[Stardust]

The absence of Kobe Bryant's intensity in practice may have shown itself in the Los Angeles Lakers' less-than-desirable performance during a stretch in December.

In an interview with the New York Post following Sunday's home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Bryant confirmed that he hadn't been going through all phases of practice all year because of a knee issue.

"Because I have very little cartilage under my right knee cap," he said, according to the newspaper. "It's almost bone on bone."

Bryant's frustration came to a head after a home loss to the Heat on Christmas, a game circled on the calendar since the summer. That loss came on the heels of an upset by the Bucks at Staples Center. Bryant vowed to get more involved in practice, and according to the Post, his knee is swelling as a result.

The Lakers guard has undergone three operations on the knee and had to have it drained during the playoffs last season.

"Until I got it drained the first time during the opening round against the Thunder I could not bend that knee at all," he said, according to the Post. "It was swollen as **** and it hurt like ****. Luckily things got a lot better once I had the procedure."

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Because of the knee, the decision was made prior to the season to "sacrifice the team's intensity by minimizing wear and tear as much as possible," according to the Post.

At first, things were fine. The Lakers won their first eight and 13 of 15, prompting talk that the two-time defending champions could surpass the 1995-96 Bulls' record of 72-10. They've been up and down since and are currently 25-11, good for third in the conference.

Bryant's numbers haven't really suffered. He's right at his career averages, posting 25.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

But he believes his teammates have suffered because he has not been infusing intensity into practice sessions.

"You know how competitive and combative I am on the court," he said, according to the Post. "There's nothing I like better than to practice. In fact, I like practice more than the games, because I get to go at my teammates hard. That's when you find out what they're made of, how much you can push some to get the most out of 'em, and how you have to back off others so you don't lose 'em."

"What can I do that I'm not already doing?" he said, according to the newspaper. "I've increased treatment before and after I play, but there's no way of knowing what's going on under there unless I take an MRI once a month.

"When do I push them? When do I pat them on the back? Every individual is different. Some players you finesse. Some you contest. It's a constant dance. It's a constant search of the perfect rhythm."

The results of Bryant's rededication to practice: The Lakers are 4-2 since Christmas, including the 104-85 disaster against the Grizzlies.

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