Lakers at Knicks
It was just like the old days for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, with Kobe Bryant leading the team in scoring in a victory. Bryant will try to find the magic again at Madison Square Garden when the Lakers visit the New York Knicks on Sunday.
Bryant went 5-of-16 from the field but ended up with 18 points in a 104-98 victory over the winless Brooklyn Nets on Friday and was cheered loudly in what may have been his final game in Brooklyn. "I have so much appreciation for the game,” Bryant told reporters of the possibility that he will be visiting these arenas for the final time. “If this is the last time, I'm fine with that. I feel at peace with that." Madison Square Garden has always been kind to Bryant, who’s average of 30.7 points in 15 games and high of 61 mark the best for any active visiting player at the famous arena. The Knicks are 0-3 in their own building this season after dropping a 99-92 decision to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, TWSN (Los Angeles), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (1-4): If this is Bryant’s farewell tour, he is not exactly going out on top. Los Angeles is allowing an average of 113 points and looks well on its way to another trip to the lottery while Bryant, who is the highest-paid player in the league this season at $25 million, shoots 32.1 percent from the field and 21.1 percent from 3-point range. "I love to play, man," Bryant told reporters. "It's as simple as that. When you love something, you'll go through hell for it sometimes."
ABOUT THE KNICKS (2-4): While Bryant is reaching the end of his career, New York forward Kristaps Porzingis is just at the beginning of his and continues to impress. The 20-year-old Latvian rookie scored 14 points on Friday while grabbing 13 rebounds (nine offensive) for his second career double-double. "I'm just trying bring energy to the team, trying to go for every offensive rebound,” Porzingis told ESPN.com. “Second chance points are huge in the NBA.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lakers rookie G D’Angelo Russell scored a season-high 16 points Friday on 6-of-9 shooting.
2. The Knicks took both meetings last season and five of the last seven.
3. New York G Arron Afflalo (hamstring) has yet to make his season debut and is questionable for Sunday.