Perhaps the most complete player in the NBA since Michael Jordan, Bryant sees more in Iguodala than just a defensive stopper. He talked briefly about Iguodala's potentially being named as a reserve member of the Eastern Conference all-star team.
"I wouldn't categorize him as just a great defensive player. I think he has a good all-around game, and one of the reasons why I loved him coming out of Arizona was because of his size, ballhandling ability, his shooting ability, his passing ability," Bryant said. "He is very well-rounded. Obviously, he has his hands full being in the Eastern Conference. They have a couple of pretty good forwards, so it's a little tough for him, but he's well deserving of it."
Brand not far
Sixers forward Elton Bran, who suffered a sprained right thumb against Miami last week and has missed two games, said he should be ready for Wednesday's game against San Antonio.
"I'm getting treatment three times a day," Brand said "I wanted to go tonight, but Coach ruled that out."
Kudos from Kobe
Lakers coach Mike Brown was not allowed to be at the Wells Fargo Center with the team because of a one-game suspension and $25,000 fine for making contact with a game official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner after his ejection from a loss at Utah on Saturday.
Brown said Monday that he understood the penalties, adding, "I understand it and they have a protocol they have to follow."
But one benefit of the suspension was that Bryant told Brown he would make sure to send him a cheesesteak from what Brown said Bryant called "the best cheesesteak place in the city."
"Yes, a place called 'Larry's,' " Brown said of the shop on 54th Street near St. Joseph's. "So I will eat a cheesesteak from Larry's in my hotel room and watch the game."
Contact staff writer John N. Mitchell at jmitchell@philly.com or @deepsixer3 on Twitter.
