One day after media day for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant and company got back to work on the basketball floor at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo. Head coach Byron Scott put his new squad through a series of drills emphasizing defense as he promised.
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Kobe talked about the first practice under Scott saying the following, via Lakers Twitter account:
.@kobebryant on leading: “The guys on the team are so much younger, it requires a different touch… It’s gonna take a little time.”
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 30, 2014
After accepting the job to become the Lakers new head coach, Scott let it be known that he’s intent on changing the culture in Los Angeles. Scott will make his players accountable for their play on the defensive end of the floor and if they don’t bring forth the effort, they won’t get minutes.
With that being said, the Lakers will be put to the test in practice and will have to earn the right to get into the rotation for Scott.
Kobe also said the following about Scott’s first practice, via Mark Medina of L.A. Daily News:
Kobe says he never ran this much for any coach
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) September 30, 2014
With the rotation not set in stone, minutes will be up for grabs with training camp underway and the start of preseason on Monday.
[divide]Lakers Media Day 2014: Byron Scott (PT II), Defense Wins Championships