For just one moment, forget about draft-pick stipulations and sentimental narratives: Tuesday night’s 103-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers was rock bottom for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Entering Tuesday's contest, the Sixers were 0-18, losers of 28 straight going back to last season when they beat the Denver Nuggets on March 25. They’re an intentional abomination, yet in Bryant’s final game in the city that helped mold him into a generational prodigy, they brought the Lakers to their knees.
In a month that's already provided some truly brutal moments, this specific game encapsulates what the Lakers’ season has become: a heartbreaking spectacle.