LOS ANGELES -- This was just the beginning for Kobe Bryant during Friday night’s thrilling comeback win in overtime against the Raptors.
With the Lakers trailing by double digits for most of the game to this point, Bryant took it upon himself to begin to get things turned around.
Late in the third quarter, after he hit two three-pointers on consecutive possessions, Bryant missed the third, but charged in to try to go after the rebound. Rudy Gay was the one who ended up with the ball, but Bryant stuck with the play and came up with the steal.
After briefly resetting behind the three-point line, he dribbled left, and Gay tried to reach from behind, but Bryant blew past him into the lane for an emphatic two-handed slam that brought the crowd to its feet.
Again, this was only the beginning. But from the standpoint of energizing Bryant’s teammates, it had to start somewhere.