Kobe Bryant’s Boston farewell brings Isaiah Thomas’s father to town

Bryant, making his final appearance in Charlotte, drew thunderous applause from a sellout crowd of 19,632 throughout the game.

Kemba Walker scored 18 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, and Charlotte defeated Los Angeles in Kobe Bryant’s final game against the team that drafted him – and promptly traded him – almost 20 years ago. He scored 39 points in a 127-122 win over the Sacramento Kings on November 23. With 28 starts, he’s shooting 34.3 percent from the field, 25.6 percent from beyond the arc and 78.5 percent from the line. Thomas added eight rebounds and six assists.

“You try your best not to disappoint”, he said. “(It) was one of those nights where his knee was a little sore, so I wanted to limit his minutes”. “It’s not just going to take me, it’s going to take a number of guys to fill his role”.

The Los Angeles Lakers are desperate for a win after losing 10 of their last 12 games.

As much as it may have been the place he disliked very much in the heat of his career, as he heads into the phase of retirement, he can look back on things with hindsight while still moving forward.

Jordan didn’t attend the game, but congratulated Bryant on an “unbelievable career” during a message that was played on the arena’s scoreboard before tip-off. He played 15 minutes, scored just three points and had four rebounds.

Cavaliers 101, Suns 97: Kyrie Irving sank a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with 21.9 seconds to play, and Cleveland handed Phoenix its fifth loss in a row and 16th in its past 21.

On July 11, 1996, Los Angeles acquired a kid fresh out of high school from the original Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Vlade Divac.

Sasha Vujacic remembers the heartbreak and jubilation of Kobe Bryant. “That has a little more value to it”.

Lakers coach Byron Scott said he’s never seen crowds chant for an opposing player the way they have this year for Bryant. “I love the city and a lot of my friends who aren’t in NorCal live in SoCal”, he stated. No one else in National Basketball Association or ABA history has every played 20 years with the same team. “I am (still) a big fan. I want them to be able to see that”.

The Hornets (17-13) won their second straight and further distanced themselves from a recent stretch where they lost five of six.

The Hornets only committed 10 turnovers in this one. He is averaging a career-high 24.6 points this season.

_Although the Hornets beat Memphis last Saturday, coach Steve Clifford was unhappy that his team settled for too many jump shots. “Usually he comes out at the end of the third quarter for a quick break, but we were up four and he said, ‘I’m good.’ We can’t keep doing that, but at this part of the season where you want to get a cushion… you leave him in there and let him go”.