Kobe Bryant Erupts for 38 Points, Helps Los Angeles Lakers End Losing Skid [Highlights]
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant had his best game of the 2015-16 NBA season on Tuesday, as he erupted for 38 points to lead his team to a 119-115 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Bryant, who is playing in the 20th and final season of his illustrious career, torched the Timberwolves in the final period, where he scored 14 points in the final minutes of the match.
Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine gave the Timberwolves a 102-101 lead with 5:15 left to play in the game, but Bryant knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers a five-point lead.
The Timberwolves pulled within a point, 111-110, with 46 seconds left but Bryant knocked down a 20-foot jumper before 2015 Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins turned the ball over in the ensuing possession. Bryant then scored six more points -- all from the foul line -- to seal the win for the Lakers, who ended their 10-game losing skid.
After the match, Timberwolves coach Sam Mitchell, who was the coach of the Toronto Raptors when Bryant torched them with 81 points in 2006, addressed the superstar guard's vintage performance.
"Kobe just started making shots," Mitchell told reporters, via ESPN. "I hate him. If I don't ever see him again, it won't be too soon. He doesn't score too many points now, so everybody thinks he's done and all that. He's not the same Kobe, and he'll tell you that. But there are nights when he's feeling good."
While his performance on Tuesday made headlines, Bryant, who will be making his 18th NBA All-Star Game appearance later this month, played down his big night.
"You've seen it for 20 damn years," Bryant said. "What are you impressed by? It's like, tonight I made shots I was supposed to make. I made open looks and I made them. Then when that happens, you tend to get in a rhythm. You start making a little more difficult shots."
Louis Williams also had a productive night for the Lakers, as he finished with 20 points and four assists. Rookie guard D'Angelo Russell added 18 points on top of three assists and three rebounds, while Julius Randle had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Wiggins led the Timberwolves with 30 points and five assists, while Ricky Rubio tallied 10 points and 15 assists. Starting center Gorgui Dieng had 19 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Shabazz Muhammad scored 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Watch the highlights of the Lakers-Timberwolves game below.
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