April 13, 2016, Kobe Bryant leaves the stage on a 60 -point match • Basket USA

This April 13, 2016, twenty minutes before the interwar period, the players of Salt Lake City learn that they will not play the playoffs with the victory of the Rockets. Clearly, this last match is for butter, and more than ever, this Lakers – Jazz has the appearance of a jubilee for the late Kobe Bryantwhose “last dance” drags on.

After an inevitable and beautiful series of tributes orchestrated by Magic Johnson, the match begins and Kobe Bryant takes the first shot for the Lakers, too short. The second too, too long this time. He tears the ball from the hands of Gordon Hayward on the other side and tries his luck in penetration but misses his lay-up, then another shot and the Lakers are waiting for five minutes to register their first basket (6-2).

A complicated start to the match

Kobe Bryant misses his 5th shot but against Trevor Booker and finally score in counterattack to the delight of the Staples Center. It brings the Lakers back to tie at the same time: 6-6 after 7 minutes. He continues immediately with a shoot at the top of the racket, then in penetration with the fault!

The match is launched, Kobe Bryant too: he returns his 4th shot in a row in the corner and his 5th in transition behind the arc. The Staples Center is standing, the Lakers are in front, and Kobe has already fired 11 times in 9 minutes, for 12 points. On an end of possession, he obtained the fault and three free throws, which he returns. He misses his two following attempts behind the arc and after 12 minutes, Utah leads 21-19 thanks to a good Neto Raul.

The match resumes its “normal” course without Kobe Bryant, at rest on the bench. The Lakers are clumsy but remain in contact after 7 minutes (33-29). The moment chosen by Byron Scott to put the number 24 on the ground, which immediately misses a complicated 3-point shot in the corner.

He gets closer to the circle again to mark his first 2nd quarter shot, and returned the next behind the arc to keep the at -6 (43-37). Kobe no longer puts a basket at the end of half-time but draws some free throws and launches a counterattack in “Showtime” mode concluded by Julius Randle. If the display panel has little importance this evening, a tight score could have made the last minutes of the “Black Mamba” on the parquet floors. By seriously playing in this special atmosphere, jazz leads 15 points to the break (57-42). The king of the evening is happy with already 20 shots attempted and 22 points on the clock.

Kobe Bryant brings the Lakers back to the match

The most observed man remains on the field at the start of the second half and scored 6 points in 53 seconds! The Lakers are again in the match and the gap will come back under the 10 points. Kobe makes an airball on his 27th attempt but catches up again in penetration. Jordan Clarkson, however, steals the spotlight for a 360 ° time in counter-attack but Kobe returns a Fadeaway background line and then a award-winning shot to bring the Californians to -5 after 6 minutes (64-59). In the flags of the Staples Center, the “Kobe, Kobe” give way to “defense, defense”. The “Player franchise” holds its 431st career match at more than 30 points at the end of the quarter, with 37 units at 14/34. Will he go up to 50? Byron Scott responds in interview: “We're going to try. »»

The Lakers being -9 at the start of the last quarter in Kobe career, the latter has the opportunity to be decisive for his final strides on the NBA prosecution.

Utah starts the quarter seriously to quickly take up to 14 points ahead, but the number 24 brings it back to -9 on a award -winning shot in transition and becomes the 5th player in history to score 40 points over 37 years old. Quin Snyder takes a dead time but the “Black Mamba” bites again from afar. His teammates make the show with a huge against Tarik Black followed by an alley-oop, to return to 5 lengths from jazz (85-80).

“Mamba Out!” »»

A very clean Jordan Clarkson reduces the gap to 3 units 6 minutes from the term. Kobe Bryant chained in mid-distance to reach 45 points. But on a counter-attack failure followed by a big dunk by Trevor Booker, he sees the jazz digging the gap at +9 again, less than 4 minutes from the end.

Kobe Bryant marks again in penetration to get closer to the 50 points. It is now clear for everyone: he wants this brand, and the aura. Two free throws later, it is 49… and finally 51, then 53! The Lakers are -4 at 80 seconds, and -1 a minute from the buzzer on a award -winning “Black Mamba” shot!

Shelvin Mack is missing his attempt from afar, a ball for Kobe Bryant who marks to go back in front in an atmosphere of madness! At the end of time, Trey Lyles is missing his shot and Utah sends the hero of the evening on the launch-franc line, which tears the 60-point mark! Gordon Hayward misses his layup, Jordan Clarkson Dunke on the other side of the field to close the match.

Kobe Bryant can go out under the cheers of the Staples Center and he takes the microphone to say goodbye: ” You know, I wonder how these twenty years have been able to spend so fast. It's crazy. It's completely crazy. We had ups and downs, but the most important thing is that we stayed together all this time. »

Before letting go of his famous “Mamba Out”, he can not help ironing his almost unreal performance: ” For 20 years I was told 'Pass the ball!', And for my last one I was shouted 'don't pass it!' »

How to read the stats? Min = minutes; Shots = successful shots / tempted shots; 3pts = 3-point / 3-point attempted; LF = Successful free throws / tempted free throws; O = offensive rebound; D = defensive rebound; T = total rebounds; PD = assists; FTE: Personal faults; Int = interceptions; BP = lost bullets; CT: against; +/- = Differential points when the player is on the field; Pts = points; EVAL: evaluation of the player calculated from positive actions – negative actions.