Bryant reacted angrily to such a concept today, and expressed gratitude for the support given him by Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

"It's insulting," Bryant said before the slumping Lakers flew to Denver for Thursday night's game against the Nuggets. "I don't need to be a dirty player. That's just ridiculous. I'm not a dirty player — never have been, never will be."

The 28-year-old Bryant, one of the NBA's best players for years, said he believes he's played "the right way" throughout his career, which began with the Lakers in 1996 when he went straight from high school to the professional ranks.

Regarding criticism, Bryant said it's fine for people to say, for example, that he shoots too much.

"I don't want the image of being a dirty player," he added.

Bryant spoke to the media for the first time since Jackson accused the NBA of conducting what he called a "witch hunt" against his star player a day earlier.

"He's being supportive, coming to my defense," Bryant said. "It feels good to have somebody in your corner."

Jackson isn't the only one. Teammates Lamar Odom and Luke Walton, who will both return to action Thursday night after being sidelined with injuries, were emphatic in defending Bryant.

"He plays extremely hard. I don't think he plays dirty at all," Odom said. "He plays every game to win it. The game's physical. He gets beat up and beat down."

Regarding Jackson's comments, Odom smiled and said: "That's P.J. I've got to be a little more political with what I say. I don't have a championship. He's got a right to say whatever he wants to say. After a few championships, maybe I can talk crazy a little bit."

Jackson has coached nine championship teams, tying him with former Boston coach Red Auerbach for the most in NBA history.

Walton said Bryant is an aggressive player, but that's it.

"He wants to win at all costs," Walton said. "He's not dirty at all. He's not out there trying to injure people. He hits us with elbows all the time — that's part of basketball."

Since the end of January, Bryant has served two one-game suspensions for hitting players in the face while shooting, and on Monday, the NBA assessed him a flagrant foul 1 penalty for elbowing Philadelphia's Kyle Korver in the jaw during last Friday night's game.

"It shouldn't even have been a flagrant 1," Jackson said Tuesday. "That's crazy. That's a vendetta. They have a witch hunt going on. It's nuts. Guys riding somebody. Everybody does that in this league. It's just becoming a witch hunt now."

Jackson, who was fined $25,000 by the league earlier this season for criticizing officiating, said Wednesday he had no such concerns regarding his latest comments.

"No," he replied emphatically when asked if he expected to be fined again. "That doesn't even enter the equation that that would happen."

Jackson also said Bryant doesn't play dirty.

"Anybody who's going to be aggressive, there's a lot of physical activity," he said. "There's all kinds of activities that go on that are part of the game. I think Kobe plays the game within the bounds.

"These are men playing the games — that's why they call it the NBA — no boys allowed."

The Lakers (33-31) enter Thursday night's game having lost six straight games and 12 of their last 15. No Jackson-coached team has ever lost more than six games in a row.

Odom hasn't played since tearing the labrum in his left shoulder March 2, and Walton has been sidelined since spraining his right ankle Jan. 26.

"It's cool — good enough to play," Odom said. "I can play. It's probably going to be a little sore, there's probably going to be a little pain. I can't sit back and watch anymore. These are games we really need."

There's a good possibility Odom will undergo surgery after the season. He had a similar injury two years ago that required surgery.

"I've got a good pain tolerance — let it all hang out," he said. "After the game, of course, ice, massage."

While Odom was expected to be sidelined quite a bit longer, Walton is returning much later than originally thought. That's how it goes sometimes with sprained ankles.

"It's not about 100 percent, it's about being able to be productive," Walton said. "I think I can do that now."

Jackson said it's possible Odom and Walton will both start against the Nuggets along with Kwame Brown, who missed 27 games with a sprained ankle before returning March 2. Brown will replace 19-year-old Andrew Bynum at center.