02/21: vs. Memphis 105-117 [W] (42-12)
The Lakers are back and are locked and loaded for the 2nd half of the season after the All-Star break. Their opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, have playoff aspirations, but face an uphill battle. An uphill battle they had for the first half of this game as LA locked them down in the first half. Though AD's lower leg injury marred this game for a bit, he was able to return in the 2nd quarter. The Lakers at one point had a 21 point lead and it was squandered away by silly fouls and the team overall losing their collective sh*t at the refs. Honestly, I'm not surprised at this. The Lakers will give their opponents some life until LeBron and AD knock the day lights out of them in the 4th quarter. That's what transpired this game. But hey, the "Carushow" had another highlight reel to start the 2nd half of the season with a putback dunk off an AD missed free throw. With this win, the drought of losing seasons is over as the team cannot finish below .500 at this point.
02/23: vs. Boston 112-114 [W] (43-12)
This game will go down as another classic in the NBA's historic rivalry. The last time the Lakers and Celtics met this season, it was an ugly blowout loss on the road. The Lakers were humiliated for a team that has been impressive on the road all season long. This matchup, they're looking to exact revenge. It wasn't pretty. The Lakers jumped to an 11-point lead with great play early on from Rajon Rondo on both ends of the floor. But, the Celtics wouldn't be denied as they roared back behind a career day from Jayson Tatum. Honestly, there was nothing the Lakers can do defensively. Tatum was cooking all game long. But, Frank Vogel made quite the adjustment to stop Tatum dead in his tracks: assign a double team on him and trap him whenever he has the ball. The double team worked and the Celtics were forced to have another player step up and win theme the game. Despite their struggles from the free throw line, the duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis rallied the Lakers as they combined for 41 points as well as Kyle Kuzma chipping in 16 points and being involved in key defensive stops when the Lakers needed it.
BONUS: Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant, A Celebration of Life
I spent a majority of my workday today, listening and watching bits and pieces of the public memorial of Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna Bryant. Though it has been a full month since the tragic helicopter accident, it was still hard to process Kobe, Gigi, and 7 others are gone. As Captain America once said in a teaser for Avengers Endgame: "some people move on, but not us. Not us." We have reached the "endgame" with a public memorial to celebrate the life of Kobe and Gigi.
Like Michael Jackson's public memorial 11 years ago, we didn't know what to expect. Who will be speaking, who will be performing was kept under wraps. As many gave their eulogies, without question, the eulogies that stood out the most was Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, and Kobe's wife and widow, Vanessa Bryant. Shaq reflected on the ups and the downs of the brotherhood with Kobe, when they dominated the first three years of the 2000's. But surprisingly, we hear from the GOAT himself. This was not via recording nor was it via a press statement, this was MJ speaking from the heart about his good friend and little brother, Kobe Bryant.
I thought Jordan gave a good analogy because it is organic about how the big brother-little brother relationship cycles. The little brother always gets on the big brother's nerves. He becomes nuisance as MJ pointed out. But at the end of the day, it was all love and admiration. It takes a lot to to get the GOAT himself to open up and for one final time, Kobe got to MJ as he always tried to do in his early basketball career. He even got him to acknowledge the viral Crying Jordan meme! This was a prime example of greatness recognizing greatness. And Kobe and Jordan fans, through the wars we've been through over the years on debating who's better, this event brought us together to bury the hatchet and to stop comparing and appreciate greatness.
Though, she was first to give a speech, it was good to see Vanessa breaking her silence in front of a huge crowd full of fans, friends, legends, and adversaries that Kobe has gained the trust of throughout his basketball career. She did a fantastic job giving Gigi her moment and giving Kobe his moment. Vanessa won the hearts of many when she closed her speech, telling Kobe to take care of Gigi while she takes care of Natalia, Bianca, and Capri. Though it's still hard to process, I'd like to thank Vanessa for approving this public memorial. I'd like to thank her for giving us a sense of closure by having this event as we find the strength to move on from this tragedy. To conclude this post, I'd like to share a little bit of my Christian roots in prayer...
Eternal rest grant unto Kobe, Gigi, and the 7 other lives who were lost in that tragic accident O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon them
May all their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace
Amen.
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