Kobe Bryant caught an elbow to the face courtesy of Dwight Howard during the NBA’s season opener between the Lakers and the Rockets Tuesday (Oct. 29). Both players ended up getting fouls (a flagrant for Howard and a technical for Bryant) and maybe got close enough to fight — but they never actually took it there. Bryant mouthed “Try me” to Howard, and called him “soft” after the elbow incident. It’s clear that these guys don’t really like each other even though Bryant played it off after the fact.
“That’s the game,” he said. “That’s all part of the game. Elbows are a part of the game. Trash-talking is part of the game. I don’t know where the NBA became so sensitive. It’s all part of it.”
Black Mamba went on to call Howard a “teddy bear”, which we’re assuming was another jab at his softness. He was full of double-sided compliments for his former Lakers teammate. “You can’t help but like him,” Bryant said. “I really meant that. He’s a really nice kid. But you know, when you’re competing, you have a goal in mind. I know one way to get there. There’s certain times when we didn’t see eye to eye, but that wasn’t one of those situations.”
Howard said he didn’t care about the elbow situation.”It’s stupid. We won the game. It’s over with. I mean, there’s no need to go into it. We won the game. It’s about basketball. I mean it’s over with. It’s nothing. I’m not even focused on it.”
The Lakers lost 108-90.
See reactions in the gallery and video of Bryant and Howard below.
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Photo: Screenshot
