Kobe Went Full Kobe in His Final Game

Pay no attention to the shooting percentage behind the curtain, Kobe Bryant made Kanye smile and scored 60 points in the final game of his career. There was a moment, with about two minutes left in the game, when it looked like Kobe was going to have himself a nice 50 point game on an and-1 layup, but he missed the layup and made the two free throws to get to 49 points. The Lakers trailed by eight and, watching it, you were preparing yourself for the ceremonial substitution. But then Kobe sliced to the basket for 51 points and Mike Tirico started to get warmed up and almost had to remind himself “by the way it is a six point game.” Then it turned into a circus.

The Jazz kept missing and Kobe kept…not missing. With just under a minute to play he drilled a three to get the Lakers to within one at 96-95. Kobe was clearly exhausted, he wound up playing eight fewer minutes (42) than he took shots (50), and during every break in action he was panting and sucking wind on the bench. But it didn’t matter, he was getting that 60 point game, maybe even a win. He cut down the court and pulled up for another long range jumper and sank it for the lead. Nothing was making any sense anymore, Mike Tirico said “fo shizzle” for crying out loud.

The Jazz did not score in the final two and half minutes, while Kobe himself scored 13. And to put the most absurd bow on the whole night, his final ever basketball play was an assist to Jeremy Clarkson.

[ESPN]