Bryant to get more aggressive

March 10th, 2008, 1:41 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Curtis Zupke, Staff writer

By CURTIS ZUPKE

The Orange County Register

EL SEGUNDO - It’s bad news for an opposing team when Kobe Bryant says he’s going to be more aggressive.

It’s really bad news if you’re the Toronto Raptors.

Bryant said he will be more aggressive offensively to prevent the scenario that unfolded Sunday, when Sacramento’s incessant double teams limited him to two field goals in the fourth quarter and the Lakers failed to make the Kings pay from other areas of the floor.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Bryant will go 1-on-5, though.

“I’ll start looking to be a little bit more aggressive offensively and making teams really have to adjust a little bit more and commit a little bit more,” Bryant said.

“Right now they’re trying to play half-and-half: Half of me and half of our man so they can close out the shooters. I’ll make them pay a little bit and make them re-commit and give our other shooters more of a look.”

Toronto, the Lakers’ next opponent on Tuesday, knows all too well about Bryant’s aggressiveness.

Bryant scored 81 points on Jan.22, 2006 against the Raptors at Staples Center, the second-highest game and half (55) point totals in NBA history.

Remarkably, Bryant did not field one question about that 81-point game at practice Monday.

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