Celtics prepare for Kobe Bryant’s last visit to Boston

But in the 2010 Finals, it was a rematch between the Lakers and the Celtics, this time Bryant despite struggling led his team to another championship beating Boston in seven games for the 16th title of the franchise. The Wizards know all about picking up the slack for injured players, and star John Wall has done most of the heavy lifting in the absence of Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr. and others. It’s tough to pull that off. (Former Lakers guard) Jerry (West) won’t even wear green drawers.

Bryant, set to retire after the season, said he spoke to Jordan personally before the game. It’s every little detail that you obsess over. They’ll make you pay. It’s just a different green. “I want them to be able to see it”.

The Los Angeles Lakers are desperate for a win after losing 10 of their last 12 games. The Lakers won the 2009 title over the Orlando Magic, after Kevin Garnett’s injury prevented Boston from a return trip to the Finals. That is the Celtics’ lone title in the past 29 seasons.

Barnes suspended: The NBA suspended Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes two games without pay for what the league said was a “physical altercation” with Derek Fisher and for “threatening” the New York Knicks coach in October. In their previous head-to-head meeting, Charlotte came out on top, but the win was not enough to overtake Los Angeles in the recent head-to-head series.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, and Oklahoma City rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit to beat Denver.

“Our focus can’t be on (Kobe). Hopefully, we’ll put a bunch of them together and get in a good run”. “He and I – as he said in the video – we talk pretty often”. “I thought I could muster up and play”.

With the loss, the Lakers sank deeper in the standings at 5-27.

The Hornets drafted Bryant out of high school with the 13th overall pick in 1996, but traded him to the Lakers in a deal that brought Vlade Divac to Charlotte. Today the Hornets are owned by Michael Jordan, the man who influenced Kobe both on and off the court.

“He’s still playing hard”, Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “But I don’t think there’s any question that all of our players respect and appreciate all that he’s accomplished as a player”.

It really didn’t get much better the rest of the way as Memphis held a double-digit lead from late in the second quarter through the rest of the game.

Turner explained, “I had teammates that said, ‘When you go out there don’t look at him in his eye”.

After a 2-1 week that saw the Thunder lose a heartbreaker to the Cavs, then turn around and completely blow out the Lakers, the Thunder would play the Staples Center in Los Angeles two times in three nights. The Celtics are allowing 32 percent shooting from deep and are forcing 16.6 turnovers per game.