Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson puts the NBA finals loss against the Boston Celtics down to exhaustion.
Kobe Bryant called his seven-turnover performance in Thursday's 96-89 NBA finals loss to the Boston Celtics "horrible" as Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson put it down to exhaustion.
"He was tired," Jackson told reporters after the Celtics evened the best-of-seven series at two games apiece on their home court.
"Physically he had to work too hard in the course of the game and couldn't finish it out the way he wanted to.
"The match-ups in the game kind of dictated those terms and we'll have to do something different the next game to get him off the floor and keep him ready for that fourth quarter."
The Lakers held a 64-62 lead early in the final quarter before the Celtics charged to an 85-74 advantage behind some aggressive play from reserves Glen Davis and Nate Robinson.
Bryant scored 33 points on 10 of 22 shooting but the four-time NBA champion failed to muster the energy to overcome Boston's bench players, who were fresher during crunch time.
The Lakers guard said Boston's defense was one of the best in the business.
"They're a great scheming team," Bryant said.
"They have a strategy in place and they execute extremely well. I wasn't pleased with the way I took care of the ball tonight.
"I did a horrible job of that. But it's a great defense."
Game Five of the series will be in Boston on Sunday before the teams head back to Los Angeles for Game Six, and, if necessary, Game Seven.
Lakers forward Pau Gasol credited the Celtics for dogging Bryant's every step.
"They’re being aggressive, and they're on him," said the Spaniard. "They force him into drives and into crowds a lot of times. He has to make a lot of tough and big plays.
"So far I think he's been pretty effective in reading when to go, when to shoot and when to pass. They're going to stay on him.
"Obviously he's a key player for us and he brings a lot of scoring and a lot of decision-making out there.
"We've got to continue to execute our game plan a little better and ... down the stretch it's crucial that we're sharper than we were tonight."
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