Byron Scott talked Kobe Bryant into sitting out Tuesday night’s game against the visiting Golden State Warriors, and somehow, the Los Angeles Lakers won 115-105.
Using a balanced attack, the Lakers shocked the Warriors, and learned they can without relying so heavily on their superstar guard.
Nick Young: "Some guys played like 'Django Unchained.' They were free tonight."
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) December 24, 2014
Nick Young, who came into the game already feeling great, said (somewhat jokingly) that Bryant needs to share the burden a little more with his teammates.
Per the LA Daily News:
The Lakers moved the ball. They scored at both an efficient and balanced rate. They defended. They had fun. All of this happened against the Warriors (23-4), which boasts the Western Conference’s best record no less. It came just as the Lakers (9-19) hoped they could accomplish more without placing too much burden on Bryant. […] “It was great to have a game to make that case,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “We’re still going to lean on him. But we don’t have to do it as heavy as we are. That’s the message.”
“We’re going to have to tell Kobe to pass me the ball,” Young said in a half serious, half joking tone. “Pass us the ball. Tell him to take a backseat a little bit.”
Who needs Bryant carrying the Lakers by himself when the team featured Carlos Boozer (18 points), Ronnie Price (17 points), Nick Young (15 points), Ed Davis (14 points), Wesley Johnson (14 points), Wayne Ellington (12 points) and Jeremy Lin (11 points) cracking double digits? […] Who needs Bryant to dictate the Lakers’ outcome with a possible game-winning shot that hasn’t fallen on 12 consecutive attempts? Instead, the Lakers dictated the result with defensive stops that entailed forcing 19 turnovers and grabbing 11 steals.
