Manny Harris Notches 19-Point Game for LA Lakers After Being Notified of Release

It wasn't exactly John Elway or David Robinson, but in his own little way, Manny Harris went out on top Tuesday night.

Before his team took on the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers' wing was informed that he'd be playing his last game with the team this season:



Harris responded with his best game of the season, scoring 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds. It was the first time Harris had hit 19 since April of 2012:



In a year packed with bad breaks, injuries and disappointment, Harris was a bright spot for the Lakers. He appeared in nine games and averaged 8.1 points and 3.8 rebounds.

Since league rules don't allow a team to sign a player to a third 10-day contract, and L.A. is looking to reduce its payroll, extending Harris for the remainder of the season simply wasn't in the cards. 

With that being the case, Harris' big night was certainly bittersweet. For now, his time with the Lakers is over, but he definitely left an impression:



Even more impressive yet, Harris not only addressed the media after the game, but also took the high road via his Instagram account:



313manny5resh: I would like to thank the lakers for giving me a opportunity to be back at the Highest Level! Didn't end like I wanted but I understand it's how the game go! #GreatOrganization #GreatFans #GrindDontStop #OnToTheNext

It may have been just enough to put him on some other team's radar. So while Harris may have gone out on top, he might not be gone for long.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of Sports-Reference and NBA.com.

Andy Bailey covers the NBA for Bleacher Report.

Follow @AndrewDBailey

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