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Kobe Bryant Trolls Dwight Howard In Postgame Interview

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By @MichaelTerrill

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Basketball fans got quite the treat on opening night when Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant got in a bit of a scuffle. As entertaining as that was, it was what occurred in the postgame that should have put a big smile on the faces of Bryant supporters.

The former teammates got into it when Howard elbowed Bryant in the face after a rebound. Bryant landed several verbal attacks, including what appeared to be calling Howard “soft.” Howard responded with his own remarks, but for the most part, it seemed he did not want anything to do with Bryant. Truthfully, the two do not want anything to do with each other after their botched partnership two seasons ago in Los Angeles.

After the game, Bryant made it clear the media should not make too much of the elbow and scuffle. In fact, he welcomes a certain level of aggressiveness in the game.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Bryant said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Elbows are part of the game. Trash-talking is part of the game. I don’t know where the NBA became so sensitive.”

Bryant then continued with what can only be called as trolling Howard.

“He’s a teddy bear,” he said. “You can’t help but like him. I really mean that. He’s a really nice kid. But when you’re competing and you have a goal in mind . . . certain times we don’t see eye to eye.”

Boom.

To the average person, it appears Bryant paid Howard a compliment. To the people who have been following Bryant his entire career, his quote is clearly a backhanded compliment. Calling Howard a “teddy bear” and “soft” clearly implies that the big man did not have what it takes to win a championship while a member of the Lakers. That could not have been made any clearer when Bryant said they did not see eye to eye when the ultimate prize was at stake.

Howard got the last laugh, though. The Rockets pounded the Lakers 108-90 at the Staples Center.

Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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