The tragic Kobe Bryant news brought all kinds of memories to all kinds of people. Kobe wasn’t just a world icon we saw on television. He was a world icon who came to Oklahoma City once or twice a year for a decade, and he twice played playoff series against the Thunder.
The Thunder-Laker showdowns were staged in 2010 and 2012. Playoffs are interesting, because you interact with the same people over and over. Damian Lillard last April? I became a big fan, and not just because he can drain a 37-footer to win a series. Lillard was a total professional with the way he dealt with people.