Kobe Bryant praises ‘recovering’ Lamar Odom

Lakers guard Lou Williams missed a potential game-winning shot just before the final horn, allowing the Timberwolves to prevail.

The Minnesota Timberwolves said hello to their 27th NBA season and in a very public way bade their first real goodbye to coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders with Wednesday’s stirring 112-111 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

“It was probably the most hard cut that I’ve ever had to make”, Scott said, as reported by ESPN. Both wore warmup shirts honoring the coach. The gray shirts have “WE” written in big, block letters, with “FLIP” written over the heart.

Bryant finished with 24 points but needed 24 shots to get there as the Lakers blew a 16-point lead. This is not who we are. “(We’re) working together as a family and doing a great job of keeping his vision alive.

“It’s either we get it or I just keep getting the turnovers”. Lakers C Roy Hibbert hit all 10 of his free throws…. He was everything for us and I think he really helped us today. His eventual return won’t alter the rotation much, but it’s important the team has its depth healthy for the grueling season after last year’s injury-riddled campaign.

Bryant participated in most of the Lakers’ practice Monday at their training complex. Rookie D’Angelo Russell along with sophomores Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle will look to be the foundation the Lakers can build around.

“Don’t start that”, Bryant said, per Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports.

Ricky Rubio and Martin carried the Timberwolves with 28 and 23 points, respectively.

After a glittering career spanning three decades, the final curtain is slowly coming down on Bryant – but few are expecting a Hollywood ending for the Lakers superstar. “It’s a routine play for me”. The Lakers have never missed the playoffs three consecutive years, but it could easily happen in the rough-and-tumble Western Conference. Only four other players in National Basketball Association history have played 20 seasons: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Garnett, Robert Parish and Kevin Willis.

Russell’s woes have been so horrific that Coach Byron Scott has not committed to starting the rookie out of Ohio State in this opening night game.

The basketballer was one of the many left fearing for his friend’s life when he was found unconscious in a Navada brothel earlier this month.