PHILADELPHIA – Kobe Bryant breezed through the Philadelphia 76ers locker room and said to no one in particular, “keep it going, guys.”
His homecoming game spoiled, Bryant said one final goodbye to Philly, which is winless no more.
The 76ers said good riddance to the longest losing streak in major US professional sports – winless in 28 games dating to last season. And 0 for 18 to begin this one.
No more.
With the spotlight on Bryant during the final game of his career in his hometown, the Sixers stole the show and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 103-91, on Tuesday night for their first victory of the season.
The Sixers remain tied for the worst start in NBA history with the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets, who also opened 0-18.
It was the first win for the Sixers since March 25 at Denver.
“Finally,” forward Nerlens Noel said.
Elsewhere, the Washington Wizards upended LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, 97-85; Brooklyn held off Phoenix, 94-91; Orlando edged Minnesota, 96-93; and Memphis downed New Orleans, 113-104.
Back in Philadelphia, Coach Brett Brown’s team has long languished at the bottom of the NBA standings and reeled off two separate losing streaks of at least 26 games in his three seasons.
For one night, in front of a sellout crowd of 20,510 that came to cheer Bryant, the streaks hardly mattered.
“I’m pleased for the city,” Brown said. “We don’t want this streak continuing.”
Hours earlier, Bryant felt the love in Philadelphia as soon as he entered the arena.
He took selfies with fans who might never see him play again, and his presence injected a playoff atmosphere into a city that has lost much of its passion in NBA basketball.
With a packed crowd standing and roaring in appreciation, Bryant was lauded like a hometown hero, not the “Hometown Zero” he was once labeled in Philadelphia’s tabloids.
Bryant, who will end his 20-year career this season, opened the first leg of his farewell tour in his hometown and was feted with the kind of reverence and gratitude normally reserved for a Sixers great.
“I wasn’t expecting that type of reaction, ovation,” he said. “Deeply appreciative beyond belief. It was really, really special.”
Playing with the shot selection of a pickup artist, Bryant tried to deliver a special performance in his finale.
He buried a step-back 3-pointer off the opening tip.
He hit another 3 on the next possession.
Bryant made it 3 for 3 and had the Philly crowd chanting “M-V-P!” as he turned back the clock to his championship form.
“It was a little spurt of old-school Kobe,” Noel said.
Bryant said he could tell the start made the Sixers a little starstruck – most were babies when he started his career.
“I could sense they were like ‘I really don’t want to touch him.’...‘Is this going to be an 81 type of situation?’” Bryant said. “I’m just playing possum because I know my legs ain’t going to carry this energy for 48 minutes.”
Bryant scored 20 points on 7-of-26 shooting and made four 3s.