LOS ANGELES: Kobe Bryant wants LeBron James to obsess about the Golden State Warriors. James would rather obsess about his own team’s problems.
Stretched out comfortably on the practice floor at UCLA on Saturday, James agreed with Bryant’s views on conflict while rejecting the idea he should already be focusing his attention on a potential Finals showdown with the Warriors.
“Everyone has their opinion on the game, and [Bryant’s] is always a great opinion for sure. But for me, my obsession is how I can get this team going in the right direction, which I believe we’re doing right now,” James said. “If we’re able to cross that road, then we’ll cross it when that happens, but we can’t put ourselves in obsession with the Warriors right now.”
Bryant said after the Cavaliers’ victory against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday that James needs to obsess about how to beat the Warriors and that internal conflict is needed to win a championship.
“Every team should have that lightning rod,” Bryant said. “Because the happy-go-lucky stuff doesn’t work.”
James has butted heads with both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love at times during their two seasons together. Bryant ruled out James as the Cavs’ antagonist, but believes Irving could be the guy who creates tension within the locker room similar to how Bryant sees Draymond Green doing it for the Warriors.
Irving remains the youngest player on the team and has often said he enjoys not having all eyes focused on him like he did his first few years in the league. But he has sometimes been slow to bend to James’ will, which James confirmed in January when he told the Beacon Journal that Irving can be hard-headed at times.
James, however, doesn’t mind conflict and thinks it can be healthy when guys are unhappy with each other.
“It’s like a marriage. It’s not going to be a bed of roses every day, but you’ve got to figure it out,” James said. “I think when you have some type of conflict, not saying where guys are fighting, but when guys … dislike each other for a day or two, that’s fine for me.”
The Warriors remain on pace to break the record for most wins, forcing Cavs players to answer questions about them throughout the season. Love even said he agreed with Bryant.
“They’re the best team in the league at this point, the best record and they’re playing great, great basketball,” Love said. “I think everybody is kind of obsessing over them. I think Kobe is right.”
Love ready
Love will return to the lineup Sunday, when the Cavs play the Los Angeles Clippers. He missed one game with a sprained left knee, but said he worked out Friday and was expected to be a full participant in Saturday’s practice. Coach Tyronn Lue said Timofey Mozgov will return to the starting lineup after fighting a flu bug.
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.