After all the blockbuster moves during the offseason, no one expected the Los Angeles Lakers to have the season that they're having now.
Surely no one expected former coach Mike Brown to be fired just five games into the season, but its been that type of year for the Lakers so far. Even now under new coach Mike D'Antoni, the team has still continued to struggle to get things right.
But after a 113-103 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday, the Lakers Kobe Bryant has had enough and is demanding his teammates get their acts together.
"I'll kick everybody's ass in this locker room if it doesn't happen," Bryant said after the loss to the Magic at Staples Center. "It's the attitude you have to have. Metta (World Peace) is the same way. Dwight (Howard) has it in him as well. Even though he smiles a lot, he cares a lot about this. Come hell or high water, this has to get done."
The Lakers entered the fourth quarter against the Magic with a 77-73 lead, and later added three more point to give them 7-point margin with 7:50 left to play. Instead of closing the game, like the more-talented team that they are, they allowed the Magic to score 36 points to win the game by 10.
Though Bryant wasn't pointing any fingers, he understands the pressure is on he and Dwight Howard to close out games. Howard's biggest Achilles heel has always been his ability to make his free throws.
Howard, who entered the game as the star attraction in his first game against his former team, was 9 of 21 from the charity stripe, including 4 of 8 in the last 3:37 of the game.
"He should look at it as an opportunity," Kobe said, "because once he conquers the ability to make free throws, the sky's the absolute limit for him. So he should really approach it as an opportunity.
"The pressure is on me and Dwight to really perform well, and we'll pick up for everybody else's mistakes, whatever they may be. He and I have to perform at a really, really high level night in and night out."
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