MANILA, Philippines – Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is asking critics to "back off" from Miami Heat forward LeBron James.

In an interview with ESPN's George Smith, Bryant addressed the media and fan backlash on James, whose team lost in 6 games to the Dallas Mavericks.

Miami Heat's superstar forward LeBron James, after his team's loss in the NBA Finals.

"I think people need to lay off that kid," Bryant said, adding that he had gotten to know James well through the Olympic team.

The 2-time NBA Most Valuable Player was criticized for his failure in the NBA Finals, specially during the 4th quarter.

"They need to let him play, let him live his life, let him make his decisions and let him mature as a player," Bryant added.

Bryant, who is a 5-time NBA champion, said that it was tough to be under the microscope all the time.

James and the Miami Heat were subject to intense media scrutiny throughout the 2010-2011 NBA season, after he and fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh came together to play in South Beach.

"I would like everybody to just back off him and just let him play," Bryant said.

Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo! Sports basketball blog Ball Don't Lie praised Bryant's words, saying that it was "incredibly cool" of Bryant to defend James, especially as the 2 players were supposed to be big rivals.

But other sports bloggers say that Bryant's words will have little effect.

The Lakers Blog on the Los Angeles Times says that James invited the media attention after announcing his free agency decision on a 1-hour special on ESPN, as well as claiming that the Heat will win multiple championships.

Matt Moore of CBS, meanwhile, says that Bryant's comment was a nice sentiment, but it will not affect sports fans' feelings towards James.