Kobe Bryant News

Lakers dump Bulls 108-93
"Pau Gasol made his season debut Thursday night. An argument could be made that Derrick Rose did too. Rallying from a brutal first half that mirrored his season-long struggles, Rose rallied with 16 of his team-high 20 points in the second half of the Bulls' 108-93 loss to the Lakers Thursday night at Staples Center. Rose has flashed glimpses of promise previously this season, most notably the fourth quarters of the Nov. 3 and Nov. 5 victories over the Bucks and Cavaliers, respectively. But if the Bulls are to take the next step this season -- and rebound from a game in which they clearly were outclassed by the defending NBA champions -- they'll need more performances like Rose's second half ..."
Lakers have no shot in loss; Bryant nursing groin injury
"It wasn't so much the sights that were so strangely unfamiliar Sunday night at Staples Center, but there also were the sounds. There were long stretches of uncomfortable silence, followed by audible grumbling and, finally, boos. Waves of discontent washed over the out of sync Lakers as they turned in a second consecutive clunker and fell with a thud to the opportunistic Houston Rockets 101-91 in front of a confused sellout crowd of 18,997. The normal rhythm of the Lakers' game was absent. They shot a miserable 38.1 percent (32 for 84). They were hammered on the boards by the shorter Rockets, 60-38. They couldn't stop speedy guard Aaron Brooks, who torched them for a career-high 33 points ..."
Magic, Kobe stand tallest in Lakers' dream backcourt
"Imagine a Lakers' backcourt of Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant. Close your eyes for a few seconds and envision the Magic Man pounding the rock on the fast break, his eyes darting, options all over the place and on the wing is Bryant, out-running everyone to make sure he's in Johnson's line of sight for one of those signature passes. Yeah, it's just a dream, but as we celebrate the Lakers' 50th anniversary of producing magical moments in Los Angeles, of producing some of the best basketball players the NBA has ever seen, the best Lakers' guard duo would have to be Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant. Sure, one can easily substitute Jerry West, or perhaps even Gail Goodrich or Byron Scott, into the ..."
Kobe arrives, but then again he has always been here
"This article was originally published June 16, 2009 and is part of the new book "Los Angeles Lakers: 50 Amazing Years in the City of Angels" by the Los Angeles Times sports staff. You can purchase the book online here. Remember Shaq and Kobe? Now it's Kobe and Shaq Actually, they're tied with four NBA titles apiece, but there's no doubt whose time this is . . . finally . . . with Kobe Bryant, who's 30 to Shaquille O'Neal's 37, on a young powerhouse, as opposed to being shopped around the league. The Lakers won more than a title Sunday, which ranked with such watershed moments as the first one they won in Los Angeles in 1972; their first with Magic Johnson in 1980; and their first over the ..."
Bryant, Lakers burn Hornets
"Hornets Coach Byron Scott and guard Devin Brown are frequent golfing companions, sparking the obvious question to both Sunday night. Was Brown beating Scott on the links? Why else would Scott choose this, of all nights, to toss Brown into a potential inferno, making him the starting two guard against the Los Angeles Lakers and their other-worldly shooting guard Kobe Bryant. The query elicited laughs from both. But by game's end, Brown and the rest of the unsmiling Hornets had been torched by Bryant's 28 points -- 26 in the first half -- as the Lakers ran away to a 104-88 victory at the Staples Center, where the Hornets will play the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. Scott made the move to ..."
Contract extension for Kobe is in holding pattern
"Kobe Bryant has not signed a contract extension. In fact, it might not happen at all this season. The Lakers guard is under contract until July 2011, but he seems to be in no hurry to extend his deal. The Lakers have offered Bryant the maximum money he could earn. On top of the total of $47.8 million he is scheduled to make this season and next, he can sign a three-year extension worth $86 million to $91 million more, depending on NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011. Such a move would keep him with the Lakers through the 2013-14 sea- son. But Bryant, 31, was tight-lipped when asked about the absence of an extension."
Bryant finds going to work is easier
"Kobe Bryant is averaging a league-leading 34.5 points through the season's first six games, on pace for his highest scoring average since 2005-06. He has scored 41 points three times in the past four games, including in back-to-back games. This is easier for Bryant, however. This isn't nearly as much work as when he averaged 35.4 four seasons ago, when it was mandatory that he do all the heavy lifting if the Lakers were to have a chance to win. For starters, he doesn't have to work as hard to get his shots. Four years ago, he had to create his own scoring opportunities, often dribbling past defender after defender to get his shots. Now, he settles comfortably into the offensive scheme. So ..."
Bryant still way short of NBA's top scoring honor
"Kobe Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to score 24,000 points Friday night. He passed Allen Iverson for 16th on the league's all-time scoring list. Bryant now has a total of 24,027 points during his 14-year career. Still, he's 14,360 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time record of 38,387. Abdul-Jabbar accomplished his feat over a 20-year career. He retired at 42. Bryant is 31 and might have to play until he's 40-something to surpass Abdul-Jabbar to be the NBA's scoring king. "The question is, do I want to play until I'm 40?" Bryant said after practice Saturday. "That's the question.""
Kobe Bryant's 41 points lift Lakers by Grizzlies, 114-98
"Lakers guard Kobe Bryant dunks against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half Friday. Bryant scored 41 points while becoming the youngest player to reach 24,000. Promises to play something that resembles defense. Now, the guy who writes the checks is about to have his say. Michael Heisley, the Grizzlies' Chicago-based owner, flew to town Friday in time to watch his team lose 114-98 to the Los Angeles Lakers in Staples Center. But Heisley isn't in Los Angeles for a leisurely weekend getaway. He joined the team for the expressed purpose of addressing some of the team's problems. Heisley will have several meetings, including a sit-down with Iverson, today with the goal of trying to get ..."
Kobe, Lakers have Grizzlies' number
"No Andrew Bynum, no Pau Gasol and, really, no big deal. There might have been issues had the Lakers played Boston or Orlando, but they caught a break in the schedule after catching none on the injury front, and were able to beat the hapless Memphis Grizzlies, 114-98, Friday at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant scored 41 points and Ron Artest had 19 as the short-staffed Lakers awoke in the second half to improve to 5-1. Bynum didn't play because of a strained right elbow and Gasol was sidelined for a sixth consecutive game by a strained right hamstring, though they weren't missed against a Memphis team that fell to 1-5."
Bryant makes history again
"There were two milestones for Kobe Bryant on Friday night during the Lakers' 114-98 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center. By scoring 41 points, Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 24,000 points. And he passed Allen Iverson for 16th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Bryant has 24,027 points in his 14-year career. Friday night marked the third time this week Bryant has scored 41 points in a game. He did so against Atlanta on Sunday and Houston on Wednesday. Bryant made 19 of 30 field-goal attempts against Memphis. Iverson, who now plays for Memphis, had just eight points. The Lakers looked more serious tonight in the third quarter, much more ..."
Bryant, Artest daunting pair for Lakers
"His back ached, and his throat was sore, but as he trudged off to a hot shower after the Lakers' overtime road victory over the Thunder on Tuesday night, Kobe Bryant turned and offered some advice to the Spurs' Manu Ginobili. "If he sees another bat flying around the arena," he said, "he needs to swat that one out of the air, just like last time." Those rabies shots Ginobili now must endure were the price of sending a message to anyone, or anything, posing a threat to the game. "We're trying to play basketball out there," Bryant said. "You just can't let anything interrupt that." Not even a high fever that temporarily triggered swine flu fears kept Bryant from playing 46 minutes and ..."
Lakers win, but Bynum leaves game with an elbow sprain
"The Lakers won another game but might have lost another big man. Pau Gasol is a little closer to returning, but Andrew Bynum was injured toward the end of the Lakers' 103-102 overtime victory Wednesday over the Houston Rockets. Bynum was fouled hard across his right arm while going up for a shot and sustained a sprained elbow with 24.7 seconds left in overtime. He will be re-evaluated today in Los Angeles. "I can't even lift my arm right now," Bynum said. "They just took a shot at me. That's that, I guess. It's not that bad. It just takes a little while to heal up." Anybody ready for Lamar Odom at center? On the day that Gasol was cleared to resume basketball-related activities, the Lakers ..."
High praise from Kobe Bryant
"Kevin Durant missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation against the Lakers on Tuesday night. He was 0-of-4 from the field in overtime and 0-of-8 on 3-pointers as Los Angeles won 101-98. But Kobe Bryant says the 2008 Rookie of the Year will be just fine. Asked if he had any advice for Durant, Bryant smiled. "He don't need no advice," Bryant said. "That (guy) is good enough already." Kobe plays sick Bryant had a temperature Monday night after the Lakers arrived in Oklahoma City. He skipped the shootaround Tuesday afternoon. Wrapped in towels over his head and upper body after the game, Bryant said he wasn't nearly as sick as when he had the stomach flu ..."
Lakers' Pau Gasol out against Thunder; Kobe Bryant misses shootaround in OKC
"The Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, will not play tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder or on Wednesday against Houston. Lakers star Kobe Bryant, the 2008 league MVP, skipped the Lakers' shootaround Tuesday afternoon at the Ford Center, reportedly with flu-like symptoms."
Kobe Bryant ill, could miss tonight's game
"Lakers guard Kobe Bryant did not attend the team shoot-around this morning because of flu-like symptoms that included a fever. It is not known if he will play tonight, though he has played through worse ailments. "He usually does," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said."
Kobe Bryant leads Lakers in opener
"The Lakers added a diamond-encrusted bookend to last season's playoff run, receiving their glitzy championship rings and unveiling a new celebratory banner in front of a keyed-up Staples Center crowd. Putting the finishing touches on the Clippers proved to be much more difficult. The Lakers had habitually bullied their down-the-hall neighbors the last two seasons, winning eight consecutive games against them by an average of 22 points. Then came Tuesday, where a pregame testimony to success turned into a reminder that this was an entirely new season. The Lakers eventually won, 99-92, in front of fans whose energy dropped dramatically after the opening festivities, only to recover in the ..."
Jackson promises peace vs. Bryant
"Warriors swingman Stephen Jackson promises there won't be any drama between him and Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant when the two match up tonight in Ontario. "I guarantee you I won't feed into the nonsense," Jackson said after Monday's practice. "Because I know if it comes down to it, if we had a real fight, I know what would happen. So I'm just going to leave it alone and go out there and play basketball." The last time Jackson and Bryant matched up, on Oct. 9 at the Forum in Los Angeles, Jackson wound up getting suspended for two games after a run-in with coach Don Nelson. Tonight, though, Nelson won't be on the sidelines. He's with his wife, Joy, in Southern California after her ..."
Jackson also dislikes teammates, refs, Kobe
"Warriors coach Don Nelson said Wednesday that he wouldn't be offering daily updates on Stephen Jackson's mood, but that didn't stop the disgruntled swingman from spouting off once again. A day after abandoning his captaincy, speaking of a strained relationship with Nelson and reiterating that he wants out of Golden State, Jackson went a step further. He called out his teammates for the first time this season. "Nobody reacted but me, so the team didn't have a reaction," Jackson said after practice Wednesday, referring to his emotionally charged matchup with Kobe Bryant on Friday. "It was only me standing up for myself. I don't think anybody else stood up for me. "But if the shoe were on the ..."
Shooting commercial, Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose soaks up Kobe (Bryant) Karma
"The cameras were rolling. The good-natured trash talk was flying. And the video game commercial was nearing completion earlier this month in Los Angeles. Derrick Rose says he didn't want the experience to end. Humble to a fault, Rose still doesn't picture himself worthy of rubbing elbows with the game's elite. So the second-year Bulls guard had an ulterior motive to sharing a set with Kobe Bryant. "When you're around people like that, of course you can learn a lot," Rose said Sunday following practice. "How they manage themselves, how they eat, how they treat people, how they take care of their business, how hard they work, how they act all day. "If Kobe's not the most competitive person ..."
Kobe, Shaq to face off Christmas Day
"The NBA's marquee matchup, once again on Christmas Day, will be the Kobe versus Shaq show. The Lakers will play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with their new center and a familiar face, Shaquille O'Neal, and LeBron James, on Dec. 25 at Staples Center in a 2 p.m. game, according to the NBA regular-season schedule that was released Tuesday. It's the fourth time in the six seasons since the Lakers traded O'Neal that they have a game scheduled against their former star on Christmas. This season's holiday game has plenty of story lines, including Bryant versus James, a matchup that many deemed inevitable in the NBA Finals last season, and for this December game may likely yield more Nike ..."
Bryant discusses future at basketball camp for kids
"Kobe Bryant looked rested and happy Monday, the stress and pressure of trying to win an NBA title had all but faded. Yet the Lakers star already was looking ahead to next season, figuring out how the team can improve as a team, what challenges lie ahead and avoiding the temptation to rest on their success. "Now the thing is about getting better and winning another one," Bryant said before starting his annual girls and boys basketball camp at Loyola Marymount. "For us as a team, it's always about how do we improve. That's going to be the focus next season, that is pushing my teammates to continually get better." Bryant said it's too early to tell whether the acquisition of Ron Artest ..."
Bryant a happy camper with Lakers
"He has passed 30, won his championship without Shaquille O'Neal, and solidified his place among the all-time greats. But by the end of this month, Kobe Bryant has an opportunity to do something even he thought was next to impossible: Retire as a Laker. Two years ago, he said he'd rather play on Pluto than continue to wear the purple and gold. Three seasons before that, he opted out of his contract to become a free agent and nearly signed with the Clippers. And in his younger years, the Lakers themselves entertained the idea of trading their sometimes petulant young star. But like all good marriages, the relationship has grown deeper with age. Bryant said Monday that it would be a ..."
Lakers get Artest; Ariza agrees with Rockets
"In a free-agent swap of forwards, the Lakers reached an agreement with Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest and the Rockets have reached agreement with Trevor Ariza, The Times has learned. Artest met with Lakers executives throughout the day and agreed to terms of about $18 million over three years. Ariza agreed to a five-year deal with the Rockets for about $33 million, roughly the same that the Lakers had offered in their effort to retain him. "I had to do what was best for me and family," Ariza said. "I am happy with my decision. I'm glad this all worked out. The Rockets are going to give me a chance to improve my game and that's all you can ask for." Ariza's agent, David Lee, said the ..."
Kobe grants the Lakers a stay
"The annual free-agent scramble began for the Lakers when their most important player decided not to be part of it. Kobe Bryant elected not to terminate the final two years of his contract and was expected to sign a three-year extension sometime this month. Bryant would make a guaranteed $47.8 million over the next two years and could earn another $86 million to $91 million with the extension, depending on NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011. There was optimism that the sides would reach agreement, one source familiar with the situation calling it "a layup" but declining to speak further about specifics. Under terms of the extension, the earliest Bryant could opt out again would ..."
Kobe Bryant and Lakers: Return of the kings?
"The last of the Lakers completed their exit meetings Friday with their coach and general manager, but not before providing a triple-barrel blast of hope for the future as everybody went their separate ways for the summer. Kobe Bryant re-emphasized that he would return to the Lakers, Coach Phil Jackson said he would too if a series of upcoming medical tests went well, and General Manager Mitch Kupchak said he was "hopeful" that unrestricted free-agent forwards Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza would be back. Still basking in the glow of the franchise's 15th championship, the Lakers peered into the future and universally liked what they saw. Bryant can terminate his contract and look at other ..."
Bryant says (sort of) that he'll be back
"Three days after the championship, it was time for the celebration. But for many Lakers fans, the biggest reward Wednesday was the strong hint dropped by Kobe Bryant. Coming off his first MVP performance in the NBA Finals, Bryant exuberantly shared thoughts of his future among cheering fans at the Lakers' championship rally. "Where am I going to go?" he said into a microphone when asked if he would stay with the Lakers. "This is my home." Bryant was speaking in front of a packed crowd at the Coliseum, the end point for a celebratory parade that began Wednesday at 11:22 a.m. at Staples Center. Bryant, 30, can become an unrestricted free agent next month by terminating his Lakers contract ..."
Bryant gets a king's welcome from Conan
"NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant had a gift for "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien when he appeared on the show Wednesday night -- game-worn signed sneakers. O'Brien's gift to Bryant: He stole a 25-foot-tall golden statue of a pharaoh from the Universal Studios lot and put it in his studio to make Bryant "feel like a king." Straight out of 'The Ten Commandments,' " Bryant said of the statue. Bryant told O'Brien he wanted this championship so much because of the way the Lakers exited last year's Finals against Boston. "It's incredible to see all that work, all that intensity, come to fruition," Bryant said. "It's awesome." Bryant also said Coach Phil Jackson had the Lakers meditate before games. ..."
Kobe Bryant haters unfazed by logic
"Kobe Bryant won another title the other day. It was his fourth - same as Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. That has to drive the haters mad. The Bryant bashers are legion and have been since he roamed the halls at Lower Merion. I went to a rival high school, and I remember my fellow students screaming ridiculous things at him while he punished our basketball team. They called him dumb and chanted "SAT" even though he speaks Italian and reportedly did quite well on his college entrance exams. They said he was a "ball hog" and a "loser," then watched him crush the competition and lead Lower Merion to a state title.None of it made any sense. It didn't then, and it doesn't now. They seemed to ..."
Without a signature move, Kobe wins a title
"His signature. That's all this game lacked now. Just Kobe Bryant's name written - spectacularly, no less - one final time in this imperfectly perfect season. So, with the Lakers' 99-86 victory waning Sunday and the franchise's 15th NBA title secured, Bryant went hunting for his signature shot. This was the Lakers' championship, but this was Bryant's crown. This was his team - repeat his team - like never before, his greatest triumph about to come free of Shaq's shackles. His signature. That's all that remained. But Bryant missed a 3-pointer, the darn thing teasing him by rimming out with barely four minutes left. Then he missed another, Bryant unable to make the wildly overmatched J.J. ..."
Lakers, Kobe on top of the world
"Lakers co-captain Derek Fisher remembers the date they arrived for training camp: Sept. 30. On that date, Fisher recalled, "We were still frustrated. We were still angry." Beginning that day, every day through Sunday, the Lakers had one goal on their mind and in their huddle. All season long, they yelled as the broke their huddle: "One, two, three … ring!" Now, everything pent up from the 2008 NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics has been released. The Lakers beat the Orlando Magic, 99-86, in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals, the Moet"
Expect more from Kobe
"Listening to Stewart Scott ask Kobe Bryant about his motivation last night made me laugh. Bryant, who played like man possessed as the Los Angeles Lakers nailed down the NBA championship with a 99-86 win over Orlando, seems beyond motivation. But it's a fairly easy conclusion that he wanted the fourth ring to match the career total of former teammate Shaquille O'Neal, and the first he's won without the gigantic center at his back. And lest anyone think Bryant's motivation will ebb at age 31, remember two names: Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Magic won five rings with the Showtime Lakers in the 80s; Michael won six with the Chicago Bulls in the 90s. Kobe owns this decade, but he's not ..."
NBA finals buzzt imagine playing elsewhere
"Don't expect Kobe exit What's next for Kobe Bryant now that he's won another NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers? Apparently not free agency. Bryant can become a free agent after this season, but he said Saturday his status "won't be an issue." Asked if he could imagine playing for anyone other than the Los Angeles Lakers next year, Bryant simply said, "No." Though he never said he wouldn't become a free agent, Bryant acted as if he wasn't even aware of his option to put himself on the market in July. Reminded he could terminate his contract, Bryant said, "I have no idea what you're talking about." Worth the price Lakers coach Phil Jackson said team owner Jerry Buss doesn't usually come ..."
Lakers' Kobe, Phil embrace their moment in history
"It was a long embrace. A decade in the making. First close, then with arms outstretched and smiles wide, both men taking a moment to savor the journey they had taken together and the legacy they completed moments earlier. There were other hugs as the Lakers won their 15th NBA championship with a 99-86 victory over the Orlando Magic on a wild Sunday night in sticky Central Florida. There were other smiles, other men who had reached a peak life experience, but none were as sweet as the long embrace shared by Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant as they carved their place in the history books together. Jackson now stands tallest among NBA coaches, a 10th championship ring placing him one ahead of ..."
Bryant can't imagine leaving Lakers
"It might reassure Lakers fans to hear directly that Kobe Bryant is not going anywhere. Asked before practice Saturday if he could imagine playing for anyone but the Lakers next season, Bryant said: "No." Bryant can opt out of his contract this summer, but his indication has been that he will not. Even if he does, he is expected to re-sign with the Lakers. Asked if he's shooting for Michael Jordan's six championships, Bryant said: "I'm just really happy to be in this moment right now and just trying to get this fourth one." Bryant won three consecutive championships in 2000-02 before a drought hit. "This one is special because you rarely have the opportunity to get back up to the mountain ..."
Bryant can't imagine playing for anyone but Lakers next season
"Kobe Bryant can terminate his contract with the Lakers and become an unrestricted free agent July 1, which means it's possible he could be playing his final game in purple and gold tonight in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It's possible, but probably not likely. Bryant could opt out of his deal, then sign a longer, more lucrative contract with the Lakers, the only team for which he has played since the Charlotte (now New Orleans) Hornets drafted and then traded him in the summer of 1996. Asked point blank Saturday afternoon if he could imagine playing for anyone besides the Lakers next season, Bryant said simply, "No." Bryant did all he could to avoid answering other questions about his future. ..."
Nike sticks with LeBron James puppet for Finals
"Elimination beckoned, and we all figured we knew what that meant. The run was over, here comes summer vacation, it's time to go fishing. Except the Nike puppets didn't go away. Even without LeBron James in the NBA Finals, Nike continues to run ads with the LeBron and Kobe Bryant puppets, playing on the theme that Kobe made the Finals and LeBron has to stay home baby-sitting the little kid next door, Lil Dez. In fact, the new ads have proliferated like rabbits, becoming YouTube staples and reaching the anchor desk on ESPN's "SportsCenter," with puppet LeBron and puppet Kobe plugging two brand names at once. "It really wasn't about pitting Kobe versus LeBron in the Finals for us," Nike ..."
Bryant, Fisher carry Lakers
"The Los Angeles Lakers seized control of the NBA Finals last night, and they worked overtime to do it. Kobe Bryant scored 32 points and added eight assists as the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic, 99-91. Los Angeles leads the best-of-seven series, three games to one, with Game 5 set for Sunday night at Orlando's Amway Arena. In the overtime session, Lakers guard Derek Fisher made a 27-foot three-pointer with 31.3 seconds left to give the Lakers a 94-91 lead. Pau Gasol followed with a breakaway dunk to put the Magic away. Fisher made a tying three-pointer with 4.6 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 87 and force overtime. Mickael Pietrus of the Magic missed a jumper as time expired, ..."
Hey Kobe, Smile! You're Winning
"Scowling Kobe. Seething Kobe. Elbow-to-Superman's-Throat Kobe. So-singularly-focused-it's-frightening Kobe. All these new incarnations of the world's most breathtaking, if polarizing, basketball player look convincing after this war of a Game 4. But these Mamba-is-Mad Finals, starring that suddenly mean-mugging star in purple and gold -- the self-proclaimed "Black Mamba" -- don't engender much feel-good emotion for the Kobester. It's hard to argue with his methods after Shaquille O'Neal's one-time little brother has reached the precipice of his fourth NBA championship, and his first as a leading man. But with all the grimacing and frowning and cold stares the past week, this whole ..."
Kobe Bryant is almost like Mike
"While I was watching Kobe Bryant the other night, it occurred to me that, in essence, I was watching a tribute band. You probably have heard of groups that try to copy rock stars' music, clothes and accessories, right down to the commemorative hookahs. There are, for example, faux Beatles and cloned Doors out there trying to make a living on the road. Bryant could be the best player in NBA history, but he never will be looked at that way for one simple reason. You can't out-Michael Jordan Michael Jordan. The tribute band imagery isn't completely fair. When he retires, Bryant will walk away as one of the five best players ever to have laced on a pair of gym shoes. He's not a pale imitation ..."
To Kobe Bryant, fatigue talk in NBA Finals gets tired fast
"Between Team USA and the Lakers, Kobe Bryant has been playing basketball around the clock and around the globe for the better part of the last three seasons. But while his hoops calendar has been full since 2007, and he's been playing heavy minutes in recent weeks, Bryant is claiming that his gas tank is not on empty, despite the fact that he badly faded down the stretch of the Lakers' Game 3 loss in the Finals Tuesday night. Bryant's endurance and fourth-quarter production will be one of the major storylines tonight when the Magic tries to tie the series at 2. He has played at least 40 minutes in eight out of the last nine games - averaging 42 minutes a night, with those nine games being ..."
Delayed entry - Bad NBA idea is getting schooled
"If the NBA Finals have taught us anything, it's that attending college to learn how to play basketball is somewhere between vastly overrated and downright stupid. Exhibit A: Dwight Howard. Exhibit B: Kobe Bryant. "I don't think going to college would have helped me," Howard said Wednesday. At age 23, Howard is convinced learning on the job in the NBA turned him into Superman quicker than eating pizza in a college dorm room. Maybe he has a point. Howard owns an Olympic gold medal, drives a Rolls-Royce and takes home an annual salary of $13.8 million to his 11,000-square-foot mansion. "Well," I suggested, "you're obviously richer for being here . . ." Faster than a speeding bullet, Superman ..."
Kobe Bryant's closer role doesn't make sense
"There are times -- it often happens when tiny Tim Kurkjian is talking on TV -- when it is incredibly easy to despise baseball for its convoluted statistics and overly specialized roles for its players. Nothing against Kurkjian, who by all accounts is a saint and appears to do more research on a daily basis than most Supreme Court justices have in their careers. But the sport just appears to be unnecessarily specific unlike any other game. Then there are the rare times when other major sports could use some of baseball's strict organization. That may never be more true than when Kobe Bryant is playing and the entire world mindlessly calls him ''the best closer in the game,'' and expects us ..."
Kobe Bryant shows many faces, but is this finally his time?
"Kobe or not Kobe . . . I've covered Kobe Bryant for 13 years and I may have used that line for 10 of them. I only hope I thought it up -- or, actually, adapted it from "Hamlet" -- as opposed to copping it from someone who got it from "Hamlet." With Kobe, that always was the question, too, and it hasn't been answered to this day: Is this his time, and if it isn't, will it ever come? Actually, it came in Game 3 of the Lakers-Magic NBA Finals, like a bolt of lightning . . . and went away before anyone knew what happened. If Michael Jordan was the best ever, it was because of his consistency at a level no one had ever reached. Bryant goes to Jordan's level all the time -- and beyond, where no ..."
Blaming Kobe for Lakers' loss is too simplistic
"Blame Kobe Bryant, if you wish. But that's like blaming Adam Morrison for happening to walk out to the court Tuesday night right at the spot where - and at the moment when - the Orlando Magic's big neon green mascot was about to swing crazily down from the rafters to the floor before the game. (A Magic staffer hustled over to advise Morrison to clear the way and avoid getting sideswiped by "Stuff the Magic Dragon.") That's like blaming Pau Gasol and a few other Lakers for getting locked inside the shower room after the game in this old Amway Arena dump. (KCBS' Jim Hill, who happened to be near the shower door that inexplicably locked from the outside, saved the day by responding to Gasol's ..."
Kobe. Tiger. Federer. Their Greatest Pursuit Is the Pursuit of Greatness
"Roger Federer's real opponent wasn't with him on the red clay of Roland Garros on Sunday. Tiger Woods's primary opponent wasn't anywhere on the Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio. And while Kobe Bryant could never afford to say such a thing publicly, he's playing something a lot larger than the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. In fact, they all are. They're involved in the greatest chases of all. They're chasing history, either in the form of numbers or ghosts. When Bryant says, as he did last week, "I want to win so badly" he's talking about this season's NBA championship, yes. But there's also the matter of tying Shaquille O'Neal with a fourth title, of maybe getting to five to tie Magic ..."
Kevin Love's view: Lakers unbeatable if Kobe keeps this up
"I don't think the Lakers can be beat any time Kobe Bryant plays the way he did. Not with all the other stars on that team. Pau Gasol was the second-leading scorer, Andrew Bynum played pretty well and, what, Dwight Howard made only one field goal. I don't think the Lakers could have been beaten in Game 1. It's tough, really, for Orlando because the Magic can only hope to contain a guy like Kobe, and offensively I think they need to get other guys to cut more off Howard. I think Rafer Alston said that, that they can't stand around and watch Dwight. With the double teams and stuff, three-pointers aren't going to be open unless they all start moving. Breaking down the Lakers' defense, I ..."
Bryant playing like a man on a mission in Finals
"Kobe Bryant was on the rampage, on his way to a 40-point game, and the Van Gundy brothers were at a loss.Stan Van Gundy, the Orlando Magic coach, tried putting muscular Mickael Pietrus on Bryant, but that didn't work. Jeff Van Gundy, the ABC announcer, tried to describe the grace, the skill, the intensity and the determination of the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, but that was difficult, too. "Wow, he looks mean!" was about all Jeff could come up with when Stan and the Magic fell behind by 23 points after a particularly impressive three-point play by Bryant. Defending Bryant or describing Bryant wasn't an easy task Thursday, as the self-called "Black Mamba" struck early and often in the ..."
Kobe is NBA 2K10's cover boy
"During the 2009 NBA Finals tip off Thursday night at Staples Center, electronic game manufacturer 2K Sports debuted a commercial starring basketball-loving director Spike Lee and introducing the new cover athlete - Laker Kobe Bryant - on the latest edition of its best-selling and top-rated franchise, NBA 2K10. The game, which will retail for $59.99 on Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, $49.99 on Nintendo Wii, $29.99 on Sony PSP and PS2 and $19.99 for PCs, will hit stores on Oct. 6. Bryant's appearance on the cover marks the 11-time All-Star's first appearance on a basketball simulation that will be available on all gaming platforms. Bryant had been the cover athlete on NBA 07, ..."
Orlando finds no answers for Bryant
"Most teams know by now that whenever Kobe Bryant gets that steely-eyed glare they might as well pack up and go home. Game over. Come back tomorrow. On Thursday, the Orlando Magic found itself in Bryant's sight and he took aim, scoring 40 points as the Lakers won Game 1 of the NBA Finals, 100-75. "He's tough," the Magic's Dwight Howard said. "He had everything going, every shot in the world. There's nothing you can do about that. What we can do is play harder." Bryant got going early, scoring six points in the first quarter. He added 12 in the second, defying every waving hand, outstretched arm and jarring body bump on his way to the basket. He made 16 of his 34 shots and all eight free ..."
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