Sunday night in Los Angeles was supposed to be all about Kobe Bryant and news of his impending retirement, but Paul George and the Indiana Pacers crashed the party.
PG, who grew up in California idolizing The Black Mamba, hung a game-high 39 points on the Lakers in a 107-103 road win.
Paul George on Kobe: "He’s still my idol regardless of him aging and his game changing. …I’m going to cherish this matchup."
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) November 30, 2015
After the game, #Pacers F Paul George spoke about what Kobe Bryant means to him: "Kobe was my Jordan."
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) November 30, 2015
PG would watch gms then go to front yard & imitate Kobe: "I’m not saying he’s better than Jordan but to me growing up that’s who I idolized"
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) November 30, 2015
Kobe’s shooting struggles continued—the fading 37-year-old legend missed sixteen of twenty shot attempts, and finished with 13 points as the 2-14 Lakers lost their sixth in a row.
Per the Indy Star:
The backdrop starts with a boy from Palmdale, California, sitting with family members and watching the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant starred both on the television set and inside the boy’s head. So from the living room, he’d move the front yard and tried to emulate the jab step, the pump fakes, the counter moves as well as the game winners. Just like his basketball hero. […] “I was pretending that I was Kobe,” George recalled. “Doing the whole countdown from 3… 2…1.”
“Kobe was my Jordan,” George said. “Watching him win championships. I remember being at home just watching the games with my mom, my grandma and my dad and just idolizing him. […] I’m not saying he’s better than Jordan,” George continued, “but to me growing up, that’s who I idolized.”
On a night when the predictable storylines appeared to be Lakers center Roy Hibbert facing his former teammates for the first time or the Hickory-clad Pacers (11-5) went for their 11th win in 13 games, the focus completely shifted at 3:50 p.m. PST. That’s when a tweet was sent from Bryant’s account, along with his heartfelt missive written to the game of basketball. […] “He’s still Kobe Bryant regardless of how he shot the ball tonight. In my eyes, he’s still one of the greatest players to play this game,” George said. “It was just about cherishing this moment, period. I was thinking this could be my last matchup against him in L.A… So I just knew off the bat to cherish this last moment.”
