The Kobe Bryant Retirement Roadshow made its way to Washington tonight, to take on the the struggling Wizards. After getting thoroughly embarrassed by the 0-18 76ers last night, the Lakers bounced back, and forced the Wizards into an incredibly sloppy game. Lou Williams had seven steals in 33 minutes!
Kobe Bryant shot 10-24, which is a pretty meh shooting performance, but was actually his second best of the year. The highlight of his night was this pull-up jumper that put the Lakers ahead by two, coming right after Kobe made a three. The Lakers iced the game with free throws down the stretch to seal the 108-104 victory:
After the game, which basically sounded like a home game for the Lakers despite being played 3,000 miles away, fans chanted Kobe’s name:
This is not exactly surprising: Kobe is going to get ovations in almost every arena he visits this season. What was surprising was hearing John Wall—the Wizards’ transcendent point guard who scored 34 points, and claimed 11 assists and seven rebounds—getting booed while at the free throw line. This made his mother very sad:
I’m not usually one to lecture about fan decorum, but booing John Wall? Come the fuck on. Sure, he and the Wizards are underperforming this season, but we are barely into the second month! Last night the Wizards walloped the Cavaliers—you know, the defending Eastern Conference champions—on the road, as Wall scored 35.
If it was Wizards fan booing John Wall, it confirmed every stereotype about Washington fans only giving a shit or knowing anything about the NFL. And if the arena was so overrun by Lakers fans (and it sure sounds like it was) that they were booing Wall, well, that’s a damning indictment of Wizards fans just the same.
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