From the way Kobe Bryant shot and shot and shot to the way the night was basically turned into a long Nike commercial, what unfolded Wednesday at Staples Center felt incredibly contrived.
It was also spectacular.
“I can’t believe this has actually happened,†Bryant said.
Most of the night was scripted. And if the Lakers, Nike and Kobe Inc. could also have scripted the end of the game, they would have.
But they couldn’t.
Something organic had to emerge from this artificial environment. On most nights this season, the results were dreadful. On Wednesday night, they were magical.
Bryant finished with 60 points. He scored 15 of his team’s final 17 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 31.6 seconds remaining.
Everyone knew Bryant would come out gunning, but no one could have expected this.
Even the most cynical of us had to smile.
Nike gets a win
The real winner Wednesday was Nike, which used the illusion of history to pitch its products to unsuspecting fans.
The so-called “Mamba Day†gained a measure of credibility when stars of other sports sent Bryant their best on social media or in video recordings that were played at Staples Center. Well-wishers included Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Serena Williams and Richard Sherman.
At Dodger Stadium, Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig wore special Mamba-themed batting gloves. At the Oakland Coliseum, Angels outfielder Mike Trout did the same.
The gestures seemed sweet, touching even, until you realized what all of the athletes had in common: They were all sponsored by Nike.
And who designated Wednesday “Mamba Day�
You guessed it — Nike.
Milestone
Bryant’s 50 field-goal attempts were the most attempted in a regular-season game in at least the 32 years that Basketballreference.com has been keeping track. The previous high: 49 by Michael Jordan in an Chicago Bulls overtime loss to the Orlando Magic in 1993.
Jordan made 27 field goals and scored 64 points.
More greatness?
In the postgame news conference, Bryant was asked if he thought he would find something he will be as good at as basketball. I’ll go out on a limb here and say no.
Kobe Bryant met with the media after a 60-point performance in the Lakers’ 101-96 victory over the Jazz, and the final game of his career.
Metta World Peace is more optimistic, as you would expect from someone who renamed himself Metta World Peace.
“I want his legacy to be bigger than sports,†World Peace said. “I would wish that for him. It’s a big night for everyone who loves the game of basketball, but, for me, it’s more about life. Sports is a small piece of him.â€
Etc.
An observation from Bryant’s postgame news conference: Bryant’s Spanish is surprisingly good.
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When you cover sports in Los Angeles, you’re used to seeing bizarre scenes, but nothing in recent memory compared to Wednesday. This was Manny Ramirez returning from his steroid suspension times 100.
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Kobe Bryant signs the court late into the night at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2/56
Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa long after his last game at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 3/56
Kobe Bryant leaves the court for the last time as a Laker, heading to the locker room after scoring 60 points and leading the team to a 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4/56
Kobe Bryant is all smiles after his final game at Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 5/56
Kobe Bryant shares a laugh with former teammate Derek Fisher on the court after scoring 60 points in his last game as a Laker at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6/56
Kobe Bryant greets Lamar Odom after his final game at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 7/56
Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa after his final game.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 8/56
Kobe Bryant walks off the court after his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 9/56
Lakers Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of the game.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 10/56
Kobe Bryant waves to the crowd as he walks off the court for the last time at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers Kobe Bryant pauses for a moment as confetti streams down following his last game at the Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 13/56
Kobe Bryant feels the love of the fans at Staples Center following his final game.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 14/56
Lakers Kobe Bryant and A.C. Green after his final game at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 15/56
Kobe Bryant thanks the crowd after his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 16/56
Kobe Bryant waves goodbye to the crowd after his final game at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 17/56
Balloons and confetti fall after Kobe Bryant’s last game
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 18/56
A security guard stnds alone on the court after Kobe Bryant’s last game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 19/56
Los Angeles City Hall is decorated with Lakers’ purple and gold lights for Kobe Bryant’s last game.
(Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times) 20/56
Kobe Bryant is mobbed as he scores 60-points in his final NBA game at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 21/56
Kobe Bryant gets a slap from comedian George Lopez after making a three-pointer in his final game.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 22/56
Kobe Bryant watches as the ball hits the bottom of the net during his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 23/56
Kobe Bryant stretches out as he makes a basket during his final game as a Laker on April 12 at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 24/56
Kobe Bryant drives late in the final minutes of the game at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 25/56
Kanye West and Jay Z greet each other before Kobe Bryant’s final game.
(Christina House / For The Times) 26/56
Kobe Bryant drives the ball in the third quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 27/56
Kobe Bryant tries to steal the ball in his last game as a Laker at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 12.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 28/56
Kobe Bryant shakes hands with Shaquille O’Neal at his final game at Staples Center on April 13.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 29/56
The Weeknd and girlfriend Bella Hadid arrive for Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 30/56
Kobe Bryant is stripped of the ball by Jazz guard Rodney Hood during first half action at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 31/56
Kobe Bryant drives to the basket during the first half of his final NBA game.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 32/56
Lamar Odom attends Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 33/56
Lakers star Kobe Bryant, center, heads to the locker room after scoring 22 points in the first half of his final game on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 34/56
Kobe Bryant takes a shot in the first quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 35/56
Kobe Bryant blocks a shot by Trevor Booker in his final game at Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Front row fans, including Jack Nicholson cheer Kobe Bryant after he hits a shot during first half action against the Jazz at Staples Center.
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LOS ANGELES-CA-APRIL 13, 2016: Kobe thanks the crowd before his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For the Times) 38/56
Kobe Bryant is welcomed onto the court for his farewell game at Staples Center on April 13.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 39/56
Kobe Bryant acknowledges the Staples Center crowd during a pregame ceremony.
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Kobe Bryant with Magic Johnson before Kobe plays his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
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Surrounded by cameras Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson embrace before Bryant’s final game at the Staples Center Wednesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant waits for introductions before his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 13. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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T-shirts await fans who attend Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For the Times) 44/56
A young girl, sporting Kobe Bryant’s original No. 8 Lakers jersey, bounces a ball on the court before the future Hall-of-Famer’s final game.
(Christina House / For the Times) 45/56
The Lakers store at Staples Center was all about Kobe Bryant and his merchandise on the day of his final NBA game.
(Christina House / For the Times) 46/56
Fans gather outside Staples Center before Kobe Bryant’s final game in a Laker uniform.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 47/56
Rock star “Flea†rehearses the national anthem before Kobe Bryant’s last game on April 13, 2016, as players warm-up. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans gathered outside Staples Center ahead of Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Lakers.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 49/56
Lakers fans gather outside Staples Center before the final game of Kobe Bryant’s career.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 50/56
Chick Hearn Court is packed as fans descend on Staples Cener to witness Kobe Bryant play his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 51/56
Lakers fans get a Kobe chant going outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before Laker great Kobe Bryant’s final game on Wednesday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 52/56
Members of a group of Kobe Bryant fans who flew in from China, including Iris Hong of Beijing, right, get excited outside Staples Center for the player’s last game Wednesday.
(Christina House / For the Los Angeles Times) 53/56
Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center before his final game Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 54/56
Kobe Bryant fans swarm to Staples Center in Los Angeles to show their love for the Laker great at his last game Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant footwear is on display as the Laker Girls arrive for Wednesday night’s game, the basketball star’s last.
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Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before his final game Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles TImes) The area from which Bryant entered the arena was off limits to reporters who didn’t work for television-rights-holding companies, so 100 or so otherwise respectable journalists allowed themselves to be herded behind sets of portable metal railings in a corridor leading to the Lakers’ locker room.
After about half an hour, the pack of reporters started to move, reaching for camera phones and jostling for position.
Bryant?
No, it was trainer Gary Vitti, who also worked the last game of his career Wednesday.
The wait continued.
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At one point in the night, I found myself photographing other reporters photographing Bryant’s empty locker. That might have marked the low point in a journalism career that has included listening to Andrew Friedman.
Watch George Lopez, David Beckham, Jeremy Piven, Arsenio Hall and others describe their emotions at Kobe Bryant’s final game.
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Ice Cube wants to destroy the Lakers. “Give us five more years,†the rapper turned actor said to Bryant in a tribute video shown during a first-quarter timeout.
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Of the celebrities who recorded messages for Bryant, Justin Bieber was booed the loudest.
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George Lopez received a loud ovation when shown on the video scoreboard. I’m guessing the fans at Staples Center missed his most recent HBO stand-up comedy special.
Follow Dylan Hernandez on Twitter: @dylanohernandez
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