Kobe Bryant is an eight-time member of the all-defensive team, but Coach Phil Jackson wants him to take fewer risks on defense.
Bryant has been trying to get extra steals, doing a little too much freelancing for Jackson's taste.
"We're trying to work with Kobe in staying inside the team framework of how we play defense," Jackson said. "Because he's such a good defensive player with great anticipation, sometimes he might take a foray into the steal market and come away empty-handed, which compromises our defense."
Jackson didn't seem enthused that Bryant, Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza and Jordan Farmar have a season-long bet on which one of them will have the most steals.
"I know these kids have notches on their belt as to how many steals they have because there's three or four of them that are in the competition of who's going to get the most," Jackson said.
"It does cost you defensively. Steals are not a mark of a great defensive player."
Ariza has 34 steals, Bryant has 28, Odom 26 and Farmar 22.
