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<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">DENVER - Kobe Bryant believes that Stephon Marbury would be wise to follow Larry Brown's direction so that Marbury "can turn out to be the player that we all thought he could be."
"I think he's playing a more structured game right now," Bryant said. "He's trying to understand the flow of the game instead of just going out there and being a gunslinger, something he was very good at. But now it's a process where Larry is trying to elevate his game to the next level. Because you can be just as effective scoring 40, but you can also pick your spots."
Bryant witnessed Marbury's struggles firsthand during the Lakers' 97-92 win on Wednesday. Bryant scored 42 points, while Marbury finished with four points on 2-for-9 shooting. Afterward, Marbury expressed frustration with his role in Brown's offense.
"I shouldn't have to go on the court and decide where I'm going to be aggressive," Marbury said.
Bryant experienced similar struggles adjusting to Phil Jackson's demands when the coach first arrived in L.A. in 2000. Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups went through growing pains with Brown as their head coach in Philadelphia and Detroit, respectively. The one significant difference is that Bryant, Iverson and Billups were all young players adjusting to a demanding coach. Marbury, 28, may not be as open to changing his style.
"It's tough," Bryant said late Wednesday. "I can understand because it's something that's completely new. And I think Stephon understands that. Larry Brown has been around for a while and he knows point guards. And if just stays with it, he can turn out to be the player that we all thought he could be.
"I think it's important for the City of New York to be patient. Because it's gonna pay off. I mean, you can see him out there thinking the game. He's making certain reads and understanding who needs what. And complement that with his offensive, his explosive ability, you can have something pretty special."</div>
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"I think he's playing a more structured game right now," Bryant said. "He's trying to understand the flow of the game instead of just going out there and being a gunslinger, something he was very good at. But now it's a process where Larry is trying to elevate his game to the next level. Because you can be just as effective scoring 40, but you can also pick your spots."
Bryant witnessed Marbury's struggles firsthand during the Lakers' 97-92 win on Wednesday. Bryant scored 42 points, while Marbury finished with four points on 2-for-9 shooting. Afterward, Marbury expressed frustration with his role in Brown's offense.
"I shouldn't have to go on the court and decide where I'm going to be aggressive," Marbury said.
Bryant experienced similar struggles adjusting to Phil Jackson's demands when the coach first arrived in L.A. in 2000. Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups went through growing pains with Brown as their head coach in Philadelphia and Detroit, respectively. The one significant difference is that Bryant, Iverson and Billups were all young players adjusting to a demanding coach. Marbury, 28, may not be as open to changing his style.
"It's tough," Bryant said late Wednesday. "I can understand because it's something that's completely new. And I think Stephon understands that. Larry Brown has been around for a while and he knows point guards. And if just stays with it, he can turn out to be the player that we all thought he could be.
"I think it's important for the City of New York to be patient. Because it's gonna pay off. I mean, you can see him out there thinking the game. He's making certain reads and understanding who needs what. And complement that with his offensive, his explosive ability, you can have something pretty special."</div>
Source
