BOSTON — Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour already has produced memorable moments for the Los Angeles Lakers star. But anyone who witnessed Wednesday night’s game against the Celtics knows the latest stop meant a little extra to the 37-year-old veteran.
Bryant ended his final game at TD Garden on a high note, as the raucous Boston crowd chanted his name late in the fourth quarter even as the Celtics headed to a disappointing loss.
Bryant has said his battles with the Celtics in the 2008 and 2010 NBA Finals were among the defining moments in his career, and after the game, he revealed that of the cities he’ll visit on his farewell tour, only his hometown of Philadelphia rivals coming to Boston.
“I think it’s right up there with Philadelphia for me, in terms of most emotional,” Bryant said. “This place has really meant a lot for my career. I can’t stress that enough. And this is why I wanted my kids here. I wanted my family here. I wanted them to be able to be in the building. I wanted them to be able to see this and experience this.
“I mean, I remember my daughter was having a hard time with softball — semifinal game, striking out. She was crying. She was mad. I showed her the video of us losing to the Celtics. And me walking off the court crying. And I said listen, it’s fine. It’s fine. You just gotta bounce back. That’s the kind of profound impact this building has had.”
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Let’s hit a few other notes from Celtics-Lakers:
— Overshadowed by Kobemania was the return of Brandon Bass, who played his first game against the Celtics since leaving the club via free agency over the summer.
Bass left a very positive impression on his Celtics teammates during his four seasons in Boston, according to head coach Brad Stevens.
“I think the biggest influence that Brandon had, besides that he’s a good basketball player, was the way that he operated from the standpoint of, he came to work every day,” Stevens said. “On off days, he was in. Stretching, lifting, taking care of his body with our training staff. Eats exceptionally well. Just prioritizes his body. …
“I’m very fond of Brandon. I think he’s a real pro. He’s a young guy in a lot of ways, but for us, he was old from a roster standpoint last year, and I thought that he set a nice example for people.”
Count Avery Bradley among the Celtics players who enjoyed playing with Bass.
“Me and Brandon were teammates for four years,” Bradley said. “He’s like family to me, so I was happy to see him. But it was weird playing against him.”
— Bass didn’t make too much of an impact, but frontcourt mate Julius Randle certainly did.
The second-year Lakers forward — and former Kentucky teammate of James Young’s — dominated in the paint, tallying 15 points and ripping down a game-high 12 rebounds. Jared Sullinger, the Celtics’ leading rebounder, grabbed just eight boards.
“I thought Julius Randle just went right through us and just dominated us physically,” Stevens said. “I thought that was pretty evident.”
— David Lee returned to action Wednesday after missing Boston’s previous two games with back spasms. He finished with six points on 3-of-5 shooting while adding six rebounds in 15 minutes of action.
— Wednesday marked the Celtics’ final game of the 2015 calendar year, as Boston doesn’t play again until Jan. 2 against the Brooklyn Nets.
The past 365 days have seen notable improvement for the C’s, who compiled a .553 winning percentage (47-38) in 85 regular-season games spanning two seasons. Boston failed to earn a playoff win, of course, but it has become clear Stevens has his young team heading in the right direction entering 2016.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
