LA Lakers news 2015: Kobe Bryant frustrated after third straight loss
Kobe Bryant pinned the blame on himself after the Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Bryant, who is now on his 20th season with the Lakers, believes he has not been performing at the level that is expected of him. In a report by ESPN.com, The "Black Mamba" aired out his frustrations right after his team's 103-93 loss at home.
"I'm the 200th-best player in the league right now. I freaking suck."
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For the said game against the Mavericks, Bryant scored 15 points from 3 out of 15 shooting from the filed, sinking 2 out of 8 from the three-point range. Throughout the Lakers' three games, he only shot 31 percent from the field (16 out of 51). 20 percent of his shots were made from the three-point line (6 out of 29).
Bryant has been playing professionally since he was 18 years old in 1996. Now 37, he has managed to win five NBA titles, a Most Valuable Player award, and make 17 NBA All-Star appearances along the way. He has, however, been plagued by injuries since 2013.
His most recent one came early this year in January during the tail end of the 2014-2015 season, when he tore the rotator cuff of his right shoulder. The said injury forced him to sit out the rest of the season, with a recovery period of nine months.
Unlike his coach Byron Scott, who attributed the Laker's abysmal performance to fatigue, Bryant believes he is merely going through a slump that he needs to get over with sooner than later.
"Just playing like s--- right now, that's all," a frustrated Bryant said. "I'm getting the shots I want. Just got to make them. At some point you've just got to say to hell with all of that and just figure out how to put the ball in the hole."
The Lakers are slated to face the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday at home.
