LAKERS NOTEBOOK: BRYANT IS READY TO WING IT.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer HONOLULU - With the Lakers finishing out of the playoffs for the first time in his career, Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. had an entire summer to go through every scenario that could await him on the basketball court, from chasing after point guards to posting up down low. A week into training camp, though, Bryant's role in Phil Jackson's offense and defense has become more defined. And the changes will be anything but cosmetic to those who remember how Jackson used Bryant in his previous five years as coach. On offense, Bryant will move from the backcourt, where he shared the responsibility of bringing up the ball and initiating the offense, to the wing, a position that will allow him to better size up defensive weak points and use his size to drag a defender into the post. The wing also should give Bryant more opportunities as a scorer, though he had little trouble putting up 40-point games in his previous role. Additionally, Bryant said moving to the wing should help him conserve energy, as he won't have to handle the ball as much. Bryant described the wing on Sunday as ``more of a striking position.'' He has spoken highly of Jackson's new version of the triangle offense  This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers.Please [improve the article] or discuss this issue on the talk page. , one that will have more flexibility than when Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). was anchored at center. ``Everybody will be truly interchangeable,'' Bryant said last week. ``We'll be moving pieces of the puzzle around moreso than we did in the past and see if that works for us.'' --Also: The Lakers are expecting rookie center Andrew Bynum Andrew Bynum (born October 27 1987, in Plainsboro, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Bynum is listed as 7'0" and 285 lbs and plays center. (abdominal strain) and guard Laron Profit Bronta Laron Profit (born August 5 1977 in Charleston, South Carolina) is a professional basketball player in the NBA. Following a college career at the University of Maryland, College Park, he was a second round draft pick of the Orlando Magic in the 1999 NBA Draft. (strained calf) not to play in their first two exhibitions. ... Forward Lamar Odom Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward (also plays both forward spots and is a "point-forward") for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. took the first blow to his surgically repair left shoulder and was uninjured, Jackson said. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: PHIL JACKSON
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. Coach has his star playing the wing in new version of the triangle offense. |
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