Hawks win, but all eyes on Kobe during final game in Atlanta

With the news of Kobe Bryant's retirement coming at the end of the season, all eyes were on the Black Mamba as he took the floor in Atlanta on Friday night for the last time in his career.

A large number of those eyes belonged to Lakers fans, who swarmed Philips Arena in impressive fashion as they cheered on Bryant with chants of "Ko-be, Ko-be."

Those chants were especially loud late in the third quarter when Bryant nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Laker deficit to seven points after being down 16 earlier in the quarter.

The run was brief, as the Hawks surged ahead late in the game for a 100-87 victory.

One player that guarded Bryant numerous times throughout the night was his former teammate, Kent Bazemore.

"Well I played against him for a little bit last year, and he scored seven straight points and I came out of the game, so that's my fondest memory," Bazemore said jokingly. "It's definitely challenging ... he's been aggressive."

He fared a bit better on Friday night.

"It was great," said Bazemore about facing up against Bryant. "Anytime you have a guy like that on the floor, it's just a different energy out there, especially when the game is close. You just feel his will to win. He's out to try to make plays. He hit those two big three's down the stretch. It was just huge to get them within striking distance. It's good that we can absorb that blow and make plays and get stops when it counted."

Even though Bryant was out with injury during Bazemore's short stint in Los Angeles, he still had an impact on him, as well as some stories to tell when they did come across one another.

"He would come in from time to time and talk a little trash," said Bazemore, who had 15 points off the bench in Friday night's win. "I remember we were taking the team photo that year, and he was like, 'Man I don't want to take this picture,' because it was such a bad year. That's just him.

For everything I heard before I got there, and then being around him. First day I'm there, I'm tying my shoes, and he walks in and just like the confidence and the swagger he walks with, and it's just like, 'Oh snap.' I didn't even speak; I was just so taken aback. Nonetheless, he's a great guy and tremendous competitor, and those are the things I look to take from him with his competitive spirit."

Bryant has never necessarily been a Hawk-killer like he has been to so many teams in the past. In fact, he's played the second least amount of games (28) and averaged the second least amount of points per game (22.6) against the Hawks comparing to the other 28 NBA teams. Only the Nets trail Atlanta in both of those categories. Despite that, Bryant claimed Atlanta as one of his favorite cities to play in during his career.

"I've always loved to play here," said Bryant, who finished Friday's game with 14 points. "There's always so much energy in the building. (Dominique Wilkins) has always been one of my favorite players growing up. There have been so many good players that have played here. The video tribute that they did and even the black mamba at the zoo ... that stuff is pretty darn cool."

While Bryant didn't visit Atlanta very often because of his entire career being played in the Western Conference with the Lakers, he still had some specific special memories to point out during his time in the city.

"When I first came in the league, it was fun playing against Smitty (Steve Smith), Dikembe (Mutombo), and those guys," said Bryant. "I enjoyed those moments ... and trying to go to the rim to challenge Mount Mutumbo. Those were always fun moments. I remember during one of the All-Star events (2003, Philips Arena) and Dikembe was there. My youngest daughter was with me, and I said 'That's Dikembe Mutumbo.' And she looks at him and I'm not sure if she understands who he is. 'He's one of the best defenders of all-time. Let's go say hello to him.' So we go over to him and he says, 'Hey, how are you doing?' And he put his hand out to shake her hand, and she looks at him and she goes, 'No, no, no.' And we both just fell out laughing. She knows him from the commercials ... she doesn't know him from basketball."

With Bryant's ability to think back through all of the basketball he's played and tell a detailed story from his time in Atlanta, it's no wonder why he's suggested he'd be interested in storytelling after his NBA career is finished ... Kent Bazemore would be interested in that.

"I heard he's getting into storytelling, so I'm like a little kid now," said Bazemore. "I'm gonna be sitting in front of the TV, legs crossed, just trying to hear what he says. For a guy that's done the things he's done between the years and dominated 98 percent of his career, and I still think he does. It's great. For everything he's done for the game of basketball, you know, young guys like me, giving me hope that you can be whatever you wanna be. There's no better way to go out."

Through all of the chaos since Bryant announced his decision to retire, he's seemed much more at ease while on and off the court as he enjoys his final months playing in a Laker uniform. It's something that Lakers head coach Bryon Scott has noticed in the past few days.

"His demeanor when he told me that he was going to retire after this season ... he was at such a calmness about it," said Scott. "He seemed so at peace, and I'm glad to see that in him. He's been a fierce competitor for so many years, and he's been so stoic when he's on that court, you know, so business like. It's good to see him smiling and enjoying the process of this going through his final season. And also the process of helping these young guys as well. He has gotten to be a lot lighter on the basketball court -- a lot more conversational with guys ... opponents, as well as his teammates. He smiles a lot more, and I think a lot of that is because he is definitely at peace with his decision."

All of Atlanta seemed to be at peace on Friday night as they watched one of the all-time greats play his last minutes at Philips Arena.