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Mihm's Ankle Keeps Him Inactive
"Anytime I'm trying to get going on the ankle, it's swelling up and causing a lot of pain," Mihm said. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Kobe And Phil Continue Harmonious Relationship
"We're talking, joking around on the bus. It's been a great relationship and it's made the season more enjoyable," Bryant said. "We've kind of come over a hurdle of the despondency of last year to the optimism of this year and in doing so, he's kind of pulled [his teammates] up by the bootstraps with his scoring and ability," Jackson said. "Right now, he's really confident that his teammates can do things out on the floor and he's helping them develop their game. He's doing a real good job being a floor general on the court." "They have both grown to respect each other," said Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw, who was Bryant's teammate on the Lakers' three championship teams from 2000 to 2002. "Kobe may have been more resistant to coaching the first time around and then, having gone through the experience of last year, not having Phil, not making the playoffs, not experiencing success on a level that he's accustomed to, I think he started to miss that. This time around, it's been great. "From Phil's perspective, he's calmed down. He's more patient and more relaxed and he also has a different respect for Kobe and all that he's gone through." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Kobe Silent On 24
Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Lakers Apr 2006 Archive
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Fortunately for the Lakers, Kwame Brown has come on strong, as Chris Mihm continues to be unavailable. He has been inactive for Games 1 and 2, but hopes his ankle recovers so he can play in the latter half of the series.
Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson have carried the harmony of their relationship this season into the playoffs and it has paid off as they are sitting in a tied series versus Phoenix.