|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: NUGGETS v LAKERSMay 20, 2009Kobe BryantLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day KOBE BRYANT: In terms of Kobe perception? Q. Yes, exactly. KOBE BRYANT: I think it helps. Obviously dealing with this during the post-season, that's where you get the reputation. But as far as I'm concerned, it's already there. It's been there for a while. Q. As far as last night's game was concerned, was it a great deal that had to do with energy because of the lack of preparation? KOBE BRYANT: I mean, you know, I think it was more execution, actually. I think when you change series, you change opponent, completely different style of play. You execute different things. Feature different things. It takes a little while to get used to yourself. Q. It was almost like you willed (indiscernible)? KOBE BRYANT: It was one of those steady performances that you have to have throughout the post-season. Sometimes you have to get it out. Q. Would you say this may have been the best performance overall post-season for the Lakers? KOBE BRYANT: I think it was the most challenging for us coming out. (Indiscernible) mistakes and loose balls, lobbing balls out of bounds, seemed like one of those nights. Q. At the end of the game when you got the ball and threw it up in the air, there was a sigh of relief. KOBE BRYANT: Things got away. It was. Q. Stealing one at home? KOBE BRYANT: It happens sometimes. Q. Looked like you tried to throw the ball to the other end. KOBE BRYANT: I just threw it straight up. I just tried run the clock out and just throw it straight up in the air (indiscernible). Q. That first 10 minutes you just seemed to be waiting. Did they anticipate you going to the basket? KOBE BRYANT: To me it looked like they just had a little more time to prepare. They were ready for what we were doing defensively. It was like we were a step behind. They were trying to execute. That's exactly what they did. Q. Seven-game series, had more time to prepare, and now it's every other day. Did you do anything different in terms of making sure the energy is there on the game day? Do you do anything different on the off days? KOBE BRYANT: At this point I don't think we have to. You rest and you do the things, get your body ready to play. But we're close to getting guys for position (indiscernible) that's motivation enough. Q. (Indiscernible) came out in the fourth quarter. How does that help with the series? Do you see yourself more game by game? KOBE BRYANT: I just go by feel. Guys obviously have an early moment. And so just kind of goes by feel. Q. You called it wrestling a bear? KOBE BRYANT: That's a big kid. Q. How do you play him? KOBE BRYANT: You fight. You fight. You stick to your defensive moves. Try to deny that ball. Force him off the seats. And make it tough for him. Q. (Indiscernible)? KOBE BRYANT: I put my elbows in his back. Q. Earlier in the season I'd say it was hard (indiscernible). KOBE BRYANT: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, pull up. Pull-up jump shot. He's always had a good pull-up jump shot. We all take stuff from each other. Q. (Indiscernible)? KOBE BRYANT: No. Q. If you had to do as much offensively and defensively as you did last night (indiscernible)? KOBE BRYANT: I don't worry about that at all. I'm prepared to do it. That's what you're supposed to do. That's the way a player is supposed to play, play both ends of the floor. You know what I mean? That's what I'm supposed to do. Q. This is the first time we've seen you play the other team's 1-2. Something different? KOBE BRYANT: Well, whatever it took to win the game I had to do. It concerned -- started the game with Chauncey just being off to a really good start (indiscernible) J.R. coming off the bench a big concern for us. And Melo got hot had to move over to him. It was fun. Q. (Indiscernible)? KOBE BRYANT: No, we have the type of relationship where I just do it. Just do it and go from there. Q. How is your finger? KOBE BRYANT: It's okay. Q. (Indiscernible)? KOBE BRYANT: It's sore but it's fine. Q. With games that exciting, that contesting, what will the rest of the series be like? KOBE BRYANT: Hopefully not as eventful. Q. Seemed like beyond the idea of stealing this game, stole the opportunity from them to really shift the tone of the series. KOBE BRYANT: Absolutely. We learned from the last series it's really important, Game 1. They'll be ready to go tomorrow night, that's for sure. Q. (Indiscernible) seemed to take your inside game away. (Indiscernible)? KOBE BRYANT: They were prepared. They were beating us to the spot. Something we talked about a little bit today, how we reject that. And they did a phenomenal job defensively. But we'll be ready to go. End of FastScripts |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|