Doc Rivers Reflects on Kobe Bryant Memorial: 'Today Will Help'

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers opened up about the aftermath of Kobe Bryant's death, pointing out how prevalent the heartbreak is in the city and suggesting Monday's memorial to honor the Los Angeles Lakers legend and his daughter Gianna will help the healing process, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN:

"It's just been a very heavy month, it's everywhere. There's days you get away from it, like the games are great now because you're focused on the games, but you know it's just. ... It's broken or just broken-hearted.

"It's been a broken-hearted city. Probably something I've never seen before, ever, anywhere, and it's still there a little bit, for sure. But today will help."

Monday's memorial at Staples Center brought together legendary names from both basketball and the world of entertainment as thousands gathered to honor Kobe and Gianna.

Rivers was in attendance, along with the likes of Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar and many of the best players in the league today. Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera all performed, and Jordan and Bryant's wife, Vanessa, were among those who delivered moving speeches.

The Clippers coach called the memorial "beautiful" while saying "I don't know how Vanessa did it."

He continued: "I don't know how that was possible. I thought Michael, like if you could pick one representation of Kobe, they picked a perfect... he may have been the only choice when you think about it. And his delivery was amazing, so there were so many good things."

Rivers battled Bryant as the head coach of the Boston Celtics in the 2008 and 2010 NBA Finals. He also coached against him from the Clippers' sideline in the latter part of Bryant's career and previously spoke about the incredible respect he had for "such a great opponent" in the more immediate aftermath of Bryant's death:

Kobe, Gianna, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan were the nine people who died in the helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26.