Lakers Shootaround: Kobe Bryant's Playoffs Guarantee
The Los Angeles Lakers met for morning shootaround ahead of Friday night's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, and Kobe Bryant's teammates took turns responding to Bryant's recent playoffs guarantee.
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Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks during a memorial service for Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on February 21, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Buss died at the age of 80 on Monday following an 18-month battle with cancer. Buss won 10 NBA championships as Lakers owner since purchasing the team in 1979. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Ahead of Friday night’s Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers contest, Kobe Bryant was practicing 3-pointers at shootaround on Friday morning.
Bryant has gone 0-20 from behind the arc over the Lakers’ past eight games. Over the past 15 games, he’s only made one of his last 34 3-point attempts. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the definition of a slump.
Judging by his focus at the end of shootaround, Bryant is well aware that he has seemingly lost his ability to shoot 3-pointers, and practice usually pays off for the Mamba.
In short, don’t be surprised to see Kobe step into a few 3-pointers on Friday night against the Blazers.
Coach Mike D’Antoni, Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard lent their time to small contingent of media present at Lakers’ shootaround. All three were asked about Bryant’s recent guarantee stating the Lakers would “make the playoffs.”
“I don’t mind as long as we back it up,” D’Antoni said about the Bryant guarantee.
“I’m not going to sit up here and say ‘no, we’re not going to make it,’” Howard responded when asked about the playoffs guarantee.
“Yea, whatever, I guarantee it,” Nash said when asked if he also guaranteed the playoffs. “What does it mean? Everyone guarantees something at some stage and then everyone forgets…would you guys care if I went and guaranteed it?”
The Lakers are 3.5 games out of the eighth and final sport in the Western Conference entering Friday night’s game against the Blazers.
