Last nights victory over the Phoenix Suns improved the Lakers to 16-3. The whole team was on fire last night, with Kobe leading all five Lakers starters in double figures.
“We played with a lot of poise,” Bryant said. “They got back into it but we never really got rattled. We just had to execute and take what the defense gives us.”
With only 5:06 to play, Pau Gasol hit Louis Amundson upside the head on a drive to the rim. Alvin Gentry, the Phoenix coach had to be retrained by his assistant coach and was eventually ejected from the game by referee Mike Callahan. Apparently he thought Gasol deserved a flagrant foul.
“Pau gave a hard foul tonight, which is what we like to see from him,” Bryant said. “We don’t like giving up layups or giving up easy opportunities. We’re just playing hard. It’s not playing dirty. It’s just not giving up anything easy.” Bryant who had a previously injured finger, got it hit again when Stoudemire blocked his dunk attempt in the third quarter.
“I can’t hold the ball, so that’s a little frustrating,” Bryant said. “But it feels OK now.”
