Kobe .... Of The Opera?

last night, the Los Angeles Lakers played the Minnesota Timberwolves in LA and La Mamba Negro was doing his best Rip Hamilton impression by sporting a mask to cover his all star weekend battle wound.  in case you missed it, here are some pictures of Kobe Bryant starring as The Phantom of the Staples Center.  (enter soft organ music now)

night time sharpens, heightens each sensation ....

darkness stirs and wakes imagination .....

silently the senses abandon their defenses helpless to resist the notes I write .....

help me make the music of the night!  .... aaaaaand CRESCENDO! 

mask and all, he ended the night with 31 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 1 steal.  and no I did not write those lyrics from memory except for the ones I couldn't remember so I made them up.  no ways did any of that just happen.