	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA FINALS: LAKERS v CELTICS

June 8, 2008

Kobe Bryant

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Game Two

Q. What are the Lakers' biggest problems defensively this series?
KOBE BRYANT: I think their transition has been what's really hurt us the most, the threes and transition, game is a three-point, four-point game, two possessions, all of a sudden it's a ten-point game. It just busted open really quick with transition threes. So we've got to do a better job focusing on that and eliminating that.

Q. Are you guys still trying to figure out how to run your offense against this defense, and was the fourth quarter an answer to that?
KOBE BRYANT: Yeah, we noticed some things in the fourth quarter that we can do that we'll look at and see if we can't use them at Staples.

Q. You seemed very frustrated in the first half picking up that T, for example. How did you refocus and make a run and almost win the game near the end?
KOBE BRYANT: We just had to make a stand a little bit. Guys were getting hit going to the basket and not always being called. We've got to make a stand, but at the same time, you've still got to play. You can't lose your aggressiveness. You still got to go through it and you just do your best.

Q. Talk about the lopsided fouls. Celtics got to the line a lot more. Coach Jackson talked about that.
KOBE BRYANT: I didn't notice (smiling).

Q. I guess you guys know what to expect from a Garnett and even Perkins inside, but does a Leon Powe going for 21 kind of catch you guys a little off-guard?
KOBE BRYANT: Just a little (smiling), just a touch. He played a great game. I mean, he came in and did what he had to do. I mean, that's been the mark of this team all year, and in the playoffs when PJ Brown steps in, gives big minutes, Powe comes in, gives big minutes, that's been the mark of their team. We've got to do a better job focusing on personnel, and guys that come into the game trying to contribute, we have to keep them quiet.

Q. Earlier in the playoffs you were really comfortable on the wing, and you're getting some good side screen-and-roll action, but they've limited you some on the wing. Do you think you'll be able to reestablish there?
KOBE BRYANT: Yeah, I think we did a much better job tonight in getting to the rim and moving the ball well and hitting my shooters and them knocking shots down. What we have to do is we have to get those loose balls. We've got to get timely rebounds, and we have to stop them in transition knocking down those threes, and we'll be fine. A free throw or two wouldn't hurt.

Q. The comeback from 24 points down with eight minutes to play to 2, is that something you guys can draw from going home, momentum?
KOBE BRYANT: Sure, it's something that we can take from, absolutely. Understand, we played harder. We played with a sense of desperation and more aggression, and I think that's something for us to take home and learn from.

Q. Just talk in general, down 2-0 going home now, in the 2-3-2 format.
KOBE BRYANT: It is what it is. They took care of business at home, and we've got to go home and try to do the same thing. It's not the end of the world. We've come too far to really sweat being down 2-0. We're going to go home and handle our business.

Q. What were you telling your guys in the fourth quarter during the time-outs? It seemed like you were being very active in the huddle actually.
KOBE BRYANT: Get our, beep, A in gear. Play beep harder, a bunch of other beeps. It's beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Eddie Murphy Raw times ten.

Q. You knew the game wasn't over? You knew you were still there?
KOBE BRYANT: Yeah, you just keep playing. You don't know what's going to happen. Mathematically we felt like if we cut it down to about 10 -- the goal was to cut it down to 10 with about seven minutes to go. We weren't table to do that, so after that it was about slicing it and getting it to single digits and applying more and more pressure. That's what we did, and I think they learned a lot tonight because we're a young team and I think that shows you're never really out of a game. I think being down 24, if you find yourself down 8 or 10, that's not something that should discourage you.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297