Lakers News: Latest on Kobe Bryant's Historical Accomplishment and More
Stop the presses. The Los Angeles Lakers won a basketball game.
The Lakers picked up their second win of the season Tuesday night in a 114-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Kobe Bryant led the way with 28 points, but it was the fact that he reached 32,000 on his career that made the most headlines.
Read on to see the latest on that development plus more out of Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant Reaches 32,000
Baxter Holmes of ESPNLosAngeles.com provided an update on Bryant’s historical accomplishment: "Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant broke through the 32,000 career-point barrier against the Atlanta Hawks here Tuesday, joining an elite group that includes only three others: Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Kareem-Abdul Jabbar."
Bryant came into the game needing 27 points to reach 32,000 and finished with 28.
Here is a look at who is in front of him, courtesy of that same Holmes piece:
| 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 38,387 |
| 2 | Karl Malone | 36,928 |
| 3 | Michael Jordan | 32,292 |
| 4 | Kobe Bryant | 32,001 |
While the Lakers may have gotten the victory Tuesday, they are not going to compete for anything but a favorable draft spot this season (their pick needs to be in the top five to keep it). What will keep fans coming to the games and tuning in on television as the win-loss record gets even bleaker is the presence of Bryant as he guns for the scoring record.
He is arguably this generation’s biggest superstar, with five rings to prove it, and he is moving up the scoring list in his final chapter. Basketball fans will make sure they watch it unfold.
Ryan Kelly Joins the Walking Wounded
Mike Trudell of Lakers.com noted that it will be some time before Lakers fans see Ryan Kelly back on the court:
Julius Randle is out for the year after a heartbreaking leg injury, Steve Nash is out for the year and may never play in an NBA game again, and Nick Young has dealt with injuries in the early going.
In three games this year, Kelly averaged 3.7 points and 1.7 rebounds a night in 8.3 minutes. He never looked fully comfortable on the floor with lingering injuries, and things have taken a turn for the worse.
This is unfortunate timing, as the Lakers could really use healthy bodies for depth purposes. What’s more, Kelly was looking to build on a solid rookie campaign, in which he averaged eight points a night and was a threat to stretch the defense as a versatile forward who could shoot from the outside and play either the 3 or the 4.
Now, he simply has to focus on recovering and rejoining the team as soon as possible.
Pau Gasol Update
Beto Duran of ESPN Radio LA provided a tidbit on the Pau Gasol negotiations from the offseason:
Gasol and his Chicago Bulls were in Los Angeles for a game against the Clippers on Monday, so discussion of his time with the Lakers in the Staples Center naturally arose. Gasol didn't play in that game, but the Bulls came away with the victory.
Duran also passed along some comments from Gasol on the situation:
The move to Chicago seems to make some sense from Gasol’s point of view, even if he did feel a connection with Los Angeles.
For as close as he and Bryant appeared to be, the Lakers had no hope of seriously contending for a title in 2014-15, even with Gasol on the roster. He is 34 years old and in the final stages of his career and certainly would love another championship ring to add to the two he won in purple and gold.
In Chicago, Gasol teams up with Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah and a deep set of role players every night, and the team appears primed to at least challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
Gasol will always be a part of Lakers lore for his role in two NBA championships in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, but it was time for the rebuilding team and the aging star to move in separate directions.
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