Did Utah Jazz players go easy on Kobe Bryant during his final 60-point NBA game?

After playing 20 years in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant retired in 2016. He played his last game against the Utah Jazz, finishing with a score of 60 points while going 83.3% from the free-throw line. While Bryant's final performance is remembered for his 60-point game, many reports claimed that the Utah Jazz team might have let Bryant score on purpose. Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others lost their lives in a helicopter crash on January 26. 

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Kobe Bryant last game: Did the Kobe Bryant 60 points game happen because Utah Jazz players let him score?

While many reports have hinted at the Utah Jazz team letting Bryant score as much as he could, Mike Tirico spoke about Bryant's final game on the Ryen Rusillo podcast a few days after his death. According to Tirico, Jazz's Gordon Hayward stepped into the lane during Bryant's second free throw. If Bryant missed, Howard's violation would have given the five-time NBA champion another chance to take a shot. However, Hayward tweeted about the incident and denied doing so. 

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