Kobe certainly didn't really think Roger was trying to avoid him. He said that just to provoke Roger.
He was eager to see what it felt like to play against Roger at 38 degrees.
Would this matchup be unfair? Not at all. In Kobe's view, a fever was a trifling matter that didn't necessitate rest and certainly didn't affect playing basketball.
He was pleased that he had just successfully angered Roger. Roger would definitely come onto the court next.
And what he needed to do was fulfill his long-cherished dream—to beat him one-on-one!
Del Harris looked at the triumphant kid in front of him. He was absolutely certain that Kobe Bryant was no ordinary player.
This was almost a consensus among all Lakers players.
