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NBA FINALS: LAKERS v CELTICS

June 14, 2008

Kobe Bryant

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day

Q. Kobe, yesterday Phil said that one thing that was going to drive you were the comments that KG made after the game yesterday. Can you talk about that? And the second thing, you hear a lot of talk on the radio about Doc out-coaching Phil.
KOBE BRYANT: First of all, what did he say?

Q. We read through the transcripts. I didn't see anything that was so inflammatory.
KOBE BRYANT: I don't even know what you're talking about, to be honest with you. What did he say?

Q. Nothing. Just that Pierce did a decent job of guarding you.
KOBE BRYANT: Oh. He did.

Q. And there's been a lot of talk on the radio that Doc has out-coached Phil. How would you respond to that?
KOBE BRYANT: I don't know. I'm not a coach analyst.

Q. Kobe, go ahead. Looks like you had something else to say.
KOBE BRYANT: No, no, no, no.

Q. Talk about Paul physically. Is there anything you could tell with that knee that he seems to be less than 100 percent based on you guarding him?
KOBE BRYANT: No. I mean, he looks good. He knows how to use his speed very well. I mean he's not going to outrun you or anything like that. He's going to use his body, use his size, so I think he's a perfect style of player to play through injury.

Q. And how different is it usually against shooting guards, but is it tougher when you got somebody that's bigger, taller guarding you, more of a challenge?
KOBE BRYANT: Guarding me?

Q. Yeah. When you have someone bigger in size than you are because you're usually stronger than most of the guys that guard you.
KOBE BRYANT: Yeah. It's usually tough, especially when it's about four other people behind them. That helps.

Q. Kobe, there's been all this attention on all your gestures and, you know, what they mean for your relationships with your teammates. In that context, can you say, you know, is it still your position that you want to stay with the Lakers, and if they were to offer an extension this summer, would you sign it?
KOBE BRYANT: First of all, you're talking like the season is over. You see what I'm saying? So like for me to even answer that question and speculate what's going to happen this summer, this season ain't over. It's far from over. So for me to talk about that would be acknowledging defeat, and that's something I just don't do.

Q. I only bring it up in the sense that can you explain what the relationship is, with the gestures, if you seem to be angry with them sometimes? What is the relationship?
KOBE BRYANT: It's -- our relationship is great. I mean, I think people pay attention to it a lot more than you do when you lose than you do when you win. When you win it's great leadership. When you lose, it's -- you're a tyrant. You've got to take it and roll with it.

Q. Kobe, what have the last two days been like for you personally, considering the fact that for the first time this postseason the Lakers on are on the opposite end of a closeout game?
KOBE BRYANT: Well, I mean, the night that we lost, it was tough obviously. I think the next day it became a matter of what are we going to do going forward because we've got to make a series out of this. We've got to take care of business on Sunday. So what are we going to do? How am I going to get my teammates in the right frame of mind, make sure they're energetic, and that's what it's been all about.

Q. Did you hear all the criticism that's been levied at this team?
KOBE BRYANT: No.

Q. And how did your young girls help you to get away from all of this?
KOBE BRYANT: Like five chapters of Harry Potter. They just wanted me to read to them, and I swear, it was awesome. He had more problems dealing with Voldemort than what we have dealing with the media and the Celtics. So that was pretty awesome.

Q. Doc Rivers yesterday referred to you as the most criticized star, said he didn't understand why. And then he said he also thought that you were the scariest to play against. How do you respond to both of those? Do you think you're the most criticized? Have you ever viewed yourself as scary on the court?
KOBE BRYANT: Every time I look in the mirror I scare the shit out of myself. I don't know. Honestly, I just go out there and play. I have a great time. I have fun and I think when I hear comments like that it's a tremendous honor, and it's a big sign of respect. So I just kind of just take it all in stride really.

Q. Including the criticism?
KOBE BRYANT: Including the criticism. I mean, you've got to take the good with the bad. You can't sit up here, come up here and be all smiles, we're the Western Conference Champions and take all the good stuff and all the pats on the back and then when stuff goes bad you run away from it and duck. That's not what it's about. You've got to take the good with the bad.

Q. Kobe, I think we're all guessing as far as what reference Phil was making to Garnett's comments, but there was one comment he made after the game where he said in the first half you guys were really moving the ball a lot, cohesive as a team. Third quarter was more you shooting. And I think maybe if I could guess, that was what Phil was hinting at. So with that in mind, you had no field goals but six assists the first half. Second half is different. People might look at it and say, you had the 18-point lead; why not do it the exact same way? What's wrong with that particular observation or analysis? Why wouldn't you guys do it the same way the second half as first?
KOBE BRYANT: Well, I'm sure they made adjustments. It wasn't something we consciously came out and said we're going to change what we're doing. I think we tried moving the ball and they did a good job defensively, the offense gets stagnant, ball is in my hands, I've got to try to create something. Series in the past where it worked for us against San Antonio, against Utah, but last game I reached into the hat and couldn't pull the rabbit out.

Q. Kobe, no practice yesterday. You guys laced them up today. I'm wondering about the mood of the team. Was there a players-only meeting where you got together to see if guys were still depressed? What did you tell them and how did you think they were going to come out?
KOBE BRYANT: I borrowed Phil's peace pipe. We had a big kumbaya meeting. No, everybody's fine. Everybody is in the same mood that I am. Everybody's ready to go. We're excited about the opportunity.
If we start the season in training camp and you come to me and say we're going to give you three cracks to win the championship, I'm going to take that. So I'm excited about this. This is not something we're down and out. This is still the series. We've got a big game tomorrow. We're going to be ready to play that, and then we're going to go from there. Look at it as college basketball. It's March Madness. It's the Elite Eight now. So we're ready to go.

Q. Thank you, Kobe.
KOBE BRYANT: I was joking about the peace pipe thing, too, seriously. So not serious.

End of FastScripts

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