Tributes to Kobe Bryant were paid across the NBA as eight games were played amid sombre atmospheres on the day of the former Los Angeles Lakers great’s death.
Chants of ‘Kobe, Kobe’ resounded in most stadiums as players honoured the five-time championship winner and dealt with their own grief in various ways.
Bryant died in a helicopter crash alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna in California on Sunday morning.
Bigger than basketball.
For 2️⃣4️⃣ pic.twitter.com/0TEaWESZuo
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 26, 2020
The Knicks won 110-107, with Julius Randle leading the way with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Spencer Dinwiddie made 23 for the Nets.
Pictures of Bryant were displayed on the large screens outside Madison Square Garden, the location of some of his finest moments.
Pascal Siakam scored 35 points to lead Toronto to a narrow 110-106 away victory and a seventh straight win.
DeMar DeRozan and Derrick White had 14 each for the Spurs.
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 27, 2020
The Phoenix Suns responded with their first possession by staying in the backcourt to incur an eight-second violation, a nod to the fact Bryant started his career wearing eight.
The Grizzlies won 114-109, with Ja Morant scoring 14 of his 23 points in the last quarter to hold off the fast finishing Suns.
.@JaMorant on today’s gritty win:
“We tried to keep each other up. Keep talking to each other. Prepare to get a win. We came out with some energy.” pic.twitter.com/bHo7Tuil7i
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) January 27, 2020
Young wore a number eight jersey for the first few seconds of the match, put a tribute to Bryant on his shoes, and looked up to the heavens several times to honour Bryant, his mentor and favourite player.
In other games, the Portland Trail Blazers won 139-129 at home to the Indiana Pacers, the New Orleans Pelicans beat the visiting Boston Celtics 123-108, the Los Angeles Clippers won 112-97 at the Orlando Magic and the Denver Nuggets won 117-110 at home to the Houston Rockets.
