Kobe Hits Milestone, Lakers Something Else

Not many more accolades exist or for that matter, remain for Kobe Bean Bryant. But he reached another one Tuesday night when he surpassed Shaquille O’Neal for sole possession of 5th place on the NBA All-Time Scoring List with a 23-ft. jumper at the top of the key. The fact that the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 95-90 was probably more to bear than his own personal achievement. Lou Williams (24 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal) scored 14-points in a dramatic 4th quarter comeback that catapulted the Sixers to another impressive win while the Lakers stumbled on the road again. But tonight wasn’t about wins or losses, or offensive schemes or defensive adjustments. It was all about Kobe.

Instead of continuing to pound on the deficiencies of this current Lakers roster, today, we should be exulting in the historical feat that Kobe just accomplished. Take a moment to enjoy the ride. It’s been a long and sometimes bumpy one, but would you trade this for anything else? Kobe is the best. He’s a ruthless, cold-blooded Black Mamba. An assassin that has no regrets and no conscience. You either love him or you despise him. But in the end, you’ve got to respect and appreciate all that he’s done for the league and for the franchise. So instead of feeling glum and down, let’s celebrate. Whoop it up like it’s another parade down Figueroa to the Coliseum or a rally on the steps of City Hall. Wave your arms from side-to-side in unison with the throng of fans outside of the Fabulous Forum. And pop the cork off that bottle of champagne just like Chickie would’ve done, because for Lakers fans, the light’s still not out.