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Kobe suspended two games for elbowing Miller
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-31 08:35
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant was suspended for
two games without pay Friday for elbowing Mike Miller of the Memphis Grizzlies
in the throat.
Los Angeles Lakers'
Kobe Bryant, left, stands over Memphis Grizzlies Mike Miller after he
elbowed him in the throat as Grizzlies Pau Gasol of Spain, right, looks on
during the fourth quarter of their NBA basketball, Wednesday, Dec. 28,
2005, in Los Angeles. [AP] | Bryant was called for
a flagrant foul for elbowing Miller with 8:24 remaining in the fourth quarter in
Wednesday night's 100-99 overtime loss to the Grizzlies. He is scheduled to
serve his suspension Sunday, when the Lakers host Utah, and Tuesday, when Los
Angeles plays at the Jazz.
"Very surprised. Shocked, actually. Very, very surprised," Bryant said after
practice Friday. "Angry and frustrated. I've been hit with a couple of flagrant
fouls already this year. I've been hit with a clothesline and no suspensions
come of that. and I get two games for this?"
After the game, Bryant was unapologetic. He was cut over his left eye early
in the third quarter when Miller elbowed him while driving to the basket. Bryant
left the game briefly, and took three stitches to close the wound.
"Any player that was going to come down the lane at that point in time, I was
going to let him know that he just can't walk through there," Bryant said after
the game. "I think we as a team have to do a better job of establishing that.
And me, as a leader of the ballclub, I've got to take the initiative to do that
錕斤拷 and hopefully, everybody will see that.
"This being our home court, people come here and think it's Hollywood and all
sorts of stuff, so they think they'll come down (the lane) and look pretty and
shoot jump shots and dunk the ball and finger-roll the ball and do all sorts of
cute stuff. And we've got to stop that."
Bryant said his postgame comments were "no different than what everybody else
says."
"Somebody comes down the lane, you've got to hit him," he said Friday. "You
can't let them come down the lane and just finger roll and get easy baskets.
Nothing to hurt anybody like that. That's just basic NBA basketball."
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