The Lakers game against the Cleveland Cavaliers last week was one of the strangest NBA games in recent memory. Injuries and fouls depleted the roster to the point that the Lakers had to play Robert Sacre, despite him fouling out of the game.
Kobe Bryant, watching the game from home, tweeted his support of the team after their grueling victory, but there was something that did bother him during the game.
With no other players left on the bench, Chris Kaman decided to lay down and mimic taking a nap across the chairs. The picture quickly went viral, leading to a number of hilarious memes. In speaking with ESPN LA’s Dave McMenamin, however, Bryant was not impressed:
The last week’s been horrible. That Cleveland game, it was crazy. And then [Chris] Kaman goes to sleep on the bench, it’s like when big brother is not around, you start doing crazy [stuff]. So, it’s been rough. It’s been rough
Bryant has developed a reputation throughout the years, as being a bit of a jerk. He has no problems getting in the faces of his teammates if he feels like they aren’t doing their job.
With a young team like this one, it makes sense that Bryant would adopt a big brother approach. Guys like Nick Young, Xavier Henry, and Wesley Johnson could learn so much from Bryant’s experiences in the league.
Bryant is the leader of the team, and if he feels someone is doing something to hurt the team or make the Lakers look bad, it is his job to say something.
While Kaman laying out on the bench was a hilarious moment, it is probably something he didn’t need to do, and Bryant will make sure he knows that.
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