Kobe Bryant was on a roll. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant is “in grumpy mode right now.”
That’s probably a good thing for the Los Angeles Lakers as they fight for a playoff spot with Pau Gasol possibly out with plantar fasciitis until the end of the regular season.
For the Dallas Mavericks, though, it was a very bad thing. Bryant, who admitted earlier this year year that the Lakers are “old as [a dirt-like substance],” he took poorly to Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s innocent musing that perhaps the Lakers should consider using the amnesty tag on Bryant, who is due to make over $30 million next season, and waiving him. That’ll teach Cuban to try to professorially explain the collective bargaining agreement…just before his team plays the Lakers.
The Black Mamba went on a tear Sunday, finishing with 38 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as the Lakers won their third game in a row and are 8-3 in February. Bryant had a pithy little message for Cuban afterward, delivered via Twitter:
Amnesty THAT
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) February 24, 2013
All the Mavs could do was laugh. “They should have listened to Cuban and amnestied him this morning,” Dirk Nowitzki joked.
Nice to know there is a least one team and theirplayers, outside of the Mavs, that listen to everything I say.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) February 24, 2013
But I do have to give props to @kobebryant for a great tweet. #Welldone.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) February 24, 2013
The NBA, because it loves to ding Cuban, is debating whether to fine Cuban for his comments, according to the Los Angeles Times. Meanwhile, no one can say they weren’t warned that Bryant isn’t in a real jokey mood.
“I’m in grumpy mode right now,” he said. “That’s probably not going to change until after June.”
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Kobe says the Lakers are old. Very old.
