National Basketball Association scores: Kobe Bryant scores 31 as Lakers top Will Barton, Nuggets

Oklahoma City picked up its second win in three days inside of the Staples Center as the Thunder beat the Lakers 120-85 to improve to 20-9 on the year.

The 37-year-old American guard, a five-time National Basketball Association champion and gold medal victor at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, announced last month this would be his final National Basketball Association campaign after a historic career.

Durant was asked about the shoe exchange and told reporters, “Yeah, don’t tell nobody though, man. I don’t want to be looked at as a softie”.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers outscored the Denver Nuggets 32-16 in the third quarter, taking a 3-point lead going into the fourth period of play.

The Lakers’ star, who has had so many struggles this season, reached back in time and led the Lakers to their fifth victory of the season, 111-107 over the Nuggets with a game-high 31 points.

Kobe’s recent stretch is a stark contrast from the guy who was playing and moving as if he was already retired in the first 17 games of the season. Gary Harris got the start at the shooting guard position for Mike Malone’s team, scoring 21 points on 9-15 shooting, but was -8 on Tuesday. Bryant has talked about his legs feeling fine and his body feeling fine. “I think this is an important first step to clean up the sport”, said the Los Angeles Lakers legend, referring to the anti-corruption actions taken against many of Fifa’s highest officials. I feel like I can read everything. “They didn’t play well at all and really just got embarrassed by the way we played tonight”. I’m sure if these were Elite Lows they would sell out nearly instantly.

The Lakers may have kept Steven Adams in check but the same couldn’t be said for his Oklahoma City team-mates as the Thunder powered to another big win over Los Angeles in the National Basketball Association.

Kobe Bryant, reflecting on the nature of scandal in sport, believes Federation Internationale de Football Association needs to clean its house after damaging “the emotional Shangri-La you get from sport”. “I just rested completely”. But suddenly, maybe with conditioning finally kicking in and his legs no longer pulling him down, it looks like he’s not just having fun, but actually playing well.

Bryant also had five assists and played stellar defense to help bottle up the hot-shooting Will Barton, who had 23 points in the first half only to finish with 25.

And while coach Byron Scott said his star’s shoulder was still “a little sore”, it hardly showed. Andre Roberson had his best game as a pro, recording 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four blocks.

“That third quarter, they just blitzed us, man. They got ahead with their athleticism and their speed and their length, and we we couldn’t get the game under control”, Bryant said, according to the Associated Press.