Larry Nance Jr. starts first career game with Lakers

Meanwhile, there was another in-game video tribute to Bryant on an opponent’s scoreboard. In Atlanta, the Hawks partnered with the city’s zoo to name their Black Mamba snake “Kobe”.

He was accorded a standing ovation when he took the court for warm-ups, and again when he was introduced.

While the sellout crowd left no doubt it came to watch Kobe Bryant say goodbye to Canada, Terrence Ross took full advantage of his first start this season. We’re 3-17, so obviously it’s not working. “They’ve got a lot of work to do”, Scott said, via ESPN.com. Their rebuild can’t really begin until he’s gone. Center/forward Nerlens Noel also scored 14 points, and he added nine rebounds. Not great for a point guard.

Lakers: Bryants first game at The Palace of Auburn Hills wasnt for the Lakers. It’s been a nightly thing for him on the road lately.

“I think our fans would understand if you’re actually developing young players and there’s some growth, and maybe that’s yet to come”.

And that’s what makes tonight’s game so unusual. “Finally!”, he said with a good-natured, self-deprecating laugh.

“If I’m walking, I’m playing”, he said. “You know, he told me as a youngster, ‘I’m going to pass Michael Jordan up.’ I used to be like, ‘Shut… up”. You can’t hold on to the last play. Defensively, collectively, we’ve all got to get better.

That reason was Bryant’s swan song as an active player at The Palace. I’m honored just to have the opportunity to compete against him.

Carroll signed a four year $60 million deal with the Raptors this offseason and he has played the defense that they expected so far this season but they were hoping for him to be a big part of the offense and that hasn’t happened.

Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey wasn’t happy with his team’s defensive effort on Monday night – even if it did result in a victory.

Kobe Bryant played his final game at the Palace of Auburn Hills and one thing remains significant regarding his legacy and the place the Detroit Pistons call home.

Bryant’s offensive outburst that night – January 22, 2006 – was the second-most of any player in National Basketball Association history. They cheered every moment between when Bryant caught the ball and when he shot it. They chanted “MVP” when he was at the free throw line and “We Want Kobe” when he was on the bench. “Too early (for the chants, though)”. “I’m upset that I gave Richard Hamilton something to brag about”. If there’s good news, it’s that this team is not getting any better, which means that protected top-three pick is very well in play.

He has struggled immensely with injuries the past couple of seasons – he said Monday night that he constantly deals with the after-effects of three surgeries, including one to fix a ruptured Achilles tendon – and his 29.6 shooting percentage is the worst of his career. “Control what you can control, and you’ve got to let everything else go”.