<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">ATLANTA ? Memo to the NBA, courtesy of the Atlanta Hawks: If you're going to double-team Kobe Bryant this season, you'd better come earlier and faster than before. Bryant continued to use his new wing position in the triangle offense as a takeoff pad, leading the Lakers to a 103-97 victory with a 37-point outing Tuesday. After spending his summer dropping 10 pounds and taking his footspeed to an elite level, Bryant is operating closer to the basket this season. That combination has led to an NBA-best 36.5-point scoring average on 51.4 percent shooting. Time after time Tuesday, Bryant blew past his defender and reached the rim before Atlanta's help defense could seal him off. "He single-handedly was keeping us in the game," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "And then he was able to do the things necessary to help us win - passing the ball, getting the ball to Smush (Parker) on the fast break and doing some things that really created a winning thing for us."</div> Source
