Kobe Bryant signed off from basketball in style last night, scoring 60-points for the sixth time in a glittering career as the Los Angeles Lakers came from behind to defeat the Utah Jazz.
The five-time NBA champion rolled back the years at a sold out Staples Centre as the Lakers, who have endured a disappointing season in which they have had the second worst record in the NBA, defeated the Jazz 101-96.
Bryant announced in November that he would end his career after 20 years, which has seen the Lakers season defined by the 18-time All Star’s ‘farewell tour’ across America’s arenas.
But Bryant saved the best until last on his home court, where tickets were selling for over $24,000 (£17,000), as he scored 22 of the Lakers’ 42 first-half points.
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In the second period 20-year veteran Bryant exploded on the way to a further 38 points as the Lakers overhauled a nine-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter.
“It's hard to believe it happened this way,” Bryant said. “I'm still shocked about it.
“The perfect ending would have been a championship. But tonight was trying to go out, play hard and try to put on a show as much as I possibly could. It felt good to be able to do that one last time.”
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As has been typical of his stellar career Bryant took 50 shots, a career high, and joked afterwards: “The thing that had me cracking up all night long is, I go through 20 years of everybody screaming to pass the ball.
“And then the last night, they're like, `Don't pass it!”
Victory for the Lakers helped the Houston Rockets snatch the eighth and final place in the Western Conference Playoffs, where they will face a Golden State Warriors side fresh from a 73-9 regular season record unmatched in NBA history.