The Warriors forward, who leads the NBA in triple-doubles with 11, was at the center of attention during his team's victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 27 after going on a "profanity-laced tirade" in the locker room at halftime, according to ABC's Lisa Salters (via CBS Sports' James Herbert).
Bryant said the 55-6 Warriors need Green's fiery personality to keep winning, per Diamond Leung of Bay Area News Group.
"He's the one that's going to have to create that conflict and create that tension within in the locker room," Bryant said. "If they don't have that, man, in the playoffs they'll be in trouble. He's got to create that conflict with them."
It seems like an odd thing to say about a team that is on pace to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' record for the most regular-season wins in NBA history (72), but Bryant knows what it takes to win a championship, considering he has five.
At the same time, the Warriors won the championship last season, when Green was not playing at the same level he is this year—13.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game—but perhaps Bryant feels the Warriors need something to keep them from becoming complacent.
They played that way against the Lakers, connecting on just four of 30 three-point attempts and shooting 40.2 percent overall.
Bryant could be right, but even the greatest teams lose games they shouldn't. The 1995-96 Bulls lost to a short-handed 25-29 Miami Heat team during the season and went on to win the championship.
More than anything, the Warriors likely overlooked a 12-win Lakers team and will get back to their winning ways when they step onto the court Monday against the Orlando Magic.
Link : http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2622498-kobe-bryant-comments-on-draymond-greens-role-in-warriors-locker-room
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