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Kobe Bryant answers questions during a press conference held at the Lakers training facility in El Segundo, Calif.. Thursday, July 15, 2004. Bryant chose the Lakers over the Clippers, remaining with the team he joined in 1996 at age 18 and later helped win three NBA championships. (Photo by Steve Grayson/WireImage)
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Kobe Bryant answers questions during a press conference held at the Lakers training facility in El Segundo, Calif.. Thursday, July 15, 2004. Bryant chose the Lakers over the Clippers, remaining with the team he joined in 1996 at age 18 and later helped win three NBA championships. (Photo by Steve Grayson/WireImage)
Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Kobe Bryant has won it all. Moreover, he is also considered one of the smartest players. His in game tactics and mind games made him who he was and led him to 5 NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Furthermore, legendary coach Ettore Messina talked about an interesting story about Kobe. According to the Italian coach, Bryant talked to him in Italian and he put on a lot of pressure on his teammates, unlike Spurs legend Tim Duncan.
The interesting tactic used by Kobe Bryant
Who doesn’t love Kobe Bryant? The Los Angeles Lakers legend has had one of the most legendary careers in the NBA. Apart from 5 NBA titles, he has many individual accolades that include 2 times final MVP and 2 times scoring champ.
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During his long career in the NBA, Kobe has had memorable battles. Among them, his battles with Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs were a treat for the fans always. Talking about the two players and their leadership styles, legendary Italian coach Ettore Messina had a lot to say.
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant yells out in frustration after just missing a circus shot against the Nuggets defense late in the first half in game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at the Pepsi Center. (Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
He said, “Kobe spoke to me in Italian because he liked it when he wanted to talk about things that no one could understand. Unlike Tim, Kobe could put a lot of pressure: on teammates, himself, coaches, everything… And he always made it very clear: you had to be at a very high level when you were with him, even with psychological pressure.”
🗣️ "Kobe Bryant me hablaba en italiano cuando quería hablar de cosas que ninguno pudiese entender".
Un entrenador metódico, elegante y triunfador. 'The Coaching Experience' con Ettore Messina, ya en DAZN 🔥 ¡Oro puro! pic.twitter.com/CYyCaAP0ip
— DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) April 7, 2022
Duncan and Bryant are two of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen. While they may have their differences, they have their similarities too. Both of them won 5 NBA titles with the franchise they started out with.
Tim Duncan vs Bryant: Head to Head
The two have faced off against each other a whopping 82 times! Moreover, 3o of those games have come in the playoffs. Tim Duncan holds the upper hand over Kobe with 43 wins compared to The Mamba’s 39 wins.
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LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 5: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers exchanges words with Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs at the Staples Center on November 5, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. The Spurs won 105-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2004 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
In these games, Kobe Bryant averages 25.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists. On the other hand, Duncan averages 21.0 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists. (Source: landofbasketball.com)
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What is your favorite memory of Kobe Bryant? Let us know in the comments below.
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Ajinkya Aswale