Between the 2015-16 Kobepalooza Tour rocking its star's impending retirement on his last visit to the Timberwolves' gym (8 p.m. ET on League Pass) and Kevin Garnett counting down in his return as the Wolves' Obi-Wan in residence, the past 20 years should get as much attention as the night's 48 minutes. Hopefully Father Time will be relegated to a seat in the upper bowl, present but ideally uninvolved in the performance on the floor.

Across the two decades Bryant and Garnett have shared in the NBA, they have been linked in so many ways -- and differentiated in a very big one that's making itself known all over again.

They share the preps-to-pros thing, obviously, Garnett opening the door again in 1995 and Bryant throwing it open a year later. With all the money made through all the years by all the NBA's players, they reportedly rank 1-2 in career on-court earnings (Garnett an estimated $335 million through this season, Bryant $328 million). Even the way we refer to them has an alliterative link, Kobe on a first-name basis, K.G. in the simplest shorthand.

Drill down just one level to their best-known nicknames, though, and the difference between them starts to emerge. Black Mamba vs. Big Ticket. One signifying Bryant's lethal mentality and killer game, the other Garnett's three-ring circus of ooh-and-ahh skills and versatility.

That's the backdrop against which each is taking or nearly taking a final lap this season. Bryant, 37, who made it official Nov. 30 that he will retire at the end of this season, has found it tougher to age gracefully because he always was The Man; becoming The Old Man under the glare of that same spotlight hasn't been forgiving.

Garnett, 39, who will slip away either this spring or next, never wanted to be The Man. Going geezer, as a result, has been less awkward and wrinkles-revealing.