Byron Scott doesn't want Kobe to dunk anymore

Kobe Bryant's farewell season has not gone as planned, with the Los Angeles Lakers dead last in the Western Conference and the 37-year-old currently shooting at an historically bad pace.

Things got even worse on Saturday night, as Bryant was forced to miss the game with a sore shoulder after throwing down his first dunk of the season during the previous contest.

The Lakers were miserable with Kobe out of the lineup, falling 118-78 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, causing head coach Byron Scott to state that he'd prefer if Bryant stuck to layups and jump shots.

"I don't want him to dunk no more," Scott said to Mark Medina of the LA Daily News. "I'll tell him to save it for Game 82. Then he can dunk again."

The 1997 Slam Dunk champion has seen his athleticism dwindle after sustaining numerous knee injuries. After totaling 51 dunks during the 2012-13 season, Kobe has made just nine over his last three years.

However, Scott knows that it will be difficult for him to prevent Bryant from dunking altogether, especially during the flow of the game.

"It's real hard to tell a guy 'Don't dunk,'" Scott said. "That might have been his last one. But he knows himself more than anybody."