Kobe Bryant's late-game heroics not enough in loss to Spurs

SAN ANTONIO – The highlight reel played endlessly as Kobe Bryant made countless shots. The Spurs then gushed endlessly about his greatness amid a rivalry that won 10 of the last 17 NBA championships.

“He’s obviously skilled, but his professionalism and being responsible enough to do that on a nightly basis has always astounded me,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s the guy that is ready to put his foot on your throat and win at all costs every single night.”

Bryant fit that job description through 20 NBA seasons. The Spurs captured it all in a tribute video that lasted two minutes and 29 seconds. And then Bryant added more footage in real time.

The Lakers still lost, a 106-102 defeat to the San Antonio Spurs ended a short-lived two-game wiing streak. Bryant scored 25 points albeit on 9-of-28 shooting. The Lakers (11-42) also made some youthful mistakes.

Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge had an open look that gave the Spurs a 105-101 lead with 31 seconds left. No one boxed out Kawhi Leonard after Day Green missed a jumper with a 105-102 lead with eight seconds left. No one fouled the Spurs despite their ability to run out the clock until Bryant fouled Boris Diaw with 2.1 seconds left. But Diaw made one of two foul shots, while officials only granted the Lakers with .2 seconds left on the clock.

All of which overshadowed the Lakers’ double-digit efforts from Jordan Clarkson (21 points), Julius Randle (15), Lou Williams (14) and D’Angelo Russell (12). All of which prevented Bryant from performing something the Spurs often dreaded.

“Whether you were up 20 or down 10 or whatever it may be, you knew that he was someone you had to keep an eye on,” Spurs forward Tim Duncan said on the video. “You had to fear because he was going to bring it.”

But boy did Bryant bring it.

After missing his first six shots and finishing with four points on a 2-of-10 clip in the first half, Bryant scored 20 of the Lakers’ 30 third-quarter points and made three consecutive 3-pointers. After he made a coer 3-pointer that tied the game at 96-96 with 3:12 left, Bryant tued to the Spurs’ bench and shrugged at Duncan. He just shook his head.

After Aldridge missed on a 3-point play, Bryant drew a foul on Leonard and made both shots at the foul line to cut the Spurs’ lead to 105-102 with 31.3 seconds left.

All of which explained why Spurs guard Tony Parker called Bryant “the Michael Jordan of our generation.”

“You knew that every time you were going to compete against him, you had to bring it,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. “If not, he was going to make you look bad.”

Bryant did that without Duncan (right knee) and Ginobili (groin surgery), though the Lakers’ 37-year-old story did not sound too down his final game would not include them.

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“I’ve played against them for so many years,” Bryant said. “It’s like, ‘Enough already.’”

The Lakers experienced their own injuries. Roy Hibbert left early after spraining his left ankle and did not retu. Randle also sprained his left ankle after falling on a cameramen. But x-rays for both players came out negative.

But as it has been on his farewell tour, everything tued back to Bryant. He considered the Lakers’ matchups with the Spurs “more personal” than the Celtics because they met in the playoffs in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 2008 and 2013, a series the Spurs won 4-3.

“It’s been a pleasure watching you all these years,” Popovich said in the video. “Your competitiveness is inspiring. I hope that you’re as successful in your next life as you’ve been in your first one. Good luck to you, man.”

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