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Come Fan with UsThursday, July 2, 2026

Kobe Bryant: Celtics ‘Didn’t Want Any Part Of This Crazy (Expletive)’

Stories involving Ron Artest are usually best presented without commentary. So, here you go:

↵↵Bryant looked at Artest in the locker room and recounted the start of the game, when the Lakers and Celtics were already jostling and trash-talking in the jump circle before tipoff. Artest got the ball in the post on the first play and was fouled hard by Boston’s Paul Pierce - at which point Artest struck the sort of wide-eyed, menacing pose very few non-institutionalized people can.

↵He stared and seemingly braced himself to fight. Bryant told Artest he noticed the Celtics’ reaction at that precise moment: “They didn’t want any part of this crazy (expletive). I’m telling you. I saw it.”

↵

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