<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">SAN ANTONIO ? There were crises aplenty in the five Laker seasons before this, but there was also leadership from the veterans that led to four NBA Finals appearances, three ending in Laker victories. This year, Kobe Bryant tried to get his points across in practices and games, sometimes too forcefully for his teammates' comfort level ? see Atkins, Chucky ? and there was a drop-off in voices beyond that. Lamar Odom and Brian Grant asserted themselves at times but one was undermined by lack of on-court demeanor and the other by lack of minutes, Coach Frank Hamblen said Saturday. Odom, the team's top rebounder and second-leading scorer, "tried in his own way," Hamblen said. </div> Source
