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A recap of Kobe Bryant's testy postgame remarks about his ankle injury ...
His opening statement...
"First and foremost, the officials really need to protect shooters. As defensive players, you can contest shots but you can’t walk underneath players. That’s dangerous for the shooter."
What Dahntay Jones' defense reminded him of ...
"He Jalen Rose’d me."
Will he play on Friday against Indiana ...
"I don’t know."
On his potential game-tying shot ...
"That’s my shot. It’s a shot I’m very comfortable taking but you just can’t go underneath shooters, man. That’s a dangerous play."
On what he discussed with the ref at the end of the game ...
"He instructed Gary (Vitti) to come out onto the court and he came out there on the court, which then takes me out of the game permanently, I can’t go back in. So that was just a miscommunication I was having a conversation with the official about."
On his 20-point third quarter ...
"I think we were all struggling. I just tried to will the ball in the basket and hopefully regenerate some energy for all of us. It seemed to turn for us, but then we all went cold again. It was just one of those nights where we couldn’t make a shot."
On how he'll treat the ankle ...
"Same old thing. Just do what I have to do."
On if it was a "deliberate" play by Jones ...
"I don’t ever want to put that on somebody, I really don’t. I just think players need to be made conscious of it and I think officials need to protect shooters. Period."
On if he ever plays defense like that ...
"I’m always conscious of it. When I go to contest shots, I’m always very conscious about making sure I don’t walk underneath them. It’s just a very dangerous play. Especially if I’m fading away, there’s no rhyme or reason why I should come down anywhere near somebody’s foot."
On how he'll approach getting ready for Friday ...
"I don’t know. I can’t get my mind past the fact that I got to wait a year to get revenge."