Kobe Bryant‘s farewell game was a memorable occasion and by far one of the most spectacular nights in Los Angeles Lakers history. With a 60-point performance, Bryant led the Lakers to a 101-96 victory over the Utah Jazz, capping off one of the most remarkable careers in NBA history.
While this performance has become a poignant memory for many Lakers fans, former Utah Jazz player Gordon Hayward had a different experience. Having drawn the task of guarding a 37-year-old Kobe Bryant, Hayward recently discredited Bryant’s performance during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“Now, that game was done differently from any game I’ve been a part of as well,” Hayward began. “I mean, he took 60 shots that game, or whatever, 50 shots, I think. So that was also like, not a legitimate game. Both teams were out. We knew we weren’t making the playoffs. They knew they weren’t making the playoffs.”
“But certainly, we weren’t just letting them score,” he continued. “He airballed multiple times because he was forcing. You could tell he was forcing. His last three minutes were completely different than the last three minutes of the Miami game.”
Hayward couldn’t help but compare the last three minutes of Kobe Bryant’s farewell game to the last three minutes of Bam Adebayo‘s 83-point performance. While he noted that Adebayo’s performance to surpass Bryant was noteworthy, it was apparent that the situation in the last three minutes of both games was drastically different.
“His [Bryant’s] last three minutes in that game were legendary,” Hayward added. “He was like the old Kobe for three minutes, and they won the game. We were up most of the game pretty handily, and the last three minutes, he turned it on, and it was like, ‘Okay, it’s real Kobe.'”
As Hayward mentioned, Kobe Bryant’s efficiency in his farewell game wasn’t the best. Having shot 22-50 from the field (44.0%) and 6-21 from three-point range (28.6%), the Lakers’ superstar was effectively capitalizing on every opportunity he had to score the ball.
Still, the showcase was nothing short of inspiring.
At the end of the first half, the Lakers were down 57-42. Bryant led all scorers for the Lakers with 22 points, with Jordan Clarkson and Roy Hibbert being the next highest scorers with four points each. In comparison, the Jazz had balanced scoring across the board with Trey Lyles leading the pack with 11 points.
At this stage, Bryant was 7-22 from the field. But heading into the third quarter, things shifted dramatically in the Lakers’ favor.
Bryant played the entire third quarter, adding 15 points on 7-14 shooting to the Lakers’ effort. With D’Angelo Russell adding seven points, the Purple and Gold managed to shave six points off the lead, ending the quarter 24-18.
Kobe Bryant sustained this form in the final frame, notching another 23 points on 8-16 FG, overwhelming the Jazz defense. Considering that Utah’s offense had effectively gone dry by this stage, Bryant and the Lakers ran through their opponents, outscoring them 35-21 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory on the last day of the regular season.
Bryant’s jump shot at the 32-second mark in the fourth quarter to give the Lakers the lead (97-96) remains one of the most iconic moments. With two free throws to seal the game a few seconds later, the Lakers legend went to the bench after a truly historic night.
For the most part, Hayward’s critique of the performance draws parallels to the Heat catering to Adebayo as he neared Kobe Bryant’s 81-point record. Still, considering the way Bryant performed in the second half, it is safe to say that he delivered when his team needed it the most.
