Kobe shoots 31 to power Lakers

Apparently, Bryant knows this stuff and Durant may be wise to put it on notice.

Bryant walked onto the court and acknowledged the applause with some waves. The Atlanta Hawks, in association with the Atlanta Zoo, have named their black mamba after Bryant, as the Lakers come to Atlanta tonight for Bryant’s final appearance there. But to see the best two players in the world face up, and this would have been back to back times, sports fans would have created one of the most historic rivalries in all of sports.

The amount of respect that each team thus far has shown Bryant really goes to show just how much he has done for the sport and the way that he has changed the game. It’s ok though, because here is a break down of the 2007 and 2008 NBA Finals if the Los An Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers played.

On Sunday afternoon, Bryant finally stopped struggling. Wednesday night, Bryant snapped the Lakers seven-game losing-streak and scored a season high of 31 points, you can count on Kobe to go out with a bang. And that could very well be where all their disappointment this season is leading them to.

After the game ended, Bryant walked to midcourt to give a smile and a hug to Kyle Korver, a 13th-year veteran, in an exchange of mutual admiration.

In the two games since the announcement, it seems he’s doing just that – and he’s playing better in the process.

The decision to retire had been something Bryant was thinking about for quite some time, but ultimately made his choice to walk away after this season following some quiet reflection. For the Hawks, Jeff Teague, Al Horford and Paul Millsap combined to score 44 points, which fit the game plan and the pregame notes. And by admitting he idolizes Bryant, the former NBA Most Valuable Player may want to add this to his list of bookmarked Bryant feats.

Scott said he was in shock the rest of the game, wondering if he had heard things correctly. Jordan Clarkson finished with 13 while Julius Randle had a tough night, with eight points and five rebounds. “Even when I was watching him play [and] I was watching him running up and down, I’m going, ‘Did he just tell me [that]?'” According to Scott, Bryant also told him, “You’re the first to know”. At this point, however, it’s clear Russell has no one challenging him for minutes.

Looks like fans of the team and Kobe alike may have something to look forward to after all.