For the first time since his death on Sunday, the NBA will play in Kobe Bryant’s old neighborhood of Philadelphia. With eyes watering and noses sniffing in parts of Wells Fargo Center, the Warriors and 76ers will pay homage to a legend and then start dribbling.

If ever a game seemed tone-deaf to mood, it is this one. In this town. At this time. Even if Kobe himself would have urged every player to drain every ounce of energy – and he certainly would have – and every fan to soak in every dribble and swish of the net.

And because it’s Philly, a city with a heart of ice, that might be how it plays out in the stands.

“It’s going to be emotional,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters Monday night. “It’ll be difficult to play. We’re already in communication with the Sixers regarding ideas to commemorate Kobe’s life. So, we’ll figure that part out. But It won’t make the game any easier. I’m sure the fans here will be very emotional, given that this is his backyard.”

On the court, among the players, this game will be a test of the characteristics that shaped Kobe, making him one of the greatest athletes in history. Can the Warriors – who haven’t played since Friday – and 76ers play through undeniable pain, as he routinely did? Can they reach a level of hyper-focus, as he consistently did? Can they suppress the grief and play as if their lives were on the line?

For as much as these men want to perform at their best, thoughts of Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, are bound to invade their minds.

That’s how massive his presence was, and how much of an imprint he made on a generation.

“Even if you didn’t know Kobe, you’re grieving,” Draymond Green said.” If you thought you knew Kobe, you’re grieving. If you just watched Kobe and you’re a fan, you’re grieving. If you’re a fan of basketball, you’re grieving. And if you knew him, you’re crushed.”

Draymond is, like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, among dozens of NBA players that knew Kobe. Who had a relationship with him. Those that didn’t felt like they did. Some actually worshipped him. That’s why there have been tears before every NBA game since his death was confirmed.

Kerr plumbed the recesses of his mind searching for a comparison to what the league is feeling. He cited Magic Johnson’s November 1991 announcement that he was HIV positive, which many at the time presumed was a death sentence. Kerr then landed upon Drazen Petrovic, the electrifying Croatian guard who in July 1993 died in an auto accident at age 28.

A “shock to the league," Kerr said.

“But these things are so rare. Petrovic was an All-Star and a Hall of Fame player. Kobe was one of THE all-time greats and in the prime of his life. So, the shock is ten-fold.”

Which explains why the impact ranges well beyond the confines of basketball. Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios took the court Sunday at the Australian Open wearing Kobe’s No. 8 Lakers jersey. Soccer superstar Neymar, upon scoring a goal Sunday, held up two fingers on his right hand and four on his left to signify No. 24, Kobe’s other jersey.

As thousands gather to mourn near Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, Kobe’s presence is even looming over Super Bowl week, 2,700 miles east in Miami.

But the legend of Kobe began in Philly. It’s where he was born, the youngest of three children by Joe and Pamela Bryant. Joe is a Philadelphia native who spent the first four seasons of his eight-year NBA career playing for the 76ers. Kobe began attracting international attention for his hoops at Lower Merion High School in affluent Ardmore, 20 miles northwest of downtown Philly.

Over his final three seasons, with Kobe playing all five positions at various times, the Aces went 77-13. When he was named to the Parade All-America fourth team as a junior, Kobe came back as a senior and tore through every prep until he reached the top. Naismith High School Player of the Year and Gatorade Men’s national player of the year. He graduated at 17 and one month later he was drafted into the NBA.

Kobe was a Philly guy before he was an LA dude. He simply remained ruthless in pursuit of whatever exceeds perfection.

[RELATED: Sherman explains how Kobe's 'Mamba mentality' lives on]

So, it is in Philly that the longest weekend of this Warriors season, chronologically and emotionally, will end with a sob. They’ll play basketball, even if their minds wander elsewhere.

“It sucks,’ Green said. “I just keep catching myself sitting around and like . . . damn! It’s not real. But it is.”