Post by NJTank on Apr 14, 2016 6:09:00 GMT -5
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For the Love of the Game
In the 1999 film Kevin Costner plays Billy Chapel an aging pitcher in his final game tossing a Perfect Game against the New York Yankees to wrap up a 20-year career. Such endings only happen in Hollywood. Which is why Staples Center was the perfect stage for Kobe Bryant's final game on Wednesday ending a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Like Chapel's Detroit Tigers, the Lakers were far from contenders completing the worst season in franchise history at 17-65. Like Chapel, Kobe Bryant was a shell of his former greatness as father time and a series of injuries robbed him of his quickness. However, that championship mettle that helped Bryant lead the Lakers to five championship took over as he had the greatest final game in NBA history with an incredible 60 points. With game on the line Kobe was at his best scoring 24 points in the final quarter as the Lakers rallied from down 15 to beat the Utah Jazz 101-96.