not just discuss their scouting report.
They also asked how would Bryant compete under these circumstances. They had visual reminders that gave them an answer.
The Lakers' scoreboard read “Live a Legacy,” a philosophy that Bryant instilled during a 20-year NBA career that included five NBA championships and a fourth-place standing on the all-time scoring list.
Before and after the game, Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma wore a T-shirt featuring Bryant and Michael Jordan, which symbolized the ongoing respect the two had for each others' talents. Lakers guard J.R. Smith wrote a question on his left shoe (“What would Kobe do?”) and wrote the answer on his right shoe (“Shoot”). And when the Lakers huddled up together, they yelled out “1, 2, 3, Mamba!” They knew Bryant was listening.
“We've always wanted to embody what he stood for,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We all know that he would want us to keep our foot on the gas.”
James finished with 30 points on 10of-12 shooting along with 10 assists. Anthony Davis added 18 points, five rebounds and five assists before sitting out the second half with back spasms and said afterwards he “is doing fine.” And the Lakers forced Portland to commit 17 turnovers.
It did not take long for the Lakers to exert their dominance. The Lakers stormed out to a 24-8 lead with 4:58 left in the first quarter, a symbolic nod to Bryant wearing both No. 8 (1996-2006) and No. 24 (20072015).
“I was like, OK, this is a sign,” James said. “He's here in the building.”
The Lakers played a two-minute Bryant video that general manager Rob Pelinka and assistant coach Lionel Hollins put together, and with Los Angeles and Orange County declaring Aug. 24 as Kobe Bryant Day in homage to his two jersey numbers, the Lakers sought to make him proud with their on-court play.
“We just wanted to make sure that we did everything we could to get this win for him,” Davis said.
Others around the NBA have thought the same thing.
When Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul reflected on Bryant's birthday on Sunday, he first became touched with seeing a photo of former Lakers forward Pau Gasol with Bryant's surviving daughters (Natalia, Capri, Bianka). Paul's mind then wandered toward the present day and pondered, “I wonder what Bean would've been like in this bubble. Kobe was a killer.”
Those in NBA circles believe Bryant would have found new innovative training methods to compensate for the quarantined restrictions during the suspended seasons.
They sense Bryant would have adjusted just fine toward playing in empty gyms, and the think Bryant would have embraced competing in the campus bubble more than lamenting its limitations.
“He would probably love it because it's all basketball in many of the same ways some of our guys like it,” Vogel said, “It's basketball around the clock and guys are really locked in. There's not a lot of external distraction.”
There have been reminders of Bryant in the bubble.
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic made a game-winning shot against the Clippers despite playing on a sprained left ankle, just as Bryant did in the 2000 NBA Finals.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has played through a dislocated left finger, just as Bryant played through a fractured right index finger during the 2009-10 season.
And the Lakers have reminded themselves of Bryant's uncompromising worth ethic when they either grieved his passing or worked through inconcistency at the season restart.
“Kobe made it cool as hell to be a Laker for 20 years,” Vogel said. “He just had that swag about him and with this team. He embodied this organization. He's the greatest Laker of all time.”
Debates aside, it is clear which Lakers icon has motivated them lately. All they had to do was look at their jerseys, shirts and shoes for the answer.
“RIP Kobe, my brother,” Kuzma said. “I love you.”