Brooklyn Crowd Cheers for Kobe Bryant as the All-Star Leads Lakers in Victory

When Lakers’ Kobe Bryant stepped to the free throw line Tuesday night with 1:19 to play in the first half of L.A.’s 92-83 win over the Nets, he heard a familiar “M-V-P!” chant from the crowd.

He hears it all the time at Staples Center, the Lakers’ home court. Never in an opponents’ building. And the serenade began again late as he made three big plays – two on offense and one on defense – to carry the Lakers to victory in his first game in Brooklyn.