Kobe’s still a relatively young guy, but he’s approaching two decades in the NBA. So naturally, he has begun to slow down. Still great, but a little slower. Because of this, and his new teammates, Mike Brown may limit Kobe’s minutes.
Bryant said he did not feel drained after playing in the Olympics; he said the competition actually helped prepare him for the NBA season, which starts Oct. 30 against Dallas. ‘Sometimes it’s harder if you have the summer off,’ he said. ‘You get out of shape and then it takes more toll on your body to actually get back in shape as opposed to never really being out of shape and you kind of pick right up and you’re already at that level, so it’s actually a little less strenuous.’
The Lakers will be monitoring Bryant’s minutes closely heading into his 17th NBA season. He averaged 38.5 minutes per game last season, an uptick of nearly five minutes from the preceding season. Coach Mike Brown acknowledged that he doesn’t want a repeat. ‘If I can, I’d definitely love to keep his minutes down and not have them up to 38,’ Brown said.
Source: LA times
