Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryantis an American retired professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships with the Lakers. Bryant is an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team. He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons, and ranks third on both the league's all-time regular season scoring and...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth23 August 1978
CityPhiladelphia, PA
CountryUnited States of America
I think that from the start of this series we have just been playing extremely well and we are moving the ball around really well. We have just evolved into this from the start of the season, it has been process. We are just playing so well together.
It gives us confidence. It shows that our play is not a fluke. We move the ball consistently and play defense consistently. This bodes well for our confidence.
Our spacing was good, which made it very difficult to corral me. When they did, we were able to swing the ball and get open opportunities for everybody else.
When the game is on the line, they put the ball in my hands. I've gotta do what I've gotta do, I don't care if it's 50 shots, 60 shots, five shots.
We just fell right in line with what we are supposed to do. Lamar is such a great facilitator, he takes a load off of my shoulders. I can just focus on putting the ball in the basket and he becomes the facilitator for our team.
We've been on a stretch here where we have to win these games. And I try to lead by example. The way I go about doing it, and my role here on the team, is to put the ball in the basket.
We are a much better team right now. We are playing really well and executing very well. We are moving the ball and defensively we are working hard, hustling and closing out the shots.
This being our home court, people come here and think it's Hollywood and all sorts of stuff, so they think they'll come down (the lane) and look pretty and shoot jump shots and dunk the ball and finger-roll the ball and do all sorts of cute stuff. And we've got to stop that.
We really hustled, we got after them, played with a high energy level and rebounded the ball extremely well.
I listen to the big guy. That's who I play for. If he says go out there and shoot the ball 50 times, that's what I'm going to do. I just follow his orders, follow his lead, and try to play the way he wants me to play, to the best of my ability.
That's a good, astute observation. I wanted the shot. I always want the ball in my hands. They had me covered. I wish I could have gotten a better screen on the play. But Luke had a good look in the corner.
They basically ran the ball down our throats in the first half, so we had to get adjusted to the tempo. In the second half, we were able to get a bead on them a little bit better.
I've been watching Messi for some time now, and his ability to decide games and keep possession of the ball is amazing.
I wouldn't say I'm a ball hog. I'm a shooter.