The first week of practice is underway for the Los Angeles Lakers with head coach Byron Scott getting his players familiar with his system and the rigors of some serious conditioning.
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One player that is loving every minute of these tough practices and scrimmages is Kobe Bryant. Plenty of videos have leaked out of practice showing Kobe putting in work and Scott making sure his players of the best conditioned in the NBA.
Kobe has made a point of it to challenge a few of his teammates like rookie Jordan Clarkson and sixth man Nick Young. The five-time NBA champion has been trash talking to Clarkson and Young while dominating his teammates with his patent fadeaways and footwork.
Here’s a few barbs Kobe has been throwing at his teammates, via Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times:
Kobe verbal at today's scrimmage. Scored on a turnaround while Clarkson stumbled on defense. Kobe yells mockingly, "Don't hurt yourself!"
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) October 2, 2014
Kobe makes a free throw while Nick Young talked trash to him. Kobe yells: "Not to me you don't."
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) October 2, 2014
So far, Kobe has been looking good in scrimmages after playing only six games last season before going down with a knee injury that ended his season. It may be too early to speculate how the perennial All-Star will produce under Scott next season, but at this point in time, he seems to be in mid-season form.
The face of the franchise will get his first shot at an opposing team on Monday. The Lakers will go head-to-head against the Denver Nuggets at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego in the first of eight preseason games. Scott has said that Kobe will play in all eight preseason games.
[divide]Lakers Practice Footage: 5-On 5 Scrimmage, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Jeremy Lin