Kobe Bryant on injury: 'The frustration is unbearable'

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><img alt="Kobe Bryant clutched his leg after being injured in the second half Friday night." src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130413023120-kobe-bryant-story-top.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">(CNN)</strong> -- Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant l<a href="http://www.nba.com/games/20130412/GSWLAL/gameinfo.html" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">eft Friday night's game with a leg injury</a> that could be a ruptured Achilles tendon.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />Bryant reacted with disappointement on social media. On <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Kobe" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">his Facebook page</a> he posted a lengthy update:Bryant will have an MRI on Saturday to determine the exact nature of the injury.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph4" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"This is such BS! All the training and sacrifice just flew out the window with one step that I've done millions of times! The frustration is unbearable. The anger is rage. Why the hell did this happen ?!? Makes no damn sense. Now I'm supposed to come back from this and be the same player Or better at 35?!? How in the world am I supposed to do that??</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph5" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I have NO CLUE. Do I have the consistent will to overcome this thing? Maybe I should break out the rocking chair and reminisce on the career that was. Maybe this is how my book ends. Maybe Father Time has defeated me."</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">Later he added that called the injury the first step in a new challenge.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"One day, the beginning of a new career journey will commence. Today is NOT that day," he wrote.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph8" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">The post received more than 136,000 likes.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph9" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">If the injury turns out to be <a href="http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/achilles-tendon-rupture/DS00160.html" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a ruptured Achilles</a>, it could have long-term effects for Bryant and the Lakers. That injury could take up to a year to heal, <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1603153-kobe-bryant-feared-to-have-torn-achilles-next-season-in-jeopardy" style="border: 0px; color: #004276; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">according to Will Carroll, sports injuries lead writer for Bleacher Report.</a> Bryant has previously said that next season could be his last in the NBA. This is the 16th season in the league for the 34-year-old.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">According to a tweet from the Lakers, Bryant could tell what the injury was before seeing a doctor.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I was just hoping it wasn't what I thought it was," Bryant said, according to the tweet.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph12" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lakers have two games left in the regular season, both at home. They face the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph13" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; padding: 0px 24px 19px 186px; vertical-align: baseline;">The team, after beating the Golden State Warriors 118-116 last night, is one game ahead of the Utah Jazz for the final spot in the NBA's Western Conference playoffs.</div></div>

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant on injury: 'The frustration is unbearable'

(CNN)  -- Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant l eft Friday night's game with a leg injury  that could be a ruptured Achilles tendon. Bry...

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Kobe Bryant, Dahntay Jones defends his play

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/atl/atlanta-hawks" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Atlanta Hawks</a> swingman <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/2008/dahntay-jones" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dahntay Jones</a> outspokenly defended himself against criticism from <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/110/kobe-bryant" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kobe Bryant</a>, claiming that he did not intentionally attempt to injure the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Los Angeles Lakers</a> superstar in the final seconds of Wednesday night's game.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bryant suffered a severely sprained left ankle when he landed awkwardly after taking a potential game-tying jump shot with 3.9 seconds remaining. He appeared to land on the foot of Jones, who was defending him closely on the play, and rolled the ankle before crumpling to the floor in pain.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="mod-inline image image-right" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;"><a class="enlarge" credit="Courtesy of Kobe Bryant" href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/0314/nba_r_kobe-ankle_mb_600.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 10px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[+] Enlarge<img alt="Kobe Bryant" border="0" height="300" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/0314/nba_r_kobe-ankle_mb_300.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 4px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;"><cite style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #ababab; display: block; font-size: 10px !important; margin: 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Courtesy of Kobe Bryant</cite>Kobe Bryant tweeted this photo of his ankle, claiming it is "still very swollen."</div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Following the Lakers' 96-92 loss, Bryant said referees need to do a better job protecting shooters from defenders who go underneath them while shooting.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"As defensive players, you can contest shots, but you can't walk underneath players," Bryant said. "That's dangerous for the shooter."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bryant later tweeted: "#dangerousplay that should have been called. Period."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jones reacted to Bryant's barbs Thursday during an interview with "SportsCenter," saying that he was simply defending the shot and trying to help the struggling Hawks pick up a much-needed win.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I didn't try to intentionally come up under him," Jones said. "I was trying to play as hard as I could, to compete at a high level, to try to to help my team win and try to contest the jump shot.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I didn't want to give up on the play. I take pride in how hard I compete and not give up on plays, and that's all I was trying to do. It would be very hard for me in a nine-second span to be able to play defense and gauge where I could get my foot up under his as I'm looking at the ball and trying to contest the jump shot."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><blockquote class="mod-quote-box quote-box-left mod-inline" style="background-color: white; border-right-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 261.8833312988281px;"><span class="quote-start" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; float: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 60px; font-weight: bold; height: 20px; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 7px 10px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Jones" class="floatright" height="90" src="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/2008.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xcccccc&transparent=false" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: right !important; margin: 0px 0px 4px 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="65" />It would be very hard for me in a nine-second span to be able to play defense and gauge where I could get my foot up under his as I'm looking at the ball and trying to contest the jump shot.</div><span class="quote-end" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #aaaaaa; float: right; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 60px; font-weight: bold; height: 20px; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span><cite style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: right; color: #333333; display: block; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px 10px 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;">-- Dahntay Jones in response to criticism from Kobe Bryant</cite></blockquote><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Regardless of whether Jones made a dirty play, the NBA acknowledged in a statement Thursday that officials should have called a foul on the play.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"After review at the league office, video replay confirmed that referees missed a foul call on Jones as he challenged Bryant's shot and did not give him the opportunity to land cleanly back on the floor," the league statement said. "Bryant should have been granted two free throws."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bryant would not speculate whether he would play Friday against the Pacers. He left Philips Arena on Wednesday walking with a limp but without the aid of crutches.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A team source told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne that Bryant's chances of playing against Indiana are "not good."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Losing Bryant, the NBA's second-leading scorer, for an extended period would be costly for the Lakers (34-32), who own a half-game lead over the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/utah/utah-jazz" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Utah Jazz</a> for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bryant's frustration over the play and his injury was palpable Thursday when he tweeted, "17yrs. Countless fades. This has happened TWICE. Jalen and Now Ankle still very swollen. Treatment all day."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bryant's Jalen reference goes all the way back to Game 2 of the 2000 NBA Finals when he played just seven minutes after landing on then-<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/ind/indiana-pacers" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Indiana Pacers</a> guard and current ESPN NBA analyst <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/738/jalen-rose" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jalen Rose</a>'s foot.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"He Jalen Rose'd me," Bryant said of Jones on Wednesday night.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rose has admitted trying to slide under Bryant in that game.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jones said that he's not even certain Bryant landed on his foot, asserting instead that the 15-time All-Star appeared to roll his ankle on the floor.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Right after the game, I went to go check the videos because I felt bad because I heard what everybody was saying," Jones said. "I wanted to make sure that he didn't come down on my foot.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"One take looks like it could have been the back of my foot, another take looks like it was the floor. But I didn't feel anything come down on me."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatright mod-no-header-footer " style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; float: right !important; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 261.8833312988281px;"><div class="mod-content" style="border: 1px solid rgb(194, 194, 194); font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">Down The Stretch They Come</h4><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img class="floatright" src="http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/med/trans/lal.gif" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: right !important; margin: 0px 0px 4px 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" />The Lakers are in the thick of the playoff race, but will be hard-pressed to reach the postseason without Kobe Bryant. Among the three teams that are fighting for the 7th and 8th spots in the Western Conference playoff picture, the schedules are quite similar.</div><h4 style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><center style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Remaining Schedules This Season</center></h4><table style="background-color: transparent; border-spacing: 1px; border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px 7px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 240px;"><thead style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><tr style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><th style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;"></th><th style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rockets</th><th style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lakers</th><th style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jazz</th></tr></thead><tbody style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Home-Road</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">11-6</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">8-8</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">10-7</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Over .500</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">9</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">8</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">9</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Under .500</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">8</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">8</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">8</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Win pct**</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">.501</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">.496</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">.531</td></tr></tbody><tfoot style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><tr style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="4" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; color: #555555; font-size: 9px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 6px 2px; vertical-align: bottom;">** Avg win pct of remaining opponents<br /><i style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">-- ESPN Stats & Information</i></td></tr></tfoot></table></div></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bryant has a history with Jones, who was called for a flagrant foul for tripping Bryant in Game 4 of the 2009 Western Conference finals when he played for the <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/den/denver-nuggets" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Denver Nuggets</a>.</div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Jones acknowledged tripping Bryant in that game, claiming that it was a retaliatory play as a result of a physical series.</span><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"The trip came as a result of me losing my cool," Jones said. "I had been guarding him that whole series, and tempers had gotten flared and I had received a couple elbows to the face and to the throat that I felt like I wasn't getting my fair share of calls. On the last elbow, I just kind of lost it a little bit. I lost my cool and I retaliated with a play that I thought I was getting back.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I got a fine and I got a flagrant 1 called on me, and it was well deserved. I knew I was wrong, I wish I could have taken it back but I couldn't and I moved on from it."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The recent play has been the talk of the league.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"It's not a clean play. It's a dirty play," said<a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/gs/golden-state-warriors" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Golden State Warriors</a> coach Mark Jackson, who was a teammate of Rose, on ESPN Radio's "The Herd" on Thursday. "I'm not sure if Dahntay Jones did it intentionally. But he certainly did go under Kobe and didn't allow him room to land, which is rule No. 1.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"So it's a tough play and hopefully Kobe will be back sooner and won't have to miss much time."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatleft mod-no-header-footer " style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; float: left !important; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 261.8833312988281px;"><div class="mod-content" style="border: 1px solid rgb(194, 194, 194); font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">Who You Gonna Call?</h4><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img class="floatright" src="http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/nba/players/full/110.png&w=65&h=90&scale=crop&background=0xcccccc&transparent=false" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: right !important; margin: 0px 0px 4px 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" />If Kobe Bryant misses time and the Lakers find themselves in a tight game, who will they turn to? Bryant has taken 52 percent of the Lakers' field goal attempts in clutch time, which occurs in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime when the score is within five points either way.</div><h4 style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><center style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lakers' Highest Usage Percentage In Clutch Time This Season</center></h4><table style="background-color: transparent; border-spacing: 1px; border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px 7px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 240px;"><thead style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><tr style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><th style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Player</th><th style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Clutch Time Pct</th></tr></thead><tbody style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kobe Bryant</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">49.0</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pau Gasol</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">18.1</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Antawn Jamison</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">14.6</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Metta World Peace</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">13.7</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Steve Nash</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">13.3</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jodie Meeks</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">11.6</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Earl Clark</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">11.4</td></tr><tr class="last" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dwight Howard</td><td style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(214, 214, 214); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; vertical-align: baseline;">11.1</td></tr></tbody><tfoot style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><tr style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; color: #555555; font-size: 9px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 6px 2px; vertical-align: bottom;"><i style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">-- ESPN Stats & Information</i></td></tr></tfoot></table></div></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hawks coach Larry Drew completely disagreed with Jackson's assessment of the play.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I would not call that a dirty play," Drew said during an interview with ESPN Radio's "Coach and Company" on Thursday. "It's just a play that unfortunately Kobe comes down on Dahntay's foot. Officials have to make what they feel is the right call in that particular case, and obviously they didn't feel that a foul was committed.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"But I totally disagree with Mark Jackson, and anyone who would call that a dirty play. We're not out to hurt anybody."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A reporter asked Bryant after Wednesday's game if he felt like Jones deliberately tried to injure him.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I don't ever want to put that on somebody, I really don't," Bryant said. "I just think players need to be made conscious of it and I think officials need to protect shooters. Period."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="mod-container mod-inline content-box mod-podcast floatright mod-no-header-footer" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; float: right !important; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 261.8833312988281px;"><div class="mod-content" style="border: 1px solid rgb(194, 194, 194); font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">Mike and Mike in the Morning</h4><div class="podcast-player" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><object data="http://a.espncdn.com/swf/espnradio/09/audio_player_circular_v2.swf" height="70" id="flashPodcastSwf" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="86"></object></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic share their thoughts on the injuries to Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony. Did Bryant get hurt due to a dangerous play by Dahntay Jones?</div><div class="footer clear" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-size: 10px; height: 14px; line-height: 17px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px 8px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><a href="http://espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">More Podcasts »</a></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jones maintained, however, that he was playing tough defense and that he didn't want to give Bryant a clean look at the basket.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"My job as a defender is to get as close as possible so they have to see you," Jones said. "When he fades away, I'm not supposed to just give up and let him hit the shot that he wants. So I just tried to get closer and not give up on the play and let him know that I was still there.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Coming up under him -- there's a fine line between that. I didn't maliciously try to come up under his foot. I think his leg kicked out and it made contact with me and it made him land awkwardly."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Deliberate or not, Bryant was upset that Wednesday likely was the Lakers' final game against the Hawks this season.</div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">"I can't get my mind past the fact that I got to wait a year to get revenge," he said.</span><i style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Information from ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne and Dave McMenamin and The Associated Press was used in this report.</i><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?&playerBrandingId=4ef8000cbaf34c1687a7d9a26fe0e89e&pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=576&height=324&externalId=espn:9055499&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true"></script></div>

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant, Dahntay Jones defends his play

Atlanta Hawks  swingman  Dahntay Jones  outspokenly defended himself against criticism from  Kobe Bryant , claiming that he did not intentio...

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