It isn’t the type of play you normally see in an All-Star Game, where there is normally as much defense played as you see in a 100-yard dash.
At the start of the second half the All-Star Game both Dwyane Wade and LeBron James tried to pick up the defensive intensity and get the East back in the game.
That led to a hard foul by Wade on Kobe Bryant, one that left Kobe with a broken nose and a mild concussion. Wade tried to bring his arms over the top on Kobe and wrap him up, and in the process hit Kobe on his nose.
Kobe said Wednesday he did not blame Wade for what happened. Here’s the quote, via Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register.
“It was very simple,” Bryant said of the damage from Wade’s foul Sunday. “He didn’t mean to do it. It’s just something that just happens. He’s not that type of person….
“We’ve been close friends for a long time,” Bryant said. “Myself, ‘Melo (Carmelo Anthony) and him. We’ve been really, really close.”
Kobe did not miss any games, he was cleared by league doctors of the concussion in time to play on Wednesday night. Although Kobe did have to wear a mask during that game to protect his nose.
So Kobe absolved Wade of blame. That is very different from saying Kobe will not use this as motivation when the Lakers play the Heat on Sunday.
