Starting 0-4 is definitely cause for frustration, but the Los Angeles Lakers are apparently so incensed after their dismal start to the 2015-16 season that players are taking it out on each other. According to Lakers head coach Byron Scott, there was a “verbal altercation” among “several” players on the bench during the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s loss to the Nuggets.
Byron Scott said several Lakers got into a verbal altercation late in 4Q last night. Likes that more than them being happy with loss.
— Bill Oram (@billoram) November 4, 2015
The details of the incident are few. For one, there’s no video of it, and starters like Julius Randle were not on the court when it happened.
Julius said the altercation happened from the bench and he was on the court so he didn't know much.
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) November 4, 2015
But not involved, apparently, was Kobe Bryant, who’s so busy being mad at himself, he doesn’t have the time, or the energy, to take that out on anyone else.
Byron only said Kobe was not part of the verbal altercation
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) November 4, 2015
Also, it doesn’t help that Scott is putting so much spin on this thing, it could make for a decent three-point shot. “That’s good,” Scott said via the Los Angeles Daily News. “They tell me that they care. I want to see more fight in our guys.”
In fairness, there’s some merit to that statement. Complacency in the face of hard times signals a ton of problems and—surprise!–competitive guys fight among one another. But right now, the Lakers are channeling their anger toward one another instead of, you know, on the court against other NBA teams.
The “verbal altercation” may be little more than a fight amongst teammates capable of moving on the next day. Or it might be a sign of another long season in L.A. But we’re not even two weeks into the season and the Lakers are only making headlines for the wrong reasons.
(Via Bill Oram, Mark Medina)
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