While the 2015-16 season will mark Kobe Bryant's last, it will also mark the worst season in franchise history.
When the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Los Angeles Clippers for the second consecutive game on Wednesday night, it meant that the team would finish with at least 62 losses, a franchise record.
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Over the course of Bryant's 17 first seasons, the Lakers won five championships and missed the playoffs just once. Over the past three years, the team has consistently been worse with each passing season. Los Angeles finished with just 27 wins in 2013-14 and 21 wins in 2014-15.
Through all of the losing, how exactly does the five-time champion feel about this string of losing seasons?
Via Baxter Holmes of ESPN:
“It's hard for people to understand this, but losing is losing. You either win a championship or you're shit. It's very black and white to me … you either win a championship or you're in the same boat we're in.”
That's the Mamba we all know and love right there. Titles or nothing.
Despite this, the Lakers legend plans on giving a show to the fans over the course of his last few games in the NBA:
“I just try to get my body ready as much as possible to try to give the fans what they want for these last few games. And God willing, I'm healthy and I can move and I can play well enough and I can give them what they came to see one more time.”
For most NBA fans and players, it's difficult seeing a legend such as Bryant end his career this way. While it rarely ends pretty for most athletes, this is a pretty extreme situation as the Lakers are not only not contending for the playoffs, they are the second-worst team in the league.
While we can harp on the negatives, it's probably best that we focus on the next four games of Bryant's career—because they'll be his last.
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