The final night of the NBA regular season was obviously a ratings bonanza. It was (finally) the last game for the great Kobe Bryant and the 73rd win for everyone’s ‘soft spot’ team, the Golden State Warriors, who broke the seemingly impenetrable record of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for regular season wins.
Let’s be clear though, it was a good night for the West Coast – but as is often the case on the East Coast, it was merely just another night of forcing basketball down your throat like a football-sized multivitamin.
Why even reflect on the Eastern Conference? The Bulls have been an inconsistent mess since Christmas. Kristaps Porzingis’ hype seemed to fade like the thousands of ‘Linsanity’ T-Shirts in Manhattan thrift shops. Everyone is resigned to the fact that the Cavs will get swept in the Finals. Toronto… meh. Atlanta… yawn. Boston… next year (maybe). So why bother fighting it? Kobe will just have to get more column space.
Bryant’s final game seemed symbolic of the latter stages of his career. He was capable of scoring, just as long as he could shoot an infinitesimal amount. His teammates did what the Lakers’ executives and fans wanted. Feed Kobe the ball and overreact to every 17-foot jump shot he made. ‘Dab’ with your boys and jokingly hold your teammates back every time he pulled up and stroked a regular shot. Admire his leg kicking out, his overly accentuated turn around pull up when his back was to the basket, and his shuffling back on defense. The crowd chanted “Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!” Surely only the worst of humankind would be cynical when witnessing such greatness? Gulp.
It’s commonplace now to label to our favourite sports stars as Machiavellian. Recently it could be argued that Lebron James, was Machiavellian in allegedly removing David Blatt as his coach, replacing him with his puppet Tyronn Lue (who is literally puppet-sized).
Was Kobe Bryant Machiavellian in making the Lakers his team back in 2003? Absolutely. Sure he had the seemingly unwavering help of Jerry West, but Kobe wanted the Lakers for his own for the next 12 years.
Was it successful for him personally? More than! $268 million in salary more successful. Was it good for the city of Los Angeles? Definitely. How about the NBA for its (some would argue still) post-Jordan depression? Yes. Was it beneficial for the Lakers? Yes. Will it be beneficial for the Lakers from now? Hell no!
When the Lakers built their version of the ‘Big 3’ in the summer of 2012, it was really the beginning of the end of any remaining Laker/Kobe aura. Dwight Howard clashed with Bryant’s unrealistic standards for his teammates, Steve Nash was oft injured and probably should have retired after his tenure in Phoenix. So the Lakers returned on Kobe. The aging superstar. Rather than look beyond Kobe, the Lakers seemed blinded by his aura.
Kobe would continue to bring the fans, the money and the cameras for a team that really had encapsulated its city. A vacuous, sprawling mess… albeit with nice weather. But there wouldn’t be a foundation for the future of the franchise. He wouldn’t embrace the young talent and teach them the game. He wouldn’t bring the free agents. It remained a dictatorship.
According to ESPN, Staples Center sold $1.2 million in Kobe related paraphernalia on Wednesday night. I’m sure the Lakers are hoping this carries over into 2016-17… Nick Young jersey anyone? Perhaps a D’Angelo Russell phone cover for you to use when you video prank your mates?
2K Sports announced that the next edition of their famed NBA game will feature the recently retired superstar on next year’s cover. Hopefully there will be a ‘Career mode’ where the player can recreate Kobe’s career. Just think… when your partner accuses you of being selfish for playing video games, you’ll be able to blame the ‘Kobe Career Mode’.
The cult of Mamba isn’t going anywhere yet friends. And neither are the Lakers.
I can’t wait for “Mamba Out” to enter the modern lexicon too.
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