Bulls top Lakers 114-91 in Pau’s last Staples date with Kobe
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 28: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers chats with Pau Gasol #16 of the Chicago Bulls during the game on January 28, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES: During seven seasons together with the Lakers, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant formed a bond that won’t be broken by separation or retirement.
When they played on the same court in Los Angeles for the final time, the Chicago Bulls won in a blowout that didn’t mean a whole lot to two friends with memories of better days.
Jimmy Butler had 26 points and 10 assists, and the Bulls opened their longest road trip of the season with a 114-91 victory over the spiraling Lakers on Thursday night.
Gasol had 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists while facing Bryant for the last time at Staples Center. They hadn’t played in the same game since the 7-foot Spaniard left the Lakers as a free agent in 2014, leaving behind a legacy of two NBA titles, three trips to the finals and countless incredible moments in LA.
Bryant scored 10 points on 4-for-13 shooting after sitting out the previous game for the Lakers, who lost their season-worst eighth straight game to drop to 9-39. Kobe hadn’t been healthy enough to suit up against the Bulls since the 2012-13 season.
Bryant knows he had a special partnership with Gasol.
Only the lopsided score likely prevented Gasol from dropping a triple-double on the Lakers after he was left off the Eastern Conference All-Star team earlier in the day.
