For Bryant, It’s an Honor and a Surprise

Although this was Kobe Bryant’s toughest season, he seems to have come through it OK.

On one hand, he did drop from the NBA’s first to the second all-defensive team, which was announced Wednesday.

On the other, he was named one of People magazine’s 50 most beautiful people.

“When they told me about it, I said, ‘You gotta be kidding,’ ” Bryant said. “They said, ‘No, no, this is a serious thing.’

“They asked me what I thought about it. I said, ‘Well, thank you. You know, obviously my wife thinks you’re right.’ ”

Shaquille O’Neal, a second-team all-defense selection last season, was second team again.

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In the middle of their week off, Coach Phil Jackson gave his players the day off, although he and Bryant met with the media.

The NBA announced late Wednesday that the Laker-Sacramento series will begin Sunday at noon at Staples Center.

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How hard has this season been on Bryant?

From the time he first started getting the ball up to the rim, he has had few days in which he didn’t, at least, go out and shoot around. But these days, when he gets an off day, he takes the day off.

Now, his sore ribs are only the latest part of him that’s recovering.

“Basketball’s always been a chance for me to get away from everything,” Bryant said. “Just a chance to play and not worry about anything else, just the game. . . .

“At one point, it [wasn’t]. The game wasn’t as fun for me as it has been. . . .

“I believe God isn’t going to give you more than you can actually handle so I never really sweat anything, really. I do get down, absolutely, I do have my doubts. . . .

“I think that’s just human nature. . . . But then it’s in you to kind of bounce back or fight through it or succumb to it.”

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Happily for the Lakers, they’re playing better defense in the playoffs.

Or maybe the word should be “necessarily.” They gave up 97.2 points a game during the season, 23rd of 29 teams overall and the lowest among the 16 playoff teams.

Against the Portland Trail Blazers, however, they dropped their defensive average to 89, while increasing their offensive average (100.3, No. 3 in the league) to 103.7.

“I think we’re better defensively, individually,” Jackson said. “I think more of our improvement has come collectively, by the brand of ball we’re playing.”

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Bryant, on learning tricks from Trail Blazer veteran Steve Smith:

“The ref came up to me during a game and said, ‘You guys have to stop fighting down here. Kobe, stop holding him.’

“I said, ‘Man, I don’t have enough years in the league to hold Steve. I don’t know how to cheat. I’m learning how to cheat.’

“The ref said, ‘Oh OK, Kob . . .’

“There’s a lot of talking going on. Some of it’s harsh but Steve Smith and I were very friendly.”

And Bryant, on the fallout from his snit with Scottie Pippen, who joked about Bryant’s rib injury in between grabbing Bryant’s ribs in games:

“I have no problem with Scottie. I don’t know him at all. I can’t judge him.

“All I know is--what I respect--he tried to do anything in his power to help his team win. He failed miserably but I can respect that.”