Lakers fans stuck it to him from the start, predictably booing him during pregame introductions and also getting really fired up when Howard took a defensive rebound in the fourth quarter and swung his elbows as Bryant pestered him. Howard pointed at Bryant and yelled at him as referees moved quickly to separate them. Bryant then appeared to say "soft" to Howard. After Howard elbowed Bryant in the face after a rebound, the two started talking. Video shows Howard saying, “I know you, dog,” and Bryant saying, “Try me” and calling Howard “soft” as he approached the Lakers bench. Bryant was called for a personal foul, Howard was called for a flagrant and they each picked up a technical foul. The Lakers trailed at the time, 99-74. "I think it's fantastic," Bryant said. "Elbows are part of the game. Trash-talking is part of the game. I don't know where the NBA became so sensitive." Bryant, though, said he didn't dislike Howard despite their failed season together. "He's a teddy bear," he said. "You can't help but like him. I really mean that. He's a really nice kid. But when you're competing and you have a goal in mind . . . certain times we don't see eye to eye." Dwight on Kobe: "What do y’all want me to say, because I’m not (going) to give y’all nothing. It’s stupid. We won the game. It’s over with."