Kobe Bryant, Boston say goodbye in 112-104 Lakers victory

Meanwhile, the Celtics have won a season-high four straight after topping NY 100-91 on Sunday and have moved five games over. With winning basketball back in Boston and Kobe Bryant playing for the Lakers, the sport’s biggest rivalry was back at full strength.

The 2015-16 season will be a hell of a farewell tour for Kobe, but this has to be one of the more memorable moments. Jared Sullinger tops in rebounds with 9.4 and in steals with 1.7 per game. Turns out they can run plays rather than just isolation sets in the final minute, and at the end of regulation and overtime it was Butler stepping up and finishing, such as hitting a crucial three in the final minute of regulation to help force OT. Olynyk’s +6.6 points per game improvement from November to December is fifth best in the league (minimum 10 games each month).

Bryant already announced his plans to retire after this season – his 20th – all with the Lakers.

His favorite color is green. It’s cheekily signed from Bryant’s “friends and rivals”.

Los Angeles led 58-56 at halftime. “I’m grateful for the city of Boston and the fans and the organization”. “When it’s all said and done, I’m sure we’ll get together and kind of reminisce on old times”. The crowd was gone by then and the building was quieter than he usually experiences it, though it still echoed with the memories of 19-plus years. So I wanted to take them to a game.

The Celtics beat the Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals with a commanding Game 6 victory in Boston behind a newly constructed roster headlined by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

Kobe and the TD Garden will always be special because it re-fueled one of the great rivalries not just in the National Basketball Association, but in all of sports. It was part of the Celtics’ first of three court surfaces; the current floor was installed before this season. “I say that in the most lovely way possible”, said Bryant. “And we tried to fight back and claw back and made it a game late in the fourth but it was too late”.

“Our focus can’t be on (Kobe)”. We start with arguably the franchise’s most popular player of all time, Magic Johnson. “Ko-be. Ko-be.” About 15 minutes later, the chants could still be heard deep within the arena as Celtics head coach Brad Stevens finished his postgame press conference. “I don’t think there’s any question that all of our players respect and appreciate all that he’s accomplished as a player”. The Lakers came into last night’s bout in Boston a lowly 5-27. He generated 15 points, shooting five for 18 from the field, and 11 rebounds.

The Hornets saluted him before the game with owner Michael Jordan delivering a videotaped message. The Celtics did not see him that way though. “He’s put in 20 hard years and he’s given everything he’s got every single night”. Then when you are in that situation, especially in 2010, it’s like I don’t want to be the player years from now where the Lakers lost twice against the Celtics; I don’t want to be that guy.

“(The atmosphere in Boston) is going to be interesting.