Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant scored 60 points in his final
game as the Los Angeles Lakers came from behind to beat Utah Jazz 101-96.
It was the sixth time the NBA’s third highest scorer had scored 60
points in a game, beaten only by Wilt Chamberlain.
“You can’t write something better than this,” said 37-year-old
Bryant, who made his Lakers debut in November 1996.
Basketball fans paid up to $27,500 (£19,315) to see Bryant’s final
game.
Bryant attempted 50 shots on the night, the most by anyone in an
NBA game in the last 30 seasons.
He led the Lakers as they overturned a 20-point deficit at
half-time, scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter of his 1,556th game with the
team.
Bryant finished with 33,630 career points – third on the NBA’s
all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Karl Malone
(36,928).
He checked out with 4.1 seconds left, as a sell-out crowd at the
Staples Center chanted: “Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!”
The 18-time All-Star addressed the crowd, saying: “What can I say?
Mamba out.”
Lakers legend Magic Johnson had earlier told the crowd: “He never
cheated us as fans, He has played hurt, and we have five championship banners
to show for it.”
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