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After rough final outing in Philly, Kobe says he takes the bad with the good

Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Kobe Bryant has endeared himself to NBA fans, players, media members, and even the skeptics with his straightforwardness over the years. Following an emotional night in Philadelphia on Tuesday, when the soon-to-be-retired 20-year veteran had an up-and-down game in a loss to the lowly 76ers, he took the bad with the good.

Related: Philly honors Kobe: 'We knew you before the world did'

"I sincerely appreciate the bad as much as I do the good and hopefully the players coming up now understand that," Bryant told reporters following the Sixers' 103-91 win, their first in 29 games dating back to last season.

Bryant was referring to Kevin Durant's recent comments that lambasted the media for a perceived mistreatment of Kobe as he struggles on the floor though his final NBA season.

"I would never whine, 'Oh, you’re being too hard on me, please stop,'" Bryant added.

Bryant started hot Tuesday in his last game against the team his father played for, hitting three treys in the first two minutes. It was mostly downhill from there, however - but not before he sensed the young 76ers were fearful at becoming a historical note like the 2005-06 Toronto Raptors.

Bryant has been perfectly honest about his limitations this season, at one point lamenting that he "sucked." At Tuesday's postgame press conference - which was apparently somewhat bizarre - he even opened with a little sarcasm.

"That was some beautiful basketball," he said of his 4-of-17 performance from beyond the arc.

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