Kobe

I’m watching. It’s sad for all parties involved. Except for the Warriors – it’s good for them. 

I’m watching. It’s sad for all parties involved. Except for the Warriors – it’s good for them. 

I understand Kobe is one of the all time great scorers and I completely respect that but come on. Is there any reason for him to be shooting this much or even playing at all being down this much? Its not like a 15-20 point lead that just recently occurred. They were down big pretty early and it just kept getting worse. He isnt exactly shooting them back into it..

I understand Kobe is one of the all time great scorers and I completely respect that but come on. Is there any reason for him to be shooting this much or even playing at all being down this much? Its not like a 15-20 point lead that just recently occurred. They were down big pretty early and it just kept getting worse. He isnt exactly shooting them back into it..

I knew people would question/complain about Kobe shooting too much. Let’s take tonights game for example. 34 shots through 3 quarters….which he made 15. Obviously that is a lot of shots for only 3 quarters of basketball and it wasn’t the most efficient to get 44 points. But let’s take a step back and look at the other options. The rest of the team through three quarters was 12-44. Ten more shots than Kobe but 3 less makes. It’s hard to see another guy on this team that can create his own shots on a regular basis. Plus there is no low post scoring threat that they can throw the ball into.

I knew people would question/complain about Kobe shooting too much. Let’s take tonights game for example. 34 shots through 3 quarters….which he made 15. Obviously that is a lot of shots for only 3 quarters of basketball and it wasn’t the most efficient to get 44 points. But let’s take a step back and look at the other options. The rest of the team through three quarters was 12-44. Ten more shots than Kobe but 3 less makes. It’s hard to see another guy on this team that can create his own shots on a regular basis. Plus there is no low post scoring threat that they can throw the ball into.

I’m not giving Kobe a pass. Yea, he has to be offensively aggressive on this team, but he also has to find a way to get his teammates involved. His teammates didn’t play well last night, but there was also no flow to their offense at all. It’s basically just Kobe isolating and going one on one or one vs two or three. I understand the team was down big right out of the gate, but regardless… That won’t get it done at the end of the day because Kobe can’t beat a whole team by himself. 

Getting Nick Young back tomorrow will help (Wesley Johnson needs to hit the bench and Xavier Henry has regressed from last season), but they need to make some changes. The team defense is pathetic, especially at the rim. And that was evident right away last night. The bigs were awful protecting the rim. It’s been known, but Boozer is poor at all forms of defense. Lin has to stop turning his head on the ball and making poor decisisons at both ends. Ed Davis needs to play more. It’s too bad Ryan Kelly can’t stay healthy. He’d at least give them a decent big. 

The Lakers weren’t going to make the playoffs this season, but this is pathetic. Defensively, especially. Kobe doesn’t get a pass though. There’s absolutely no way he should be taking 34 shots in three quarters. Just no way. 

I’m not giving Kobe a pass. Yea, he has to be offensively aggressive on this team, but he also has to find a way to get his teammates involved. His teammates didn’t play well last night, but there was also no flow to their offense at all. It’s basically just Kobe isolating and going one on one or one vs two or three. I understand the team was down big right out of the gate, but regardless… That won’t get it done at the end of the day because Kobe can’t beat a whole team by himself. 

Getting Nick Young back tomorrow will help (Wesley Johnson needs to hit the bench and Xavier Henry has regressed from last season), but they need to make some changes. The team defense is pathetic, especially at the rim. And that was evident right away last night. The bigs were awful protecting the rim. It’s been known, but Boozer is poor at all forms of defense. Lin has to stop turning his head on the ball and making poor decisisons at both ends. Ed Davis needs to play more. It’s too bad Ryan Kelly can’t stay healthy. He’d at least give them a decent big. 

The Lakers weren’t going to make the playoffs this season, but this is pathetic. Defensively, especially. Kobe doesn’t get a pass though. There’s absolutely no way he should be taking 34 shots in three quarters. Just no way. 

It was an interesting night. Not because Kobe jacked up tons of shots in a blowout, but because it sounded like the team was turning on him. Lin and Boozer both talked about team ball after the game. If that’s what was said on camera, I’m sure more was said in the locker room. 

I believe Kobe when he said he doesn’t want to be traded. But if his team and then a lot of fans start to turn, I can’t imagine him sticking around for that. They can’t lose this much and expect things won’t boil over.

It was an interesting night. Not because Kobe jacked up tons of shots in a blowout, but because it sounded like the team was turning on him. Lin and Boozer both talked about team ball after the game. If that’s what was said on camera, I’m sure more was said in the locker room. 

I believe Kobe when he said he doesn’t want to be traded. But if his team and then a lot of fans start to turn, I can’t imagine him sticking around for that. They can’t lose this much and expect things won’t boil over.

The Lakers are so bad. Also, you do all realize that Kobe knows this and is simply on a mission to track down Kareem for the all-time scoring spot, right? 

The Lakers are so bad. Also, you do all realize that Kobe knows this and is simply on a mission to track down Kareem for the all-time scoring spot, right? 

 I don’t believe he is shooting too much. People are saying he is shooting too much is because he’s shooting poorly. If he were to reach near his career averages I’m guessing there’d be less talk about his lack of trust in his teammates. I watched the games, I saw how he played and frankly understand where he’s coming from. This guy has so much heart and confidence in himself that no matter how huge the deficit is- he is willing to take those shots just to get them closer. Normally, I would question this decision to ditch the team play but when you’re playing with Boozer, Hill, Lin and god knows who else- I can only applaud him for sticking it out and having the confidence and will to take those shots.

P.S. Boozer is such a downgrade from Pau. It serves Lakers fans right as they have continually unfairly criticized the All-Star, who despite trade rumors all year long played well, Perhaps, it’ll be a shorter list for me to tell what he can do better than Pau rather than telling you what he can’t do.

Here’s the list: 

 I don’t believe he is shooting too much. People are saying he is shooting too much is because he’s shooting poorly. If he were to reach near his career averages I’m guessing there’d be less talk about his lack of trust in his teammates. I watched the games, I saw how he played and frankly understand where he’s coming from. This guy has so much heart and confidence in himself that no matter how huge the deficit is- he is willing to take those shots just to get them closer. Normally, I would question this decision to ditch the team play but when you’re playing with Boozer, Hill, Lin and god knows who else- I can only applaud him for sticking it out and having the confidence and will to take those shots.

P.S. Boozer is such a downgrade from Pau. It serves Lakers fans right as they have continually unfairly criticized the All-Star, who despite trade rumors all year long played well, Perhaps, it’ll be a shorter list for me to tell what he can do better than Pau rather than telling you what he can’t do.

Here’s the list: 

The Lakers abysmal start STARTS with poor coaching. Scott does not have a system that gets players involved or passing the ball enough. D’antoni at least had a system to get everyone involved offensively. Also, Kobe is shooting way too much to the point where the offense goes stagnant. Look at the team last year without Kobe playing vs this season where he is.

This is the worst Lakers team… perhaps ever. This Lakers team will be lucky to win 25 games this year and I do not think Kobe will play a full season with him feeling like he has to shoot that much every night.

The Lakers abysmal start STARTS with poor coaching. Scott does not have a system that gets players involved or passing the ball enough. D’antoni at least had a system to get everyone involved offensively. Also, Kobe is shooting way too much to the point where the offense goes stagnant. Look at the team last year without Kobe playing vs this season where he is.

This is the worst Lakers team… perhaps ever. This Lakers team will be lucky to win 25 games this year and I do not think Kobe will play a full season with him feeling like he has to shoot that much every night.

To be fair, the more you watch the Lakers, the more they look like Kobe Bryant and eleven 76ers. They don’t seem to have any system of play or desire to play defense, and outside of Bryant nobody in their rotation is better than a 7-10th man in a rotation. It is unfortunate to see. While it is nice to have Kobe back in the league after the injury, it is starting to have a 2002 Jordan feel.

To be fair, the more you watch the Lakers, the more they look like Kobe Bryant and eleven 76ers. They don’t seem to have any system of play or desire to play defense, and outside of Bryant nobody in their rotation is better than a 7-10th man in a rotation. It is unfortunate to see. While it is nice to have Kobe back in the league after the injury, it is starting to have a 2002 Jordan feel.

 With the rest of the roster being so average and not really scoring then what else can Kobe do? The Lakers are paying him $23.5 million so they have to use him in effect and Kobe is a proud guy so even if the team are down by 30 points, he’ll be doing his hardest to try and do something about it.

Good point by BTPH above, take out Kobe and are the Lakers much better than the 76ers?

Kobe might be playing to his own agenda to a certain degree but do the Lakers have any other options.

With KD out and LeBron sharing the load with K-Love, maybe Black Mamba wants one more run at the scoring title and to make up for sitting out most of last season with an injury.

 With the rest of the roster being so average and not really scoring then what else can Kobe do? The Lakers are paying him $23.5 million so they have to use him in effect and Kobe is a proud guy so even if the team are down by 30 points, he’ll be doing his hardest to try and do something about it.

Good point by BTPH above, take out Kobe and are the Lakers much better than the 76ers?

Kobe might be playing to his own agenda to a certain degree but do the Lakers have any other options.

With KD out and LeBron sharing the load with K-Love, maybe Black Mamba wants one more run at the scoring title and to make up for sitting out most of last season with an injury.

 I wasn’t really watching the NBA during the Kobe-Shaq Lakers era but I assumed that Kobe would have had to pass the ball then as Shaq would have been the team’s focus certainly up until about 2002 and Phil Jackson would have run a tight team demanding everyone does specific roles.

Pau Gasol was seen as very much a key running mate to Kobe and was brought in when Kobe was clearly the alpha male at the Lakers.

LBJ was clearly the best player in the NBA when he moved to Miami but that was considered as D-Wade’s team so compromises had to be made especially as Bosh was a key part of the Miami trio and they wanted him on board.

 I wasn’t really watching the NBA during the Kobe-Shaq Lakers era but I assumed that Kobe would have had to pass the ball then as Shaq would have been the team’s focus certainly up until about 2002 and Phil Jackson would have run a tight team demanding everyone does specific roles.

Pau Gasol was seen as very much a key running mate to Kobe and was brought in when Kobe was clearly the alpha male at the Lakers.

LBJ was clearly the best player in the NBA when he moved to Miami but that was considered as D-Wade’s team so compromises had to be made especially as Bosh was a key part of the Miami trio and they wanted him on board.