In 2004, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves in seven hard-fought games in an unforgettable Western Conference Finals.
Since then the Lakers, an NBA franchise that began its life in Minneapolis, had constantly been a terror for the lowly Timberwolves franchise.
In January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points over now-Timberwolves head coach Sam Mitchell‘s Toronto Raptors.
Last night, Kobe didn’t really do anything of the sort as he voluntarily just sat down on the Lakers bench allowing the younger Lakers to learn through playing critical minutes without him.
Everyone at Target Center understood that this was the last time they would see Mr. Bryant on the floor, a place where he has created basketball memories from winning big playoff games, sucking the gravity out of the Target Center, and most of all, passing Michael Jordan on the NBA scoring list just last season.
Unfortunately for the fans, the only highlight they got out of him was him actually and willingly not putting himself in during the game’s most critical moments, a time that he typically loves being in and often succeeds in.
Before deciding to go to the bench for the rest of the game, Kobe had scored only 11 points after going 5 of 13 from the floor. Kobe started off the game right by making all of his first three buckets, including a three pointer. However, there was nothing really notable that would happen out of him for the rest of the night.
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Ignoring Kobe (I know that’s impossible, but we must try), this was one of the best wins for this Minnesota squad this season as they showcased how well they can react in crunch time and especially against a team that they should defeat handily. Moreover, this was also a very entertaining game even though the man of the hour wasn’t on the court.
True Timberwolves fans certainly we’re happy that he wasn’t on the court, of course, because last night would have been a totally different story.
Kevin Martin, after going through one of his worst slumps in his NBA career, tallied 37 points with 6 of 9 shooting from downtown. Despite his inconsistencies, Martin has showed that he can still be a valuable piece for any NBA team, especially the Timberwolves who lack veteran scoring options.
Rookie of the Year candidate Karl-Anthony Towns finished the game with a strong performance again by recording 26 points and 14 rebounds. Towns dominated against Lakers center Roy Hibbert (eight points, seven rebounds), but certainly got challenged by the second-year player in Julius Randle who provided 20 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
The game was pretty much close throughout as neither team held a double-digit lead.
Lakers rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell certainly showcased his tremendous potential last night as he finished with 23 points including a go-ahead bank shot that sent the game into overtime. Russell would end up scoring nine of the Laker’s last 11 points from regulation and into overtime.
In OT, the Timberwolves started off booming with a Wiggins jumpshot and a Martin three-pointer. But the Lakers kept answering back and kept it within a one possession game.
After a Wiggins jumper which gave the Wolves a 123-121 lead with under a minute left to play, KAT committed a shooting foul that would send Randle to the line for two free throws with 33 seconds left in the game. Fortunately, Randle would miss the first and just make the second.
Unfortunately, the Wolves were unable to capitalize as they committed a shot clock violation with 9.4 seconds left in the game.
Russell and Hibbert would both have a crack at a game-winning shot but neither of them were able to convert as the Timberwolves would eventually go on to win the game 123-122 in OT. That’s it. No more Kobe for you Target Center.
During the last four minutes of the game, the 18,000 fans kept chanting “We want Kobe,” when in all reality, you didn’t want Kobe because your team would’ve most certainly lost. But again, we would never know and it’s still a very good win from the Timberwolves.
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So yes, we will never see the Black Mamba grace the floor of the Target Center. With Kevin Garnett, who scored only six points on 3 of 3 shooting, being in the same position with Kobe, they knew that this was it. This was the last time these two first ballot Hall of Famers would ever play against one another at Target Center. The battles these two have gone through during their prime years in the mid-2000s will certainly be missed but not forgotten.
The Timberwolves are set to face Kobe Bryant and the Lakers once again on February 2, 2016. That occasion will be in the house that Kobe (and Shaq) built, Staples Center.