For the second game in a row, Kobe Bryant put on a vintage performance, leading the Los Angeles Lakers over the New Orleans Pelicans 99-96 Thursday.
All-Star starter Kobe Bryant is averaging 29.3 PPG and 8.3 RPG over his last three games, shooting 50% from deep pic.twitter.com/wEfmT8mo6S
— NBA.com (@NBAcom) February 5, 2016
Bean finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, shutting the door on the Pels late in the fourth quarter with a clutch three-pointer.
Happiest I've ever seen Kobe after hitting a late-game shot. All smiles and laughs, fake-punching Nick, hugging D'Angelo.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) February 5, 2016
Kobe explained his recent success as hopefully having found some "consistency" with how his legs feel.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) February 5, 2016
Anthony Davis scored a game-high 39 points and snatched 11 boards for the losing side.
Per the LA Times:
He was dunked on for the first time in forever, too late to stop Ryan Anderson from jamming on him late in the fourth quarter. […] But Bryant had his revenge, drilling a long three-pointer and wagging his index finger at Pelicans fans who had heckled him a minute earlier. It came as the shot clock wound down with 58.4 seconds left, giving the Lakers a 98-92 lead.
Bryant had 38 points two days earlier against Minnesota and a strong double-double against New Orleans. Whaaat? […] “I’m as puzzled by it as you are,” he said, laughing. “I don’t know what to tell you. Twenty years and all these injuries, it’s tough. I just try to stay with it.”
He had a bad memory here last year, sustaining a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder after a dunk. He was done for the season. […] “It felt like I kind of exorcised my demons a little bit [Thursday],” he said. “I was thinking about the last time I was here. I wanted to get back out on this court and play and play well.”
