The Warriors’ faithful gave Kobe Bryant a standing ovation as the five-time champion exited a game for the final time at Oracle Arena. Minutes earlier, Bryant acquiesced to the crowd’s demand for one last run as chants of “Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!” cascaded down from the rafters. Re-entering in the final minutes of the fourth quarter was probably Bryant’s best move of the game, one in which he scored 8 points on 4-15 shooting. After the final buzzer sounded, Kobe had a few encouraging words for Warriors Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, who are now in the position he once held: reigning NBA champions and sitting atop the basketball world. Golden State, propelled by a small ball-fueled third quarter run, improved to 37-3 on the season.
1) Golden State didn’t play particularly well. In struggling to a three-point lead at the end of the first half against a team that’s 23 games below .500, the Warriors, paradoxically, looked both slow and rushed. Their cuts to the rim weren’t as crisp as earlier in the season, passes were a half-second late, and the defense allowed LA to muscle their way to 16 offensive rebounds. And as if trying to make up for lackadaisical play, the Warriors kept hunting for home run outlet lobs and pinpoint passes that had little margin for error. They would’ve likely had more success had they trusted their number one ranked offense to find a good shot against the Lakers’ second-worst defense instead of attempting hasty plays in transition.
2) But I’m fine with all that. The Dubs are in a brutal stretch of their schedule. They just completed five games in seven nights against mostly middling teams that don’t require perfect execution to defeat. It’s only human nature that the Dubs would lack some of the fervor and focus with which they attacked the season’s first 24 games. The Warriors next five outings come against playoff contending teams (culminating with the showdown against San Antonio on January 25). I’d be much more worried if they continued to play this sloppy and listless during that stretch.
3) The Kobe Bryant Farewell Tour is a strange exhibition to watch. When he’s in the game, his teammates just stand around with nothing to do, waiting for him to take a contested jumper. They’re like my dad at the mall, unsure of what to do and where to put their hands. Then as soon as Kobe’s on the bench, those guys start running around and actually execute a real offense for a few minutes, as if the sun has finally come out after an interminable storm and everyone can now play basketball unencumbered.
4) Without Kobe on the floor, the Lakers are your standard run-of-the-mill bad team, getting outscored by 4.9 points per 100 possession (per basketball-reference.com)
5) Leandro Barbosa and Shaun Livingston were excellent off the bench, especially early when their combined 15 first-half points helped to keep the Lakers at bay. The two finished for a combined 32 points on 11-15 shooting. The bench as a whole finally had an extended run of good play, contributing 58 total points.
6) Which is more unlikely, that Steph would hit 8 threes on 16 attempts, or that his only other field goal would come via a dunk in transition? For those counting, it’s his second slam of the season. Kobe has four.
7) I liked the way the Oracle crowd acknowledged Kobe’s career achievements. They didn’t cheer for him with the passion and intensity that they would for a former player making a return home. Instead, I thought the standing ovation and “Kobe!” chants were more from a feeling of appreciation and respect.
8) On the telecast, Reggie Miller asked, “What is Nick Young’s hair?” after we got a glimpse at his new look. My thought was that it’s a player shooting 37% on the season and who just got a DNP trying for one last attention grab.
9) On a 3-on-2 break, Steph stopped for a 33-foot 3-pointer and neither Reggie Miller nor Kevin Harlan mentioned it being a bad shot. Part of me thinks it was a bad shot in that situation, but with Steph, I don’t know anymore. His otherworldly play makes me wonder whether its possible for him to take a bad shot. Maybe they’re all good shots … even when they’re bad.
10) This is how Steph changes our definition of “good shots.” By practicing those bad attempts into good ones.