Bryant downplays big game
Who could forget the last time the Lakers played Toronto?
Kobe Bryant was practically infallible that night, scoring 81 points on 28-for-46 shooting in the Lakers’ 122-104 victory Jan. 22 at Staples Center. It was the second-most points ever scored by a player in an NBA game.
The Lakers don’t play Toronto until Friday and have three days of practice ahead of them -- but Bryant was noncommittal when asked whether he had any lingering memories of their last meeting.
“Nah, I don’t think so,” he said. “They’re a completely different team anyway. I’ll just take a win.”
Bryant has been slowly coming back from off-season knee surgery, having nights to remember and some to forget. Bryant recently said his surgically repaired right knee was only about 70% sound, but he guessed it would be 95% by Friday.
Having wedged a league-high eight games into their schedule by Sunday, the Lakers now get a bit of a break, during which time Bryant hoped to further strengthen his leg.
“It’ll be good for me to kind of rest a little bit, work on my conditioning during this time, get my legs back,” he said. “Get my rhythm down, get my leg stronger.”
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Andrew Bynum had averaged four points and 3.5 rebounds in two games after a 20-point, 14-rebound outburst last week against Minnesota.
Then came a better effort Sunday against Memphis, with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Bryant, who went through similar ups-and-downs as a 19-year-old in the NBA, can relate.
“It happens when you’re a young player,” Bryant said. “He didn’t really play last year at all and he’s kind of been thrown into the fire. He’s shown glimpses of what he can do. It’s just a process that he’s going to have to go through. I went through the same thing when I started playing. I understand completely.”
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Kwame Brown looked livelier than expected in his first game back Sunday after sustaining a bruised right rotator cuff and bursitis in his right shoulder during the exhibition season.
He had six points in 17 minutes, caught the ball cleanly in the post -- a problem spot last season -- and did not look tentative even though his shoulder still feels tender. Brown, however, collected only two rebounds and missed both of his free throws.
“He’s moving quickly,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. “Some of the other things weren’t so great, but his movement looks good.”
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