Detroit Pistons Say Goodbye To Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is playing his last game in Detroit against a Detroit Pistons franchise that he has had great success against.
The Detroit Pistons will play Kobe Bryant in Detroit for the final time of Bryant’s NBA career on Sunday. The Pistons will likely be happy to see Bryant exit The Palace of Auburn Hills for the final time because he has had so much success against them during his 20-year career.
Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, and his Los Angeles Lakers went up against the Pistons during the 2004 NBA Finals. The Pistons won the series 4-to-1, but Bryant was on full display. He averaged 22.6 points and 4.4 assists per game in the series.
Bryant’s Game 2 performance where he scored 33 points may be most memorable. He had seven assists, but his highlight moment was knocking down a game-tying three-pointer.
Bryant, 37, is in his 20th season with the Lakers, which is a NBA record with a single team. The past few seasons have been riddled by injuries and a decline in production, but he has still managed to create highlight plays against the Pistons.
| Season | Age | Tm | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 ★ | 35 | LAL | 6 | 6 | 29.5 | 5.2 | 12.2 | .425 | 0.5 | 2.7 | .188 | 3.0 | 3.5 | .857 | 4.3 | 6.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 5.7 | 13.8 |
| 2014-15 ★ | 36 | LAL | 35 | 35 | 34.5 | 7.6 | 20.4 | .373 | 1.5 | 5.3 | .293 | 5.6 | 6.9 | .813 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 3.7 | 22.3 |
| 2015-16 | 37 | LAL | 16 | 16 | 31.6 | 5.5 | 18.1 | .304 | 1.8 | 7.9 | .220 | 3.9 | 4.8 | .816 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 16.6 |
| Career | 1296 | 1148 | 36.5 | 8.8 | 19.6 | .450 | 1.3 | 4.0 | .331 | 6.3 | 7.6 | .837 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 25.3 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/6/2015.
In 2012, Bryant had a game-tying buzzer-beater with a 22-point, seven-assist, five-rebound performance. In 2013, he had a powerful slam over Pistons guard Brandon Knight. His success has extended over his entire 20-year career.
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Earlier in his career, Bryant scored 40 points and shot 13-for-26 against the Pistons in 2006. He scored 12 points in two minutes against the Pistons last season at The Palace. Bryant scored 28 points at The Palace during the 2009-10 season.
Bryant’s success against the Pistons carries into his 20th season too. In a season where he is struggling mightily, he still performed well against Detroit. On Nov. 15, Bryant scored 17 points, had nine assists and grabbed eight rebounds. In the Lakers’ 97-85 win, Bryant used his quickness and ability to drive past defenders to set teammates up for high-percentage shots.
The Pistons used a platoon of players to defend Bryant, but nobody had great success. He took advantage of having a less-athletic Marcus Morris and an inexperienced Stanley Johnson match up with him. Point guard Reggie Jackson proved undersized to defend against Bryant. The Pistons’ best defender, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, will most likely be guarding Jordan Clarkson to try and limit his production.
Sunday evening’s game is important for the Pistons, who are riding a three-game win streak. They have an opportunity to beat the Los Angeles and close their four-game home stand with four wins. One of the Lakers’ three wins this season came against the Pistons. The Lakers have struggled and are in play for a top pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
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High school football fans know that the West Bloomfield Lakers football team has had more success than the Los Angeles Lakers as of late. West Bloomfield, a Detroit suburb, has reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and hold an 18-3 record in that time frame. However, all eyes are going to be on Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers for his final game at The Palace on Sunday night.