Considering the injuries he has accumulated over the last couple of years and the fact he is getting up there in age, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant practice is becoming more limited, especially with the grind of an 82-game season ahead of him.

All these factors may explain why Bryant was a ball of rage at practice last week, lighting into Jeremy Lin and Nick Young, and even Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak caught the wrath of the frustrated All-Star guard.

"I'm supposed to practice and get better, Mitch," yelled Bryant to the team general during the intense practice. "I'm supposed to practice and get better. These mother[expletives] ain't doing [expletive] for me."

Although to outsiders not privy into the dynamics of professional basketball practices it may seem like impudence by the perennial All-Star guard, this type of emotion is commonplace. Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, whom Bryant surpassed on the National Basketball Association's (NBA) all-time scorers list, was notoriously harsh on his teammates, even getting into physical confrontations with them. Current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was involved in a legendary scrap with Jordan as a member of the Chicago Bulls.

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"I disagreed with him one time. I think he punched me in the face." Kerr said during a 2012 appearance on "The Dan Patricks Show." "It was one of the best things that ever happened for me. I needed to stand up and go back at him, I think I earned some respect. But we have a great relationship ever since."

Bryant is a throwback to that style of hard-nosed practice, something his head coach Byron Scott can fully appreciate, having won three NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Scott has no problems with Bryant's actions at practice, and in fact encourages such intensity, considering how much youth there currently is on the Lakers roster.

"I think he brings out the best in the guys," said Scott. "I don't think anything irritated him. I just think he did a great job of getting everyone else fired up. He's always fired up. That's the great thing about him. He's such a competitor. When he comes out here the intensity level in practice goes sky high and he challenges guys, which is what you should do."

Young, who kept challenging "The Black Mamba" by talking trash to him during the practice in question, is appreciative of Bryant's intensity, not taking things personal as well as talking with Lin and rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson to help them realize that Bryant is providing a learning experience and that they should not cower to Bryant's so-called disrespect towards them.

"You can't back down from a challenge, no matter who it is," said Young. "Me and Kobe are always going to talk trash and get into it. When he talks to everybody else, some people tend to shy away and I was telling them you have to have some cojones in this league. It doesn't matter who it is. Play your game. Don't get any less confident out there. Talk trash right back to him."

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