Kobe Bryant was introduced at TD Garden for the last time

To Bryant, Boston was no ordinary stop on his season-long farewell tour.

While Bryant hit a few key baskets, including a key 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, the game gave the Lakers a glimpse of what the future will look like post-Kobe.

“For the second half of my career, it’s the most important piece, ” he said.

Bryant said he still gets cold sweats when he hears songs such as “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, which became a signature pregame song during the Celtics’ recent Big Three era. “It was a different animal, too, because the Celtics were struggling so it was a great opportunity for all the up-and-coming Lakers fans to come out to Boston to the game”.

“Their roster was a mixture of young players, veteran players, nasty, tough players”, Bryant said. “I don’t remember the loss as like a painful experience, I remember it as a lovely moment because it helped me find the best version of myself and my teammates”.

“As soon as I touched the ball and they booed, I was like, ‘Ah, I’m home, ‘ ” Bryant said. But what did Bryant do? “I didn’t get the start I wanted, but the finish was fine”. After Bryant grabbed a rebound, the Celtics intentionally fouled Brandon Bass, leading to Lakers and Celtics fanbases trying outduel each other with Bryant chants and jeers.

The Lakers have kicked everybody’s ass since the National Basketball Association started.

Even worse was that annoying Laker fan in front of us gesticulating and generally being a stereotypical obnoxious Kobe fan.

The image of Kobe Bryant leaping onto the stage and hoisting his Finals MVP trophy is one that I still keep in mind to this day and one I likely won’t forget.

While Bryant spent his entire 20-year career as the Celtics’ biggest rival in purple and gold, he doesn’t think his career would be the same without the franchise. Boston acquired Ray Allen and the draft rights to Glen Davis from the Seattle Sonics for forward Wally Szczerbiak, guard Delonte West and the draft rights to Jeff Green. Then its like OK, I can’t mess this up.

“Just tried to cherish it as much as possible”, he said. Cowens told me he didn’t want me. “There was a lot of pressure to not let that happen”.

“It’s been like that in every city, fortunately”, Bryant said. “I’ve always loved it. It’s a little weird, isn’t it?” Los Angeles’.700 win percentage against Boston is tied for its third-best win percentage against any opponent during this time.

First there was a good deal of prep work that I had to do.

“It’s been remarkable”, Scott said.

“Your next step in your next career is going to be something that I’m pretty sure you’re going to have to figure out”. Because when we lost (to the Celtics) in 2008, that was the turn for me. He is averaging 13.0 points (42.4 FG, 18.2 3Pt, 76.5 FT), 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.2 blocks in 31 minutes per game over the last five games, but he will continue to share play-making responsibilities with D’Angelo Russell and Lou Williams. It’s always cool when I come here. Bryant played all three of the Lakers’ road games, including a back-to-back, but won’t be on the floor in their return to Staples Center.

I respected the franchise and history so much that I worked as hard as I could in the workout.

While it seems foolish now, the Hornets claimed that they never had any intention of even drafting Bryant. After two Boston wins in the regular season, the two teams went head-to-head in their first Finals meeting since 1987.

Both teams would go on a trajectory that no one could predict at the time.