Karl Towns helps Minnesota Timberwolves tip Los Angeles Lakers in OT

“He’s at a very good place in his life and his career”. In contrast, the Lakers were +3 or better with Bryant, Larry Nance Jr. and Roy Hibbert on the court, meaning the starters did their job. Bryant announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season. These two has had a disastrous relationship stemming from their one season playing together, but would they finally mend fences in Kobe’s last National Basketball Association season?

Kobe Bryant, left, talks with teammates on the bench during the second half the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

Before the game, the Wolves played a video tribute to Bryant that lasted roughly a minute, after which the Target Center crowd ― which featured just as much Lakers apparel as Timberwolves gear, if not more ― rose for a standing ovation as Bryant raised his arms in appreciation.

“It’s been insane, man. It’s been different, being on the road and experiencing [that]”, Bryant said in Houston at his postgame press conference.

“He’s just one of those great global ambassadors of the NBA”, Silver said.

Inexplicably, Bryant actually looked better on the second night of back-to-back sets this trip, of which there were three.

WHAT’S NEXT – The Lakers eight-game nightmare has come to an end. He has been acting deferential on offense and his 45.5 percent shooting will be a career-low if it doesn’t improve.

Bryant and Garnett watched from the bench as the young core for both teams went back and forth during the final minutes. He wanted a chance to win.

“Eventually, it’s going to be like this anyway”, Coach Byron Scott said of Bryant being benched late in the game.

I know that all things on the emotional and respect levels tell us that it should just be an automatic yes, but if we do that, we aren’t giving much homage to the All-Star system that is supposed to highlight the up-and-coming stars.

But at a certain point, Scott needs to understand what Bryant does, that the future of the Lakers organization is with these young players, and they need time to find their stride on the court.

He scored 17 of those points in the fourth quarter, helping the Wolves erase a five-point deficit with under 10 minutes to play.

The Lakers came into the Toyota center Saturday night and it was one of the few times that Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant have shared the same floor since the awkward ending between the two. Andrew Wiggins turnaround-jumper from the left elbow at the horn missed.

The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Minnesota, which wrapped up a four-game homestand with a 1-3 record.

In Tuesday’s 110-105 loss in Brooklyn, Harden finished with a season-low 10 points, going 2 of 9 from the field and 1 of 5 from 3-point range.

Rookie of the Year candidate Karl-Anthony Towns finished the game with a strong performance again by recording 26 points and 14 rebounds.

Rookie D’Angelo Russell scored a season-high 23 points and Julius Randle had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers (3-19) in what was likely Bryant’s last game in Minnesota.