The opening day of the new NBA was a success. The San Antonio Spurs were presented with their NBA champion rings, Anthony Davis had a career game for the New Orleans Pelicans versus the Orlando Magic, and Houston Rockets pummeled the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. However, none of those three made the biggest mark on the first day of the 2014-15 NBA season. Most fans talked about the Kobe Bryant Dwight Howard fight more than the basketball actions.
Well, how can you not ignore it? They are two of the most popular stars in the league and most importantly, they are former teammates. The scuffle occurred in the mid part of the fourth period when Kobe tried to steal the ball that Howard rebounded. There were some elbows that partially connected but it produced friction between the two. Kobe Bryant was called for technical but words were also thrown to each other with the Los Angeles star calling his Houston Rockets counter part 'soft.' Lakers went on to lose the game via a blow out but has the two parties left out the feud on the hard wood?
According to Los Angeles Daily News' Vincent Bonsignore, the Houston Rockets center said that he did not leave the Hollywood franchise because he is afraid of Kobe Bryant. This is after new Lakers coach Byron Scott told interview that Dwight doesn't seem serious about winning championship, which eventually caused the clash.
For Kobe Bryant, he thinks everything is already cool between them after the final buzzer. He even has sweet words for his former teammate in the Los Angeles Lakers and 2008 US Olympics Basketball team.
"I think it's fantastic," Bryant said. "Elbows are part of the game. Trash-talking is part of the game. I don't know where the NBA became so sensitive."
"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."
