In 1996, Kobe skipped college and at 18 years-old was the 13th overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft. There will never be another Kobe. Player’s rarely spend an entire 20-year NBA career with one team. Kobe is a 5-time NBA champion, has made 18 All-Star appearances, is a NBA MVP, 2-time NBA Finals MVP, and two-time NBA Scoring champion among many other accolades. He will bring a lot of experience into Oklahoma for one last tangle with the third place Thunder team.
The Lakers are riding a five-game losing streak into Oklahoma City while the Thunder have lost 2 straight and are looking to change their momentum before the play-offs start. Die-hard Laker fans will have their eyes on Thunder star forward Kevin Durant, 27, during this game. Lakers faithful will be salivating over Kevin who will be an unrestricted free agent next season and a desirable but expensive replacement for Kobe. WATCH THE LIVE STREAM HERE.
Don’t look for the Thunder to take it easy on the Lakers in this game. There will be little sentimentality for the Laker great on his farewell tour. They will likely give high-fives to Kobe before the game and hugs after but between the tip-off and final whistle it will be all business. Look for the Thunder to quickly break down the young and inexperienced Laker squad. The Lakers had a lot of drama at the end of this season, but now it’s time to say goodbye to their hero with a few more losses.
What do you think HollywoodLifers? Is Kobe a GOAT, the greatest of all time? Who will you be rooting for in this game? Will Kobe go off for 81 points like he has in the past or will the Thunder beat-up on the last place Lakers?
