Golden State’s bid for 73 wins trumps Kobe Bryant’s final NBA game

It’s an unnecessary question that should come with a simple and obvious answer.

If you had tickets to see Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday against the Utah Jazz or the Golden State Warriors going for an NBA record 73 wins against the Memphis Grizzlies, which would you choose?

My feelings on Bryant and the team known as Fake Show Dead are widely known.

Call me a hater.

But let me also add, “stop the drama.”

The final hurrah of a career of winning that has now been besmirched by blowout losses and nightly embarrassments over the chance at team greatness and possible immortality?

It’s Golden State every day, all day and twice on Sunday.

Dub Nation over the Fake Show.

Again, that shouldn’t even be a question to true basketball fans and/or hoop heads.

But somehow, for some people, this is truly a debate.

Why?

This made-up, farewell tour and final game histrionics seemingly contradict everything Bryant’s career was about.

The Black Mamba built his reputation on titles, winning over everything, including friends and teammates.

Cutthroat, take-no-prisoners, ruthless Kobe is now smiling for fans in the midst of 20-point losses.

The Lake Show has turned into the Fake Show with a 16-65 record going into the season finale, second worst in the NBA, worst mark in team history.

It’s like the Harlem Globetrotters becoming the Washington Generals and Meadowlark Lemon smiling for the cameras while getting hoodwinked by the hidden ball trick he made famous.

Per advanced metrics and those who document the game, Bryant is one of the worst players in the league this season. He is the worst volume shooter. His efficiency on 2-point and 3-point field goals are at the bottom of the league and his 3-point accuracy this season might be the worst of all time for players who have attempted at least five 3s a game over the course of the season.

And you call this a proper way to say goodbye?

For the Lakers and their fans to go all in on Kobe’s retirement story is understandable considering it’s the only thing they have to sell, to seemingly feel good about.

The Lakers set a team record for losses in a season, surpassing the previous mark for futility set last season, which had just broken the record set the season before.

Yes, the past three seasons have been the worst stint in Lakers’ history.

From 16 titles to 16 wins. A dynasty in ruins.

So the Lakers have sold out for Kobe’s goodbye because it’s the only thing they have to sell.

Kobe has sold out himself, with a personal eight-man camera crew chronicling his every move.

It’s no longer about wins. It’s about the dollar.

The game is to be sold and not told, as they say in the streets.

But a true basketball fan always chooses greatness.

The Warriors are the new Lakers, the new Chicago Bulls, the new Miami Heat in terms of interest and national following and they just might be staking claim to the best team in NBA history.

They have the best player in the league on the verge of winning back-to-back MVP awards.

If they get to 73 wins and win consecutive NBA titles, they will have a rightful argument to the claim of best season and best team of all time.

You can pick who you like, but that record and the title gives them a point to counter.

This is something the young, cutthroat Kobe would appreciate and aim for.

It’s also something he would prefer to watch.

Appreciate his career. Thank him for the titles. He was truly the last of the old-school players.

But don’t patronize his legacy with thoughts of watching bad basketball over the best team in the NBA shooting for an all-time record.

History over histrionics.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 10:15 AM with the headline "Golden State’s bid for 73 wins trumps Kobe Bryant’s final NBA game."