For just the second time in his illustrious 17-year career, Kobe Bryant is not participating in the NBA playoffs.
But as we all know, the Los Angeles Lakers — Bryant’s only team — is still a participant.
Bryant did not make the trip on Sunday to San Antonio to watch his “brothers” take on the San Antonio Spurs — a team Bryant has had several epic clashes with throughout his postseason and professional career — and instead watched the game from his home in his favorite Pau Gasol jersey.
While Bryant may have believed that his absence would be one less distraction for LA, it did not mean, however, that he was not the overwhelming topic of conversation during the Spurs 91-79 win over the shorthanded Lakers.
Bryant was jacking up tweets like he was jacking up shots. Unable to add to his career average of 25 points per game in the playoffs, Kobe had to keep himself occupied. All of his tweets during the game can all be found on his timeline, but below are a few of the most noteworthy:
I wonder what Bryant would have said had he been playing in the game? Would he still be begging for the Lakers to “milk” the ball to Pau and Dwight into the post?
Here is what Gasol, who has been terrific in Bryant’s absence, had to say after the game via Twitter:
Gasol finished with 16 points, 16 rebounds and six assists for the game. Exactly the type of play the Lakers are going to need from Pau if they are to give themselves a chance against the Spurs.
And from the winning side, Manu Ginobli, who put in another vintage Ginobli playoff performance that we have come to know and love for so many years. For the oft-injured Ginobli, those performances may be numbered, so lets enjoy them while they last.
Coming back from another late-season injury, Manu finished with 18 points in just 19 minutes off the bench for the Spurs. He was electric, per-usual, and made 3-of-5 from behind the arc to burry the Lakers in the second half. If Tony Parker keeps penetrating against the Lakers weak backcourt, as Bryant noted, and Ginobli continues to provide scoring in bunches, the Spurs are going to be hard to stop.
And that goes for the entire Western Conference, not just the Lakers.
But as Bryant alluded to late Sunday afternoon, this was just one game, and he will be providing the same commentary come game two, proudly wearing his Gasol jersey.
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
“Bryant was jacking up tweets like he was jacking up shots.” LOL!