Entering Tuesday's contest, the Sixers were 0-18, losers of 28 straight going back to last season when they beat the Denver Nuggets on March 25. They’re an intentional abomination, yet in Bryant’s final game in the city that helped mold him into a generational prodigy, they brought the Lakers to their knees.
In a month that's already provided some truly brutal moments, this specific game encapsulates what the Lakers’ season has become: a heartbreaking spectacle. It’s awful.
Come watch a selfish legend fire up shots with no regard for context or sense, at the detriment of his younger teammates’ development. Come see lineup combinations that lack rationale—a paralyzed offense mixed with half-hearted effort on the other end.
For Bryant, the return home began as most fairy tales end. He nailed three of his first four shots, tallying L.A.’s first nine points with deep rainbows that hinted toward a potentially magical evening. Then he got a little greedy:
Kobe has lost his mind and it's awesome pic.twitter.com/G380fQrdQY
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) December 2, 2015 Bryant went 2-of-16 over the last three quarters, finishing with 20 points in just under 32 total minutes. He went 7-of-26 from the floor and 4-of-17 from behind the three-point line. (According to SportVU, Bryant missed nine of his 10 shots that were contested.)
Lakers head coach Byron Scott thinks the team's oldest player may have gone overboard, too. Here's what he said after the game, per ESPN's Baxter Holmes:
Got to get some better shots than that, but other than that, just got to keep playing. I do trust that he’ll get to th...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
