The Los Angeles Lakers met in El Segundo following a long night in Golden State, where the Warriors blew out the Lakers and led by over 40 points at one point. Less than 12 hours after returning to LA, the Lakers practiced hard, but the topic of the day still centered on Kobe Bryant and his abysmal shooting performance the night before: 1-14.
Watching the Lakers is not easy, which is confirmed by the 2-12 start to the season, and Bryant is shouldering a large chunk of the blame following an air-ball filled performance in Oakland the night before.
"Obviously, he's struggling with his shot," Lakers coach Byron Scott said about Bryant on Wednesday. "I don't think it's a matter of him being tired or his legs being tired, I think it's a matter of his timing just being a little off."
Scott pointed to spacing and execution as being a primary factor in getting better shots and allowing for easier offensive opportunities. However, Scott remained adamant that he had not considered reducing the 37-year-old's minutes or possibly even benching the five-time champion, citing that Bryant did not seem tired and that it was "too early in the season."
When asked how much input and guidance he provided Bryant through his current struggles, Scott said, "I'm trying to let him find it on himself. He's been doing it for a long time. Again, I'm not so much worried about Kobe. I am concerned about his shooting percentage and the shots so far."
So far, Bryant is shooting 31 percent from the field and 19.5 percent from three-point land. Bryant is averaging 7.0 three-point attempts per game, so those three-pointers play a massive role in the future Hall of Fame Laker's horrific start to the season. On a related note, the Lakers have started the season 2-12.
Scott added, "As far as knowing him the way I know him and how long as he's played in this league, I'm not worried about him finding it."
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On Wednesday, Scott clearly stated that he had not even considered reducing Bryant's role or attempting to cut minutes.
Scott concluded, "I know (Bryant's) mentality is that he still feels that he can still play in this league, and we feel the same way."
