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#MambaOut: When Kobe beat Kobe

Kobe Bryant finished his career in a manner befitting the Lakers great: lots of shots, lots of points. He died in 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Roar Guru
16th April, 2016
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Thursday was a historic day. It was Kobe Bryant’s last NBA game, and after 20 years, 1566 games, 33,643 points, five NBA Championships, two x Finals MVP, one x NBA MVP, 18 x All-Star appearances, #24, and #8. It was time for #BlackMamba to defeat the final boss.

And wouldn’t you know it, he went out and beat himself at his own game.

Kobe out-Kobe’d himself in the most epic fashion.

Some players in their last game might look for a cruise to the finish line – treat the occasion more as a celebration than an actual competitive game. Not the patron saint of volume shooters. Remember who we’re talking about here.

Not content with a list of achievements that would make most NBA players collapse in awe, Kobe went and dropped 60 points in his last game. In the process, knocking off MJ’s record for the modern-era record for field-goal attempts.

That’s right. The man that attempted 30,699 field goals in his career went out and took another 50 shots against the Jazz.

He started in typical fashion – missing his first five shots. Up to three-quarter time Kobe had dropped a lazy 37 – a total most would be content with. After all, no player of his calibre has hit more than 30 in their final game.

With three minutes to go, Kobe had made his way to 45 points on the back of the Lakers, the Jazz, and the entire crowd pushing the ‘Pass It To Kobe’ game plan to new heights. Los Angeles were, however, down by ten with those final 180 seconds to go.

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So what did one of the most polarising and prolific players in NBA history do?

Injected ice into his veins, went full-beast mode, and shot 5-5 from the field, 4-4 from the line, and hit 15 points in the final 180 seconds to carry himself to 60 points, and the Lakers to victory.

The man whose career had descended into that of a truly sub-par shooter in the final two seasons turned back the clock and pretended he was playing NBA Live 2008 with cheat codes on.

#Clutch, #Swish, #NothingButNet, #CopThatUtah.

#MambaOut.

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