Welcome to Thursday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
THURSDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL playoffs: Flyers at Capitals, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Islanders at Panthers, 8 p.m. (CNBC)
NHL playoffs: Wild at Stars, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Sharks at Kings, 10:30 p.m. (CNBC)
MLB: Tigers at Pirates, 12:35 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Yankees at Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. (MLB Network)
AROUND THE WEB:
— A miserable season ended on a positive note for retiring Lakers star Kobe Bryant, as he scored 60 points and helped his team to a rare victory — and a 15-point comeback at that.
Bryant started slow but heated up late, scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 31 seconds remaining as Los Angeles posted a 101-96 victory over the Jazz.
“The perfect ending would have been a championship,” Bryant said. “But tonight was [me] trying to go out, play hard and try to put on a show as much as I possibly could. It felt good to be able to do that one last time.”
With his teammates feeding him the ball as often as possible, Bryant took a career-high 50 shots in 42 minutes and finished with the fifth-highest-scoring game of his career.
“It just didn’t surprise me, the way he would go out,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “Sixty points wasn’t a surprise. I knew he had it in him.”
After the game — the Lakers’ 17th win of the season, the team’s worst record in franchise history, his teammates sprayed him with champagne in the locker room. Bryant said he didn’t care for that, saying: “That’s only for championships.”
Bryant, just the fifth player to play 20 NBA seasons and the first to do it all with one team, thanked the fans in a ceremony after the game.
“I think the most important part is that we all stayed together throughout,” Bryant told the crowd. “You’ll always be in my heart, and I sincerely, sincerely appreciate it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you guys.”
— Johnny Manziel’s behavior is so bad that even Drew Rosenhaus is fed up with him.
The controversial agent told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he gave Manziel an ultimatum: Get help or get a new agent.
“I have terminated the standard representation with Johnny Manziel in the hopes of helping him get the treatment I believe he needs,” said Rosenhaus, who is Manziel’s second agent this offseason. “I have informed him that if he takes the immediate steps I have outlined for him that I will rescind the termination and continue to represent him. Otherwise the termination will become permanent. There is a five-day window for me to rescind the termination. I’m hoping he takes the necessary steps to get his life back on track.”
During an interview with a TMZ reporter outside a Hollywood nightclub on Saturday night, Manziel said he had been out five or six nights last week.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with partying, bro,” said Manziel, who wore out his welcome with the Browns and was released last month. “There’s a difference between partying and being out of control.”
Meanwhile, TMZ reported Tuesday that Manziel apparently was involved in a hit-and-run accident that night. Manziel and his friend Ryan Silverstein — said to be the driver — allegedly left the scene after hitting a light pole and were picked up by Josh Gordon, the suspended Browns wide receiver with whom Manziel has been living. They later returned, and police are investigating.
— According to multiple reports, George Karl will be fired as coach of the Kings, who ended another frustrating season Wednesday night with a blowout loss to the Rockets.
“This year has been crazy, but it’s always been rewarding,” Karl told reporters before Wednesday night’s game in Houston. “That’s what coaching is. You never know what hand you’re going to be dealt, even in good times when you’re winning more than what you did last year. You still have nightmares. You still have headaches. You still have ego problems. You still have attitude problems.
“The whole thing about it is solving them and moving on, and this team has never given up and has fought in a pretty impressive way through a lot of turmoil.
Celtics legend Kevin McHale reportedly is one of the names being discussed as a replacement, along with Vinny Del Negro and Mark Jackson. ESPN reports that the Kings also have interest in Tom Thibodeau and Scotty Brooks, but those two are expected to be pursued aggressively by other teams as well.
The Kings, who will move into a new arena next season, posted the most wins in eight years but missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive time. They’ve already had eight coaches since the 2006-07 season, the most in the league during that time.
Karl, 64, ranks fifth on the NBA’s all-time coaching wins list, amassing a 1,175-823 record (before Wednesday’s game) with six teams.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On April 14, 1967, in his major league debut, Red Sox left-hander Billy Rohr took a no-hitter into the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Which Yankee broke it up with a two-out single?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s a great way to finish off what was an amazing regular season. I just told our guys I never in a million years would have guessed that that record would ever be broken. I thought it was like DiMaggio’s hit streak, really. I was wrong, but I will say the same thing now that I said 20 years ago, ‘I don’t think this one will ever be broken.’ Somebody’s got to go 74-8. I don’t see it, and I hope our fans aren’t expecting that next year.” — Warriors coach Steve Kerr, after his team finished with an NBA-record 73-9 record following Wednesday’s 125-104 win over the Grizzlies
STAT OF THE DAY: 26 — Points by which the Celtics trailed the Heat on Wednesday before rallying for a 98-88 victory — the biggest comeback win in the NBA this season
‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): With two outs in the 10th inning of a tie game, Dae-Ho Lee rips a two-run home run to give the Mariners a walk-off win over the Rangers.
Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor has a little fun when a foul ball gets stuck in a catwalk at Tropicana Field.
Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes leaps into the stands in a vain attempt to catch a foul ball against the Marlins.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Elston Howard, who would be traded to Boston later in the season
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Loretta Lynn was born on this day in 1932.