Kobe, Warriors provide unforgettable ending
Lakers' legend scores 60 points in final game to propel comeback triumph • Golden State wins record No. 73
LOS ANGELES – He didn’t walk away, he flew away, on the wings of legend, through the clouds of Hollywood, with a final act unmatched in Los Angeles sports history.
In a retirement party for the ages Wednesday night, Kobe Bryant just wouldn’t quit.
He shot. He shot some more. He kept shooting. Shots from the courtside seats, from underneath the basket, on wild drives, off crazy dribbles, back to the basket, feet in the air, hands in his face, shooting forever.
He scored. He scored some more. Swishes, rim-rattlers, layups, three-pointers, fall-aways, runners, one hand, finger rolls, scoring forever.
For nearly three hours in front of a Staples Center crowd that screamed and chanted every time he touched the ball, Kobe Bryant played the last game of his 20-year career like it was his first, leaving fans hoarse and numb while leading his Lakers to a 10196 comeback victory over the Utah Jazz.
Sixty points. Not a misprint. Fifty shots. Seriously. Twenty-three points in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers back from a 14-point deficit. Are you kidding me?
Were you watching? At any point, did you find yourself brought from amazement to chills to tears? You were not alone.
He clanked his first five shots, made his next five shots, and spent the rest of the game drawing oohs and aahs and gasps and unadulterated screams from a crowd that wanted him to keep firing.
He was putting on a show for fans who had paid thousands for their tickets, just like he’s always done, and if you were here, you know the prices were worth it. This was a legendary end to a legend. For the record, the final basket of Bryant’s career was a 20-foot jumper with 32 seconds remaining to give the Lakers the lead. He wonderfully stalked off the court with his jaw jutting like he was a kid again.
Also for the record, his last official statistic was a floor-length pass to Jordan Clarkson for a dunk. That’s probably the most amazing part of an amazing night, right? Kobe Bryant’s last stat was an assist!
He was 37 going on 27 going on 17, and when he was finally removed from the game, he clapped for the screaming crowded and gave them a weary wave. Then he completed perhaps the Kobe-iest night ever by finishing his career in a perfect full circle.
He walked to the sidelines, found former nemesis Shaquille O’Neal, and hugged him.
Then, after the game ended, he stepped back on the court and addressed the crowd with all the wonder that had just been witnessed.
“Man!” he shouted into the microphone, pausing for another roar. “I can’t believe how fast 20 years went by, this is crazy.” He finished by saying, “I love you guys.” And, then, of course, “What can I say? Mamba out!”
On the final night of his professional basketball life, it was the ride of a lifetime.
(Los Angeles Times/TNS)
Warriors 125, Grizzlies 104
History well in hand, Stephen Curry sat on the bench throughout the entire fourth quarter and surveyed the scene until the final buzzer.
There was nothing but joy all around Oracle Arena. Confetti fell as the Golden State Warriors became living legends Wednesday, finishing the regular season with the best record in NBA history at 73-9.
They broke the record for single-season wins by routing Memphis.
“Now let’ s go get this championship ,” D raymond Green told the crowd after the game.
Coach Steve Kerr played on the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team that went 72-10 with a record many believed to be unbreakable. Kerr’s new team is something special, too.
“The team held itself to a high standard throughout the season, playing with purpose every night and captivating fans around the world with its free-flowing style, spectacular shooting and flair for the dramatic,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a statement congratulating the Warriors.
With Curry gunning on a memorable night, records started falling.
The reigning MVP dazzled with a 46-point performance as he made 10 three-pointers to reach a milestone number of his own and surpass the 400 mark this season.
Curry finished with a single-season record 402 three-pointers, shattering his own previous record of 286, as he hoisted a career-high 19 attempts.
The Warriors finished their joyride of a regular season with a 39-2 record at home, and it’s at Oracle where they will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, which begin Saturday.
The next goal is for the defending champions to repeat. (San Jose Mercury News)
Rockets 116, Kings 81
James Harden capped a marvelous statistical season and Houston claimed the final playoff berth in the Western Conference by trouncing Sacramento.
Harden finished with 38 points and joined Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only players to average 29 points, six rebounds and seven assists in a season.
The Rockets (41-41) closed the season with three consecutive victories. (Reuters)