| Advertisement |
WASHINGTON -- Kobe Bryant isn't ready for retirement life just yet. Bryant beat back Father Time and the Washington Wizards with a vintage performance as the Los Angeles Lakers guard scored a season-high 31 points in a 108-104 win to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Advertisement
Playing before a sellout crowd of 20,356 including a large faction of Lakers fans cheering every time he touched the ball, Bryant pushed aside season-long shooting struggles and turned back the clock.
The five-time NBA champion announced Sunday he would retire following his 20th NBA season. Washington served as the second stop on his farewell tour after Tuesday's game in Philadelphia, where his hometown fans started what looks like a season-long love fest.
"I thought everyone hated me," Bryant cracked when asked about the ravenous fan support on the road.
Hours after a brief meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama, Bryant scored 18 points in the first half and 12 in the fourth quarter for the Lakers (3-15), including the go-ahead jumper with 30.8 seconds.
"He decided to be the young Kobe tonight," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said.
For much of this season, it appeared the five-time NBA champion's shooting touch already exited stage right. Bryant entered his lone appearance in Washington shooting 30.1 percent from the field.
Displaying classic moves with pull-up and fadeaway jumpers before a crowd roaring his every move with approval, Bryant efficiently scored in the first half as Los Angeles built a 19-point lead. He still left enough energy for the fourth quarter.
"Felt good," the smiling Bryant said postgame about having surprising strength in his 37-year-old legs despite playing on back-to-back nights. He finished 10 of 24 against the Wizards including 4 of 11 on 3-pointers.
"I'm trying to stay as loose as possible. Jumping up and down, running in place and doing all those things that old guys do at the gym that you see and make fun of."
Nobody was mocking Bryant this night.
"I was a fan," Lakers rookie D'Angelo Russell said of watching Bryant's performance.
Guard John Wall had 34 points and 11 assists for the Wizards (7-9). Washington returned home after snapping a season-high four-game losing streaky Tuesday by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-85.
Bryant described the meeting with Obama as "inspirational" and said the two talked basketball and focused on "the future."
The immediate future had Bryant slaying another opponent.
After the lead switched sides eight times in the fourth quarter, Bryant drained his fourth 3-pointer for a 101-99 lead. Washington center Marcin Gortat's layup tied the game on the next possession, but Bryant put Los Angeles ahead with a long jumper, his fifth basket of the period.
Guard Jordan Clarkson scored 18 for the Lakers. Forward Julius Randle had 15 points and 19 rebounds.
Bryant sank his first two shots, including a 3-pointer. His previous jumper started a surprising 27-8 run that gave Los Angeles a 34-22 after the opening period. The Lakers extended the margin to 19 at 53-34.
Washington finally showed some urgency, closing the quarter with a 17-4 run to enter halftime down 57-51. Wall scored nine points in the third quarter as the Wizards took a brief lead before entering the fourth down 78-75.
Gortat had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who dealt with a resurgent Bryant and divided crowd loyalties on their home turf.
"People are going to come out and support him," Wizards guard Garrett Temple said of Bryant while noting the transient nature of the D.C. area. "At the end of the day, we had a letdown. ... There is no way we should be 18, (19) points to a team that has 15 losses."
Wall, who scored 35 points against Cleveland, made four straight free throws to give Washington its final lead.
Washington committed 23 turnovers, which Los Angeles turned into 33 points.
NOTES: Lakers G Kobe Bryant first played against Washington on Feb. 2, 1997, in Los Angeles. Harvey Grant played in that game for the Bullets. Grant's son, Jerami, played against Bryant on Tuesday night in the Philadelphia 76ers' 103-91 win. ... Wizards F Nene missed his third straight game with a strained left calf. F Drew Gooden, while closer to returning, remained unavailable with a calf injury. ... The Wizards and Lakers will wrap up their season series on March 27 in Los Angeles. ... Los Angeles faces the Atlanta Hawks on Friday in the third game of its eight-game road trip. Washington plays host to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
