Just How Happy Is Kobe in Lakerland?
Before the Lakers went out and beat a short-handed Spurs team on national television last night, Kobe Bryant was once again asked about his feelings towards the team.
As usual, Kobe skirted the question - it’s worth noting that the man has yet to recant his desire to be traded - but did say he’s happy in L.A. and is pleased with the direction the team is taking.
“I’m happy to be here,” Bryant said. “My guys and I — we have such a tight bond. Business and basketball sometimes can cloud things, but when you get here in your element and you’re around your teammates and just having a good time with them and thinking about them and not about the business of the game, that’s when it becomes fun.”
“I don’t think the wins we’ve had are a fluke whatsoever,” Bryant said. “In our locker room, we don’t feel like the wins we’ve had are flukes. We’ve had to grind some out and go into tough places and deal with injuries and illnesses. We feel pretty good about where we’re at.”
Maybe it’s the cynic in me, because I refuse to get excited about this Laker team (last night’s win for instance, nice as it was, didn’t tell us a whole lot about the squad).
Thanks to an improved bench, however, they’ve managed to climb to well above .500 without Bryant having to expend too much energy on the offensive end of the floor. As result, his defense has gotten a lot better, and his teammates have followed his lead.
It’ll be interesting to see if Kobe’s feelings about his guys stay the same as the season grinds along.
44 Responses to “Just How Happy Is Kobe in Lakerland?”
Dec.14 at 1:10 pm
Myles Brown says:
#2 bench in the lig.
Dec.14 at 1:14 pm
Reggie Evans says:
This year’s motto: “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here”
Dec.14 at 1:17 pm
Mo Charlo says:
The NBA: Where Kobe being a good teammate happens.
Dec.14 at 1:23 pm
Tom says:
Like I’ve been saying to anyone who cares to listen, if the Lakers can grab that 4 or 5 seed they can make some noise in the playoffs.
Dec.14 at 1:25 pm
Allenp says:
Kobe is playing much better defense, good point.
Dec.14 at 1:33 pm
Bryant Reeves says:
Myles, you must be dipping into Phil’s stash (both)
Dec.14 at 1:34 pm
DDB says:
Kobe is JUST GOOD…read my latest blog!
Dec.14 at 1:37 pm
Elyse says:
Mutoni, to be fair about the Lakers they have had a pretty tough openeing sched and regardless of how the wins have come, they have beaten all of last years division champs. Thats says something I think.
Dec.14 at 1:38 pm
Myles Brown says:
That’s their current ranking as far as offensive production, Big Country.
Dec.14 at 2:11 pm
k.o. says:
i bet he still wants out, he just doesn’t want to create any more drama for the team than he already has
Dec.14 at 2:18 pm
TADOne says:
Kobe fluff story.
Dec.14 at 2:28 pm
Ken H. says:
Lakers have a really tough schedule to start the season this year, which says a lot considering they had the same record the past 2 years with a creampuff schedule at home to start those seasons. They are getting tested early on this year, and they’re stepping up, which is why I think they will finish the year a lot higher in the standings than people think, because they get more crappy east teams and more home games in the latter part of the season.
Dec.14 at 2:44 pm
Myles Brown says:
Shouldn’t this be at a million by now? Or least have a Ryan Jones sighting?
Dec.14 at 2:54 pm
mutoni says:
no kidding, myles.
Dec.14 at 3:29 pm
TADOne says:
I think everyone has had their fill on Kobe and/or Knicks stories. I know I’m full.
Dec.14 at 3:41 pm
Chukaz says:
Kobe Bryant is the sh*t, man. There ain’t a player better than him in league history and I think he will stay there forever. The Lakers will make it to the conferense finals this year. You heard this here first.
Dec.14 at 3:44 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Hiya Myles!
Here’s the thing: “My guys and I — we have such a tight bond” is up there with “I am not a crook” and “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” and “Anything anyone in the Bush administration has ever said ever” for most blatant horsesh*t statements of all time. But, whatever.
Dec.14 at 3:47 pm
Myles Brown says:
Hi Ryan. Much better.
Dec.14 at 3:51 pm
Myles Brown says:
One thing I did notice in the Laker locker room: I think Luke, Farmar, Odom & some other guys were sitting around chatting pregame, and when Kobe walked in he went right past everyone with any eye contact or even a peep. He was sick, but it was still particularly odd.
Dec.14 at 3:58 pm
mutoni says:
that’s not odd; that’s kobe.
Dec.14 at 3:59 pm
TADOne says:
Maybe Kobe was doing his R Kelly impersonation Myles.
Dec.14 at 4:03 pm
Myles Brown says:
He didnt piss on anyone.
Dec.14 at 4:04 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Zing!
Dec.14 at 4:08 pm
Captain America says:
I like the Lakers. That’s why I don’t like Kobe.
Dec.14 at 4:10 pm
TADOne says:
Good one Myles.
Dec.14 at 4:10 pm
Chukaz says:
All the Kobe hate should be illegal. President Buch can make it happen.
Dec.14 at 4:19 pm
Bryant Reeves says:
The best thing on the Lakers’ bench is Brown’s expiring contract
Dec.14 at 4:29 pm
Phil B says:
i hate the lakers and i hate kobe. (although i sometimes feel bad for him…) i watched part of that game last night and i couldn’t figure out who to cheer for. so many players that i just straight dislike. i ended up cheering for the spurs… who lost. and i didn’t care. can anyone else not watch any game in any sport without picking someone to root for?
Dec.14 at 7:04 pm
MagicChicken says:
I’m a huge Lakers fan and have watched a lot of their games, and while I agree they’ve had a tough schedule on paper, it’s actually been a bit softer than it appears. Chicago’s been a crap team this year to start. We beat Detroit and S.A. w/o their starting point guards (and Duncan). The Suns win was sick though, and we own the other teams that are supposedly “at out level” (see Houston, Utah, G.S., Denver). Ironically, the games that have me wondering are games against the East Beasts. The Celtics and the Magic. Both were games where we had a chance to win, but couldn’t find a way to make it happen. The Magic loss was particularly disappointing. Oh well though, We don’t expect to be facing them in the Playoffs, even though it’d be an amazing feat!
Dec.14 at 7:04 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Z
Dec.14 at 7:05 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Kobe probably practiced that answer in a mirror every night for a month straight.
Dec.14 at 7:25 pm
illwilldub says:
Next year free agent market. Gilbert Arenas,Baron Davis, Ron Artest, Shawn Marion,Jermaine O’neal . Lakers finnally dumping Kwame ,Mihm, and two other non needed Lakers. Cap Space= Were getting somebody to help Kobe,Lamar,Bynum,Walton,Turiaf,Farmar,Fish, and Walton.
Dec.14 at 7:32 pm
gdon says:
Hmm.. interesting to watch the Lakers this year. I’m actually impressed with Kobe. He’s playing better than the year he averaged 35, which statistics aside, wasn’t as great as people made it to be. EXIBHIT A: I watched one game, where Kobe passed up an open shot on two consecutive possessions!! OH YES THAT HAPPENED. I sat straight up, and watched as his teammates knocked down both opportunities. (of course in the following possession, he forced a difficult shot against a double team which wasn’t close. but still, we’re talking Kobe Bryant here! Drastic improvement, kudoz)
Dec.14 at 7:43 pm
FLUXLAND says:
At least, with all his off court drama, his teammates and everyone knows he’s brining it EVERY game. Unlike, saaayyy… Marbury (pre-tragic loss).
Dec.14 at 8:25 pm
jbn74sb says:
Has anyone seen eboy? Is he in hiding? Has the Heat’s play finally driven him over the edge? Or did he just go back in the closet?
Dec.14 at 10:03 pm
Sesa says:
Am I being crazy or the fact that the Laker bench were actually better than the starters not named Kobe or Bynum?
Dec.14 at 10:33 pm
rjay says:
hahah lets all hate the best in the game!!! yes yes
Dec.15 at 12:09 am
white hot eboy says:
Hi, Bodie.
Dec.15 at 12:54 pm
t.dot dude says:
first he wants to leave, now he said “im happy here in LA”, why dont you make up your frickin mind
Dec.15 at 4:12 pm
ak47 says:
gdon,
Kobe played the way he’s playing this season last season! Obviously, you didn’t watch the games. The Lakers were actually really good until everybody started getting hurt. That’s when Kobe picked up the slack by going on his scoring spree. Watch what happens if they can all stay healthy.
Dec.16 at 3:30 am
Skepticalfan says:
Kobe must have some sort of psychological problem. I have in all my years never seen an athlete more selfish than Mr Bryant. The Lakers are a good team ready to show what they can do. Theyve been a good team for 2 years now but injuries have obviously played a big part in what they were trying to do. This year though I see the one thing they need to be a contender. That is mental toughness, I can see guys starting to believe in one another which will always create better team play and better team chemistry. The Lakers are a more balanced team without Kobe trying to jack up shots over the entire opposition, their bench and their coaching staff. Now with that said they will need Bryants on court presence to go anywhere in the playoffs. The lakers have all the ability to win a championship this year if Mr Bryants decides to let his teammates play with him instead of just watching him. Experience for these younger players now will make all the difference come playoff time. Please Mr Bryant I have been a laker fan for 30 years now and I now for a fact there is no owner more wanting to win championships then the Buss family. So to all my Lakers fans I think were seeing the light after the Shaq trade.
Dec.17 at 9:18 am
riggs says:
kobe, the george bush of basketball. effin flip flopper
Dec.17 at 12:04 pm
jay says:
kobe is the best player in the L is any of this a surprize we go through this every year kobe doesnt have help and as long as thats the case he wont be really happy period they need a young player someone who can take presure off of him but they doin good now we will see
Dec.17 at 12:42 pm
jay says:
kobe is playing better defense but from the summer at the usa games he is also 20 lbs lighter so that should help. he not coming off a knee scope like last year adn bynum and farmer have really matured..that being said i could see why he is happy right now. i would be ticked too if i am scoring 50 pts every game and the team is gettting blown out or the lakers were just staying in arms reach. i would say to myself too..what is going on here!