Kobe Bryant still sparks the loudest cheers whenever he hears his name announced in the starting lineup. He still hears the “MVP” chants when he steps to the foul line. He still commands the room, ranging from Byron Scott’s unyielding respect to his star player toward his younger teammates appreciating his presence.
But Bryant has discovered in recent days that he can thrive the most this season if he doesn’t demand the spotlight as much. The Lakers’ 113-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday at Staples Center featured Bryant posting a game-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field, 6 assists and 3 rebounds in 27 minutes by doing less with more.