Can the Wizards Stir Up Another #AngryKobe?

Just about every Lakers player had given their post-game interview and already treaded their way out of the building onto the team bus, yet the visitor’s locker room at the Verizon Center remained a media mosh pit. It almost looked like a hostage scene as everyone loitered around laundry carts and stray shoes, quietly antsy to get a sound bite from the Black Mamba.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour-long wait, the training room door opened with Kobe moping towards the closest locker, ready to “speak” to the media.

“We’ll keep it to one words tonight,” a disgruntled Kobe proclaimed.

Blown over a surrendered 21-point second half lead to the Wizards just one night after losing to the lowly Pistons, Kobe was frustrated, and I was standing at spit range right in front of him, feeling every ounce of tension.

Led by two ghosts of Wizards past, Nick Young and JaVale McGee, the Wizards overcame great odds that chilly March evening earlier this year, surviving the early L.A. bombardment and pulling out a 106-101 victory, which was only their ninth in 38 games.

But Kobe was all but willing to talk about it. He had hit the tipping point and was at zero-tolerance. His Lakers had blown a fourth quarter lead the night before in Detroit and the Wizards were the perfect target for Kobe’s redemption. Or so they thought.

It’s all good, they said.
We’ll just crush the Wizards tomorrow night, they said.
They’re only 8-28, they said.

Mmhhmm.

Tonight, the Wizards face a Laker team in a much tougher spot than just coming off a loss to the Pistons. More like on the brink of self-destruction.

Some enlightening facts about the Lakers for the sole purpose of making you feel better about your team's teams chances at winning tonight:

• The Lake Show backpedals into Chinatown tonight, reeling on a 4-game losing streak and are losers of six of their last seven.
  
• They struggle mightily in several areas on defense, specifically in defending the the pick and roll. Write that down, Kevin Seraphin. Oh, they’re pretty bad in running back in transition as well.
  
• Their depleted roster, highlighted by the absence of Pau Gasol and Steve Nash amplifies the disorientation of their bench.
  
• Reports claim that Kobe Bryant may be hobbled by back spasms and is listed as probable.
  
• Robert Sacre is in the Lakers rotation.

Let’s see if the Wizards can help churn out an interview by Kobe Bryant even worse than the one he gave last season at the Phone Booth. For now, go ahead enjoy one more look at last season's post-game agony..