The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t get a win over Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets on Thursday night, but fans did get to see Kobe Bryant turn back time with a one-handed jam over Clint Capela, his first dunk in his 20th season. Bryant, who hasn’t even dunked in practice this year, describes what was going through his mind in that moment and feeling the emotions of not only the crowd but the entire Lakers bench.
Bryant also scored a team-leading 22 points with eight rebounds and three assists and is averaging a team-leading 18.8 points per game. Julius Randle led the bench and had his 12th double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
D’Angelo Russell had a difficult time knocking down shots, connecting on just one of his nine attempts (a layup towards the end of the fourth quarter), but the rookie still dished out seven assists. And, head coach Byron Scott stuck up for his young point guard after the game.
It’s all in our videos below.
Kobe Bryant Dunks Over Clint Capela, Byron Scott Defends D’Angelo Russell
Julius Randle Impressed With Kobe’s Dunk
Kobe Bryant: ‘It’s Always A Give And Take With Father Time’