Kobe Bryant News L.A. Lakers

Kobe Bryant's play does talking

LOS ANGELES - There were a few Kobe Bryant whines last night, but the frustrations of the superstar Los Angeles Lakers guard were confined to the court and had nothing to do with trade demands as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Utah Jazz, 119-109, to improve to 2-1 on the young season.

Kobe Bryant, whose calls to be dealt away from the only team he's played for dominated the NBA hot stove talk in the last month, may become less vocal about a job relocation if the Los Angeles Lakers continue to win games. Kobe Bryant did most of the damage against a pesky Jazz team, pouring in a team-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting.

"We play hard, we'll be a competitive team," said Kobe Bryant after the win.

Just win, baby, and maybe Kobe Bryant will continue to light up the Staples Center with his electric play for at least this season.

"For me, it's just about today," Kobe Bryant said. "I don't think about what everybody else talks about. I think about the guys in this locker room. They know. We talk about it. They know where I'm coming from. It's not a distraction. We don't think about it, we go out there and (kick butt)."

Showtime may still have Jack Nicholson courtside, the Laker Girls and Hollywood just up Highway 101, but ever since Shaquille O'Neal left for South Florida, Kobe Bryant has not enjoyed the basketball riches that he experienced with three straight NBA titles starting in 2000.

Much of Kobe Bryant's desire to leave Hollywood stemmed from the lack of supporting talent around him and prior to the start of this season, he seemingly had all but packed up his suitcases. The trade rumors escalated with each passing day, adding up to a preseason's worth of headaches for the Los Angeles Lakers' Hall of Fame coach, Phil Jackson.

Even team owner Jerry Buss seemed resigned to letting Kobe Bryant go if the right trade offer presented itself.

"I would certainly listen" the 74-year-old Buss told Los Angeles reporters in October, when asked if he would entertain offers for his superstar guard. "At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody. It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit. You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."

Last night, Kobe Bryant looked all business, out-hustling his Jazz counterpart Ronnie Brewer all night. Still, Brewer had a team-high 26 points.

For now, Kobe Bryant is still in a Laker uniform. After connecting for 45 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' season-opening loss to Houston, Kobe Bryant had a relatively quiet 16 points in the team's rout of Phoenix on Friday night. Back home, Kobe Bryant was back to his old self, quieting the gripes for at least one night.

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