Perhaps the demise of Kobe Bryant as a productive National Basketball Association player has been overstated.
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For the Bucks, the booze was flowing in Los Angeles, but wins did not follow. But after averaging 18.2 points on 47.2-percent shooting and 4.2 assists in the last five games, Bryant could appear on merit.
The Lakers’ longtime All-Star is playing in his final season.
On Tuesday night, the Bucks got rolled by the Lakers-no small feat, considering just how uninterested the Lakers are in winning this year, even if they were capable.
Well, on Wednesday, the Lakers met for practice, and NBCLA.com tracked down the rookie out of Montana to inquire as to which words of wisdom the “Black Mamba”, who is a former Slam Dunk champion, chose to impart on his fresh faced, high-flying rookie. Bryant was the leading scorer with 22 points in 27 minutes.
Jason Kidd wants his Bucks players to do as he says, not as he did.
“It would be great, but at the same time I’ve played in a lot of them, so it’s always great to have the younger guys step up and get their opportunities”, Bryant said. Asked about Nance’s dunk after the game, Bryant said the rookie’s dunk was “impressive” while visible smiling as he conjured up the memory of the dunk.
The Lakers continue their home-stand Thursday night against the Houston Rockets and a pair of ex-Lakers, Trevor Ariza and Dwight Howard. “But the first person I’d go see on the bench would be him”, Nance said, laughing. But that’s not what Bryant told Nance Jr. during the ensuing timeout. The Rockets beat the Lakers by 29 points less than a week ago, but now the possibility of Nance and Howard meeting at the rim is sure to have everyone buzzing.
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“I’ve never seen him this at ease”.
