The Toronto Raptors and the San Antonio Spurs collaborated on a touching tribute to Kobe Bryant at the beginning of their game Sunday.
Each team dribbled out the 24-second shot clock in remembrance of the No. 24 worn by the retired NBA great, who died in a helicopter crash at age 41. Pascal Siakam scored 35 points to lead the Raptors past the Spurs 110-106 on a day when many players' thoughts were elsewhere.
Fans stood up and applauded as the seconds ticked in San Antonio.
The teams found out about Bryant's death about an hour before tipoff. Spurs assistant coaches Becky Hammon and Tim Duncan were visibly upset during a pregame moment of silence.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli and his wife and daughter were among those killed in the crash northwest of Los Angeles. Nine people were aboard the helicopter, the sheriff's department said, citing its manifest.
Other teams observed a moment of silence to remember the Lakers legend. In Atlanta, guard Trae Young, changed his jersey number to 8 to honor Bryant, who wore that number before switching to 24.
NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.
