Kiwi Steven Adams overshadowed by fellow centre as Thunder thump Lakers again

Kobe Bryant was the main man for the Lakers with 19 points, but the 17-time All-Star, who will be retiring after this season, made only 7 of 22 field goals. Westbrook had 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder (20-9).

Kobe Bryant scored 12 points in his league-record 16th and final Christmas Day game. Oklahoma City rested their starters for most of the fourth quarter and had 8 players come off their bench, with all of them recording at least 2 points.

“It was as close to a must-win as you can have in the regular season”, said Clippers guard J.J. Redick, who had 14 points.

The Clippers may win this game but the Lakers have them beat when it comes to celebrity fans, especially with this being Kobe’s last Christmas game. Sure, he’s been doing a lot better lately, not hogging the ball as much and scoring more points as part of the offense’s flow, but this should have been a season to watch Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell grow as players and as a trio.

The 37-year-old Los Angeles Lakers veteran will bid for a third consecutive Olympic gold medal if he is selected in the US squad. “I’ve never played in a Christmas Day game”.

“Listen, you have to be realistic about what we’re facing and where we are right now as a team and as an organization”, Bryant said after Wednesday’s 120-85 loss to Oklahoma City. It probably won’t happen for the entire game but those few plays that Bryant make us say “Kobe!”

There had been questions on why Bryant was not played by Coach Byron Scott in the 4th quarter and he was quick to admit that he was having a tough time due to his injuries. The Los Angeles Clippers are averaging 102.4 points on 45.6 percent shooting and allowing 101.2 points on 43.6 percent shooting.

Derrick Favors had 17 points and 9 rebounds for the Jazz, who have lost 5 of 7. I think the most important thing and the most handsome thing is “how does your legacy impact the generation of players to come?’ If what I’ve done and what I’ve stood for these 20 years has impacted the players today and the players tomorrow in a positive way, in a way they can then carry that legacy on themselves and impact the generation to follow, that’s much more significant than where I stand in history”. “[It happens] every year with the amount of talent that we have”.

Both teams will wear new, special Christmas uniforms.

Curry was second overall with 510,202, falling behind the Los Angeles Lakers’ guard by a large amount.