Kobe Bryant looking forward to mentoring young players in retirement

Rookie Larry Nance Jr. played up the road at Wyoming and had quite a contingent show up to root for him. The problem is, when he’s not in a rhythm, the players feed off that, too.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) dunks against the Los Angeles Lakers during the game at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant would make two important free throws soon thereafter, as well as a 2-point shot with 1:23 remaining to seal the game in the Lakers favor.

Bryant also had five assists and played stellar defense to help bottle up the hot-shooting Will Barton, who had 23 points in the first half only to finish with 25.

“We’ve got to be very competitive”, Lakers coach Byron Scott said following Thursday’s practice at the Toyota Sports Center.

It’s not pretty, and not what many of us want to see, but it’s remarkable to see that Bryant’s greatness can transcend all of that.

Bryant converted on a four-point play. Defensively, the Lakers yield 107.2 points against the opposing teams.

“My legs feel fine”. DeAndre Jordan is putting up a double-double every game, but continues to be subject to the foul game because he shoots just 39 percent from the stripe. We always look at guy’s facial expressions and we want them to be straight-faced and always serious, but when the ball is in play, man, we’re going to play the game and that’s how I am. “That third quarter, they just blitzed us, man. They got ahead with their athleticism and their speed and their length, and we couldn’t get the game under control”. “I’m getting tons of on-court experience”.

Scott has seen a more relaxed Bryant since announcing his retirement. He also discussed other topics, such as how the Lakers should handle moving on without him next season and dismissing the possibility of a post NBA-career. Randle is putting up 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and will get to tangle with Blake Griffin. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t trade it for anything”.

“I had more fans than him”, Nance Jr. joked. “I can still play a little bit”, Bryant said afterward. With his shoulder ailing, Bryant said he took it easy the past few days. In the past seven games, Bryant has averaged 20.57 points on 44 percent shooting.

Bryant said he knew Wednesday was going to be fun before it began, specifically because he’d be facing Durant.

Predictions: Still, with all of the Clippers problems, it’s hard to think of any game the Lakers head into as favorites. There was nothing I could do. “What I had to do was just stay with it. Just stay with it. Just stay with it. And just trust that, eventually, it would catch up”.

Hours before OKC demolished the Lakers in Oklahoma on Saturday, Bryant and Durant had a meal together in a local restaurant.

“Not right now”, Bryant said, jokingly.