Will Kobe Bryant continue to defer?
by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports
Five top story lines for Wednesday’s 13-game NBA slate (all times p.m. Eastern):
Will Kobe Bryant continue to defer?
Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz, 9: The Lakers finally won Sunday, and Bryant’s passing was a big reason. They were dominant against the Detroit Pistons, working the ball inside while mixing in fast breaks and open three-pointers like the San Antonio Spurs. Bryant was the central figure. The shooting guard finished with 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting, eight assists and seven rebounds. With Steve Nash out, he’s the Lakers’ top playmaker and needs to continue to help teammates find shots. Three Lakers took more than Bryant, the type of thing you never expect to see in a box score. But it’s the best way for this team to congeal until Nash returns. Then again, if the Jazz put Gordon Hayward on Bryant, he can always go off for 81 points.
Are the Brooklyn Nets actual competitors?
Nets at Miami Heat, 7:30: How is this game not on national TV? The Nets beat the Toronto Raptors in their opener, then lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in an encore. Now we get to see their cool black road jerseys for the first time. The Nets don’t match up well with the Heat, particularly with likely LeBron James defender Gerald Wallace out with a sprained ankle. But Deron Williams should outclass Mario Chalmers, and the Heat don’t have an ideal answer for Nets center Brook Lopez.
Seven years later, is Gerald Green ready for the NBA?
Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30: Two small forwards slid on Draft Day 2005: Danny Granger and Green. The Pacers snatched Granger 17th overall out of New Mexico, and he blossomed into an All-Star. The Celtics took Green one pick later out of high school, and he fell apart, falling out of the NBA because of a lack of work ethic. Green returned to the NBA as a viable contributor last season and was one of the Pacers’ biggest free agent additions this offseason. His role will be magnified as Granger sits for three months with a knee injury, and he has averaged … [For more on Tonight's NBA schedule: Will Kobe Bryant continue to defer?, click here.]
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