Here is what you need to know before the Lakers take on the Golden State
Warriors.
1) Everyone is here for the Mamba A career defined by accolade after
accolade will be celebrated by doubling up on one of the greatest honors an
athlete can received.
At halftime of this game, Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys will be
unveiled in the STAPLES Center rafters, retired for the rest of franchise
history.
Kobe himself will, of course, be in attendance, as his former team faces a
poetic opponent.
Not only did Kobe score more points against the Golden State Warriors than any
other team in his career, he also provided one of his signature moments against
the core members of the NBA’s current juggernaut.
Back on April 12, 2013, Kobe was locked in a shootout with Stephen Curry and
Klay Thompson. With 32 points to his total, Bryant tried to drive to the hoop,
but incidentally tore his Achilles tendon.
In true Black Mamba fashion, he did not immediately exit the game; instead
hitting two free throws right after the most devastating injury of his career.
THIS DAY IN KOBE HISTORY: April 12 2013: It was the night that Kobe Bryant
literally gave the Lakers all he had to give. The superstar scored 34 points to
lead Los Angeles’ victory over Golden State, but it cost him the remainder of
the season, as he tore his Achilles tendon with three minutes left. In true
Black Mamba fashion, he wouldn’t leave the game until after he hit two free
throws that resulted from the play that caused his injury. More #TDIKH on
Lakers.com
A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Apr 12, 2016 at 7:55am PDT
2) Tiny Dog is looking for another big game on a big stage The top
performances of Brandon Ingram’s young career were his most recent outing and
the last time he faced the Warriors.
Back on Nov. 29, he lit up Golden State for 32 points in an overtime loss.
Ingram took advantage of the Warriors’ switching defense by tallying the
majority of his total on plodding big men before scoring on the likes of
world-class defenders Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson in crunch time.
Since then, he has continued to pile up buckets at the rim, but has also become
more of a playmaker for others. He had 26 points (10-of-15) and six assists in
Thursday’s loss to Cleveland, and those passing numbers are trending upward.
He has at least five assists in seven of his last 11 games, and his 3-point
stroke is looking solid too, having hit five of his last 10 from deep.
Brandon Ingram scored a team-high 26 points to go along with 6 helpers and 6
boards tonight. pic.twitter.com/VaUxemr0uq
3) The Warriors are KD’s squad right now The Lakers are aiming to take
advantage of a Golden State team missing perennial all-stars Stephen Curry and
Draymond Green.
However, Golden State is still stocked with talent, including Kevin Durant, who
has provided MVP-caliber play in Curry’s four-game absence.
During this stretch, he has averaged a league-high 33.8 points per game, while
also pitching in 10.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 3.0 3-pointers.
Meanwhile, Klay Thompson continues to prove himself one of the greatest shooters
in league history by ranking third in the NBA in made triples (3.5) and fourth
in 3-point percentage (47.2).
And though it’s a small sample size, the Warriors have gone 4-0 with Curry
injured. They have slowed down the pace to about league average during this
stretch, and have dialed back their 3-point attempts significantly.
The results have been unassailable, as they rank first in defensive field goal
percentage (40.7) and first on the offensive side (52.6) in this span.
Injury Report Lakers: None. Warriors: Stephen Curry (sprained right ankle),
Draymond Green (right shoulder soreness) and Shaun Livingston are out. Zaza
Pachulia (left shoulder soreness) is doubtful. Nick Young (concussion) is
probable.
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. PT TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes in L.A. NBA
TV nationally Radio: 710 ESPN and 1330 KWKW Unis: Gold Location: STAPLES Center
— Los Angeles, California
Click here to view game notes for this contest.
#Ko8e24 Day
A post shared by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Dec 18, 2017 at 12:02am PST
Player: Brandon Ingram
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