On Sunday morning following Los Angeles Lakers shootaround, Lakers coach Byron Scott confirmed that Kobe Bryant will suit up and play against Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks on Sunday evening.
Bryant had missed three of the past six games, and one of those game featured a brief 11-minute cameo for his final game in Denver. However, Bryant has been notably present for big matchups against top players and for final road games in NBA cities.
On Sunday, Bryant welcomes Anthony to Staples Center one last time. The pair shared Olympic glory with Team USA and numerous battles in the NBA playoffs. Following 32 minutes against LeBron James on Thursday, where Bryant scored 26 points on 11-16 shooting, Bryant spoke about looking forward to "bumping" with Anthony one final time.
Of course, the Knicks bring along more than only Anthony in the way of familiar faces. New York Knicks president Phil Jackson stood on the sidelines for all of Bryant’s five NBA championships, and Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis served as an assistant with the Lakers, along with being a former player and enjoying a brief spell on the sidelines to bridge the Del Harris era to the Jackson era.
Also, the Lakers welcome back Sasha “the Machine” Vujacic. The 32-year-old shooting guard played behind Bryant from 2004 to 2011 and won two titles. The Slovenian international famously hit two clutch free throws during the final seconds of the 2010 NBA final to ice the game and seal Bryant’s fifth championship ring.
Sunday evening at Staples Center offers the marquee matchup of Bryant and Anthony and another final game against a high-profile organization in the New York Knicks, so the stars should be out in full effect. Also, the no. 4 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Kristaps Porzingis, showcases his skills against the no. 2 pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, D’Angelo Russell.
The Lakers and Knicks tip-off at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
