Let’s Chill About Kobe Bryant, All Right?

Kobe Bryant did not play for Los Angeles because of a sore right shoulder, and the Lakers started seldom-used rookie Anthony Brown in his place.

Kobe Bryant said playing on the US Olympic team in Rio would make a “beautiful” ending to …

The Thunder had seven players finish with double-digit scoring efforts in the blowout.

The Lakers came no closer than 25 points in the second half and Westbrook and Durant spent the entire fourth quarter on the bench.

The Thunder’s ball movement was so good, it looked like the Lakers were stuck watching poetry in motion. This season can’t be saved but trading Nick Young for a player that can help the Lakers turn it around in the next few seasons should be more than enough reason to make a trade happen. It also marks the first of many positive impressions the Lakers hope they can leave on Durant, who will surely represent the Lakers’ primary target in free agency this offseason.

Simmons is starring as a freshman for Louisiana State University this season and despite the team’s patchy form, the 208cm tall 19-year-old – who plays every position from point guard to centre – has put up big numbers that confirm him as the likely No. 1 draft pick.

“The Lakers’ record is irrelevant at this point”, said Bob Corb, president of Realize Excellence Consulting and former sports psychology program director at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Bryant was held out of the game, which turned into just the sixth 40-point loss in franchise history, due to soreness in his right shoulder. “Obviously the game got out of hand real early, and I just thought (the Thunder) were just in attack mode from the starting buzzer to the end”. “Then he’ll start to think about everything”, Scott said.

It is a fine line between the appreciation and over-reaction, but I think it is fair to say some of this is overblown. A team full of great talent of yesteryear, but in today’s league, they are not playing to the level they once did, or need to be playing.

But by now they should know better than anybody that the tempo going on is the wrong kind of consistency – and it won’t get you very far.

He dunked Thursday for the first time since January and the home crowd went bonkers. The Thunder won for the fifth straight time against the Lakers.

“I definitely plan on helping the game spread and helping kids all around the world understand all that surrounds the game and its potential”, Bryant said.