D’Antoni jokes about Bryant at point guard, then sympathizes with him

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kobe Bryant offered two words when quizzed by reporters about his apparent position change to point guard.

“Unfortunately, yes,” he said dryly.

It meant a date with Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook on Friday.

D’Antoni smiled when told about Bryant’s eye roll.

“Go out there and earn all that money, huh?” he said jokingly. Then he got serious.

“I know it’s tough. Sure it is. He’s out of position a little bit, but I think a lot of guys are out. That’s the way it is.

“We can feel sorry for ourselves or we’ll go out and do a bang-up job. And he will. He’ll rise to the challenge.”

Bryant is averaging 14.5 points and shooting only 40% in his first two games after sustaining a torn Achilles’ tendon. He is pressed into Westbrook duty because all three Lakers’ point guards are injured (Steve Blake, Steve Nash, Jordan Farmar).

D’Antoni wasn’t worried about Bryant on Westbrook.

“Kobe’s a very smart player. He will figure out angles and how to guard as much as he has to,” D’Antoni said.

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