Story by K.L. Chouinard
Follow K.L. on Twitter at @klchouinard
ATLANTA - Trae Young gave his mom an extra-long hug after his pregame shooting session. Lloyd Pierce remembered his late cousin. Vince Carter wiped away tears during the National Anthem.
Sunday was a difficult day to play a basketball game as NBA players and coaches, like millions around the world, mourned the loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi following a helicopter crash in California.
Vince Carter, who met 15-year-old Kobe when they were AAU teammates, took note of the reactions of his teammates, many of whom were too young to remember the first half of Kobe's career.