The Los Angeles Lakers made history last night as they clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, doing so for the first time in a decade. Anthony Davis brought home the bacon with 40 points on the night, going to work against the Utah Jazz and also getting the walk-off interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. It was during his interview, where he reflected on the significance of the Lakers doing something they haven’t done since the prime days of Kobe Bryant, still so soon after his death earlier this year. LeBron has already spoken on thinking about Kobe every day and Davis did not shy away from the fact that the Lakers want to win the championship this year in Bryant’s honor.
The tragic death of Kobe Bryant, the morning after LeBron James passed him on the All-Time scoring list in Bryant’s hometown of Philadelphia, has been an inescapable moment that still lives with the Lakers every day. That they are turning it into motivation for trying to win is only natural and they also take the court with a patch honoring him every night they play. Being back on the basketball court and playing real games has only emphasized the meaning of this season.
