Well before Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett darted his piercing eyes and directed his loud mouth at Lakers second-year forward Julius Randle, Kobe Bryant already knew it was coming.
“I know KG,” said Bryant, who remembers battling against Garnett his entire career including the 2008 and 2010 NBA Finals. “He loves testing young guys just to see what they’re made of.”
It turns out that Randle is made of a lot in the Lakers’ 112-111 season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Staples Center. Randle refused to shy away from Garnett. Randle talked back. Shortly after Garnett picked up a technical foul with 3:14 left in the second quarter, Randle inbounded the ball off of Garnett’s back without the 21-year-old NBA veteran looking.