http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/kobe-bryant-ego-hampers-dwight-hoard-los-angeles-lakers-downfall-121812

Kobe's ego is Lakers' big problem

The return of Pau Gasol and Steve Nash to the lineup is likely to mask most, if not all, the symptoms afflicting the underachieving Los Angeles Lakers. But the perennial all-stars will do nothing to address the disease lurking deep inside the foundation of the Lakers, the malady that will prevent the high-priced collection of veterans from getting past the Thunder, Spurs or even the Grizzlies come playoff time.

The disease isn�t bungling, overmatched executive vice president Jim Buss. It�s not bungling, overmatched coach Mike D�Antoni.

The root cause of the Lakers� dysfunction has been consistent for 15 years. It is Kobe Bryant�s ego, his desperate pursuit of Michael Jordan�s legacy. L.A.�s Dwight Howard experiment is going to explode and implode in spectacular fashion unless someone in the Lakers organization is bold enough to kill Kobe�s Michael Jordan avatar so that Howard�s Bill Russell avatar can emerge and lead the Lakers.

You follow?

The wrong player is driving the Lakers. Dwight Howard is the second-most talented player in the league. He�s the single-most gifted defensive player the NBA has seen since Bill Russell. On a properly functioning, championship-chasing team, Howard cannot be a sidekick, a No. 2, Scottie Pippen. Can�t happen. The Heat tried it with LeBron James in Year 1 of the Big Three, and we know how that ended. Dwyane Wade is an awesome basketball player and a terrific leader, but he had to surrender the soul of the Heat to LeBron in order for the Heat to win a title.

Kobe has to let go and let D12. Has to.

Kobe has to accept that he is not the 34-year-old Michael Jordan. You see, at 34 Jordan was taking his final victory lap in Chicago, completing his second three-peat, securing his sixth title, winning his fifth MVP award and 10th scoring title. Kobe wants to duplicate that feat. He�s putting up MVP-like numbers. He leads the league in scoring. He�s shooting a career-high 47.8 percent from the field. He�s averaging five rebounds and five assists. He�s knocking down 38 percent of his 3-pointers. Oh, the numbers look great. The results? The Lakers stink.

You can blame that on the injuries to Gasol and Nash. You can blame it on the incompetence of D�Antoni.

I blame Kobe. He�s the guy stopping Howard from eating. Kobe is the guy giving Howard room to lose himself in his immaturity and hide. Here�s what Kobe has never understood about the Los Angeles Lakers. It�s an organization built to house and nurture giants. From George Mikan to Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Shaquille O�Neal, the Lakers function best when the once-in-a-generation big man the organization acquires is allowed to be the man of the house.

Kobe emasculates his big men. Andrew Bynum politely admitted this week that Kobe stunted his growth.

�I think Dwight is a great player, but he�s going to have to get accustomed to playing with Kobe and not touching the ball every single play,� Bynum said.

The problem is deeper than touches. It�s a mentality that a big man must have in order to lead his team. Dwight Howard must enter every NBA arena with this mindset: �If I don�t hunt and kill, no one eats tonight.�

That�s Kobe�s mindset. But at 34, having played 1,186 regular-season games and 220 playoff games, Kobe doesn�t hunt and kill as effectively as Howard. Kobe isn�t the same as a 34-year-old Jordan. At this stage in his career, Jordan had played 873 regular-season games and 158 playoff games. Jordan was still a force of nature. Don�t get fooled by Kobe�s numbers. He�s not Kevin Durant or Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe damn sure isn�t LeBron James.

James, Durant and Melo can impose their will on the opposition. Over the course of a seven-game playoff series, they can mentally bludgeon an opponent into submission. We saw James do it to the Pacers and the Celtics in last year�s playoffs. Kobe is smart. He can be efficient. But he�s trying too hard right now. That�s why he leads the league in turnovers with 97. Kobe�s days of imposing his will in a playoff series are over. Howard�s days should just be beginning.

But Kobe�s ego is in the way. Howard can�t be the man of the house with Kobe sitting at the head of the table eating the biggest plate of food. As long as everything revolves around Kobe, as long as Kobe is on TV sitting across from Stephen A. Smith speaking in hushed, dark tones about the state of the Lakers, Howard gets to hide, gets to feel like the Lakers family can eat regardless of whether he chooses to hunt or not.

Kobe needs to fall back. He�s Dr. J right now and he needs to let Dwight Howard be Moses Malone. That does not mean turn the offense over to Howard. It means building a strategy and philosophy that revolves around Howard�s many gifts, which are mostly at the defensive end (and make the hiring of D�Antoni even more ridiculous). It means forcing Howard to mentally and verbally take full responsibility for the success of the team.

Howard is immature. We know that. We watched him in Orlando. Put some pressure on his ass. Make Howard explain why this team is underachieving.

I know this column will appear to many as hatred of Kobe. I don�t hate Kobe. He�s a wonderful player and terrific competitor. He simply has to make the mental adjustment that Dwyane Wade made last season. Come May and June, the Lakers are going as far as Dwight Howard can take them. Nash and Gasol might help the Lakers recover and get into the playoffs. And Kobe is certainly capable of continuing to put up big numbers.

But the Lakers are not winning a title if their second-best player continues to stunt the growth of their best player.

------------------------------------
2019 CABG Survivor

2016 OK Survivor Champion

be about it or be without it

RIP GOATs

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/281akc8.gif

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"People that need positivity around them all the time are weak individuals in my book" - @lilduval

------------------------------------
2019 CABG Survivor

2016 OK Survivor Champion

be about it or be without it

RIP GOATs

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

lol

---
"People that need positivity around them all the time are weak individuals in my book" - @lilduval

i get the sense that you just realized the condom tore.

---

But hell, what do I know?

---

But hell, what do I know?

Don�t get fooled by Kobe�s
>numbers. He�s not Kevin Durant or Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe
>damn sure isn�t LeBron James.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4xxnubULF1rs8cw2o1_500.gif

---
"People that need positivity around them all the time are weak individuals in my book" - @lilduval

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17x NBA Champions

Whitlock: I got just the thing, Chief!

I will swipe my damn self for this post

http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2080577&mesg_id=2080577&listing_type=search#2080759


I will say it again!!!


Kobe is the reason the Lakers will continue to catch L's

Kobe is like a rectal cancer brought about from years of getting ass raped by a sociopathic meglomaniac...

Kobe and his ego can't be controlled and the Lakers as an organization suffer in the long run

Kobestans are as much at fault for enabling his gunning behavior and refusal to adjust his talents for the benefit of the team...(ironically when PHIL forced him to change up his approach, the result was you fuckers being able to holler out 5 rings and all types of nonsense, not realizing that he was forced to play second fiddle to Shaq and Gasol/Bynum being the focus of those triangles)

Kobe has ON RECORD stated that he (even though it blessed him with the opportunity to get rings) didn't like the fact that Phil wanted him to QB the triangle and run the offense through the post. He (Kobe) wanted to score and preferred being able to get into his spots in order to do so and wanted someone else to QB in order to get him the ball. The FUCK???? Imagine Pippen saying, PHIL, I don't want to run point foward, let BJ bring the ball up so I can get into my spots and so that Mike can pass me the ball??? The ONE time Pippen showed he wanted to shoot the ball instead of running the designed play, HE CAUGHT HELL for, yet Kukoc hit the shit. Mind you Scottie running the triangle managed to BEAST OUT that particular season and facilitate scoring through the rest of the team. This ALSO has a small part in how Odom's presence was missed considering he accepted the role of a mutated Point Forward to get Kobe and Odom looks and was great for the triangle.


Mike Brown wasn't the problem...


Mike Brown came to the Lakers focused on 3 things:

1. Defense

2. Funneling the offense through the post with his two big men (who happened to be top 10 in the league respectively) JUST LIKE Popovich managed to do with Duncan and David Robinson. Abandon the triangle and get Bynum and Gasol the ball then kick out to open looks when the double team comes...worked for Pop...seems like common sense ( I am fighting the urge to link one of the many WTF is Kobe doing give the ball to Gasol and Bynum!!! posts from last season )

3. Improve the overall talent of the players on the team. Athleticism and speed and get a REAL PG, not some catch and shoot throwback from the triangle days. ( Remind me what happened and what the overall consensus was when Ramon Fucking Sessions came to LA and balled out in his most mediocre way??? Ramon Sessions average ass made LA THAT much better as a team...go figure )

You fuckers deserve every bit of shit that you get with D'Antoni


Kobe Ran Phil out
Kobe Ran Brown out

the Chickens are coming home to roost � El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz




...and now for the facts




http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/26/when-nash-comes-back-kobe-says-he-can-just-focus-on-scoring/related/



When Nash comes back Kobe says he can just focus on scoring
Kurt Helin Nov 26, 2012, 8:44 AM EST
17 Comments

Getty Images
Right now we get to see Kobe Bryant running a lot of pick-and-roll when we watch a Lakers game � and it�s not bad. He was never really asked to do this in the triangle offense, but he has shown real skill at decision making on setting up teammates and when to get the points for himself.

But there also has been moments of vintage Kobe � in the four games since Mike D�Antoni started stalking the sidelines, the two times Kobe had fewer than 20 shot attempts the Lakers won, when it was 20 or more they lost. As always, when the other Lakers are struggling to score Kobe takes on more of the offense, but that doesn�t always work.

Kobe thinks his point totals will go up and the Lakers will be better off when he has to distribute less because Steve Nash returns from his broken leg. Then he can just focus on scoring, he told Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register (hat tip to SLAM).

�I�ve been doing this my whole career, and some nights my teammates hit more shots and that adds up to more assists for me,� Bryant said. �The games we win are when the whole team is making shots. Now, if our shots aren�t going in, then I have to take more of the offensive load.�

Bryant is looking forward to Nash�s return, for sure. Nash will be re-evaluated next week.

�I�ll be scoring a lot more when Nash gets back,� Bryant said. �I won�t have to facilitate as much, and it will allow me to do what I do best � and that�s put the ball in the hole.�

There seems to be this feeling among the Lakers and their fans that the return of Nash will be a panacea for the Lakers issues. That somehow everybody will get the touches they want in the places they want once Nash returns.

But it�s not that simple. Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard�s spacing and confidence issues will not magically disappear. It�s not that simple. There will be more adjustments, more guys trying to figure out where they fit in. There are no simple answers for the Lakers� well, other than that they need to defend better.





http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/31/mike-brown-already-preaching-defense-to-lakers/

Mike Brown�s first press conference as the Lakers head coach � and that�s official now, he signed the contract Tuesday � was really pretty uneventful. A lot of coach-speak.

A lot of things about family, about him defining the culture and holding people accountable, about this still being Kobe�s team, about Brown trying to be himself and not Phil Jackson. All the things you�d expect him to say. He said it with the Buss family (except for Jeanie) sitting in the front row.

But there were a few things that became clear.

One is that is already reaching out and trying to sell this veteran team. He has already spoken with Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Ron Artest, and has tried to reach Andrew Bynum. Most importantly he has spoken to Kobe Bryant.

�I�ve talked to Kobe by phone a few times, by text and we�ve also already met in person at length,� Brown said. They talked philosophy and family, Brown said.

That philosophy starts with defense. Brown�s philosophy should fit well with the Lakers big men can do � shrink the floor and defend the paint, don�t give up middle drives and contest everything.

On offense Brown said he wants to harken back to what was done when he was an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio when they had Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Those twin towers worked well together and Brown thinks some of that will work here. He said there will even be some triangle sets.

But there will be some changes. Brown wants to push the pace, then in the half court work inside out with good ball reversals. Those are things the Lakers have done within the triangle when they were playing well, but too often got away from.

That pace and spacing the floor may mean some roster changes. The Lakers need a real point guard, they can�t hide Derek Fisher as the triangle initiator anymore. They need better athletes and shooters.

But that is down the line. Right now he is still busy selling himself and his philosophy to his new team. That�s the first step, building those relationships is what really matters long term for his and the team�s success.





http://lakers.ocregister.com/2011/12/30/mike-browns-defense-already-setting-records/68104/


Andrew Bynum hasn�t even protected one blotch of paint yet, and Mike Brown has lived up to his reputation as a special defensive coach.
The Lakers held Utah to 32.2 percent shooting from the field in a 96-71 victory Tuesday, then followed that up Thursday by limiting New York to 31.3 percent shooting from the field in a 99-82 victory. Not once had the Lakers held opponents to worse than 33 percent shooting in consecutive games since moving to Los Angeles in 1960.
The last time that the Lakers pulled that trick off was November 1959.





http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/2004-10-12-jackson-book_x.htm


The diary of the 2003-04 season, titled The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, will be released this month. An excerpt of the book will be published in next week's issue of Los Angeles magazine.

"I do know that there were many occasions this year when I felt like there was a psychological war going on between us," Jackson wrote. "Amazingly, we came to a truce, even to a higher level of trust. Ultimately, though, I don't believe we developed enough trust between us to win a championship."

Jackson said the strain between him and Bryant led him to hire a therapist to consult with during the season, according to the Los Angeles Times, which printed excerpts from the magazine article in its Tuesday edition.

Jackson wrote he became so frustrated with Bryant that he told general manager Mitch Kupchak in January, "I won't coach this team next year if he is still here. He won't listen to anyone. I've had it with this kid."

"It's no sweat for me, man," Bryant said. "He's a great coach. I really learned a lot from him and I respect him from that standpoint. But this is a new challenge for me here, so I'm not going to belabor what somebody might say from past events."

Jackson wrote he became so frustrated with Bryant that he told general manager Mitch Kupchak in January: "I won't coach this team next year if he is still here. He won't listen to anyone. I've had it with this kid."

Bryant was aware of Jackson's ultimatum.

"I heard something like that, but I wasn't going to let that come between me and the team," Bryant said. "

It was not the first time Jackson requested the team trade Bryant. He sought to trade him to the Phoenix Suns for Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion in the 1999-00 season. But then-general manager Jerry West told Jackson that owner Jerry Buss would never trade the Laker star, he wrote in his diary. Jackson said he was told the same thing last season.

"He keeps diaries all the time. I mean, this is his fifth or sixth book," Bryant said. "I'd rather read 'Lord of the Rings' in one day. You know what I'm saying? But I wish him all the best with his book. Obviously, he has something else to focus on."

The Lakers released a statement on behalf of Buss and Kupchak, saying Jackson's book contained "several inaccuracies" but declined to elaborate.

"There are anecdotes that portray things that took place or were said in private, closed door meetings," the statement said. "While Phil has chosen to go public with some of what took place in these meetings, we will respect the spirit of privacy which we feel should be maintained and therefore will not respond to these entries.

"It should be remembered that most of what is contained are Phil's opinions and should be taken with that understanding, not as fact," the statement said.

During last week's training camp, Bryant said he misses Jackson.

"We've had our tough times, we had our share of arguments, but I've always respected him as a coach," he said.

Jackson became exasperated with the feuding between Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

"At times the pettiness between the two of them can be unbelievably juvenile," he wrote.

Jackson wrote that Bryant was angry that O'Neal received allowances from the Lakers organization, but that "nobody this year, or in any year I've coached, has received more 'allowances' than Kobe Bryant."

Among those allowances was the Lakers organization's partial payment for the private jets Bryant took to Colorado for the hearings in his rape case.

Bryant complained about the kind of plane he was given to fly to Colorado, Jackson wrote, adding "He should feel fortunate that he's not footing the bill himself."

Jackson said he became conditioned to blame Bryant, even when it wasn't the player's fault.

The sexual assault charge against Bryant was dismissed last month at his accuser's request, but he still faces a lawsuit filed in Denver by the woman.

Bryant told Jackson that O'Neal's presence on the team would affect his decision to stay with the Lakers, adding, "I'm tired of being a sidekick," Jackson wrote.

Bryant has said he had no role in Jackson or O'Neal's departure from the team. Jackson retired, and O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat. Buss also said the decision to trade O'Neal was made independently of Bryant.

Jackson said he had run-ins with O'Neal as well but that coaching him was "an experience I will cherish forever."




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hC5G9WiSAE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MA_hq6tMbI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_f8itdtSd0

���������������������������������������
http://s17.postimg.org/6r7bfqpnz/kyrieglass.jpg - They Call Him Mr. Glass

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lol

''i went from bashful to asshole to international''- CdoubleO

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But he's semi-retarded these days. I'll pass.

>The root cause of the Lakers� dysfunction has been consistent
>for 15 years. It is Kobe Bryant�s ego, his desperate pursuit
>of Michael Jordan�s legacy.

IMAGINE, IF NOT FOR KOBE MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE WON MORE TITLES THAN ANY OTHER TEAM IN THE NBA OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME

.

------------------------------

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it's all psychobabble by writers and fans looking at the sport like it's a super hero movie rather than a game played by two teams of 5 players. I'm hardly a Kobe fan but blaming him for playing the game to the best of his abilities is journalistic trolling at it's worst. Why not expand this into other sports while they're at it... I for one can't wait for the 'Adrian Peterson is a cancer' piece.


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>it's all psychobabble by writers and fans looking at the
>sport like it's a super hero movie rather than a game played
>by two teams of 5 players.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you, though, soccer has 11 players per team

___________

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___________________________________________________________________________
Bitch, don't kill my vibe.

i didn't even think that was possible.

Whitlock's own words in 08:

"The Kobe-LeBron debate is silly right now. LeBron is a once-in-a-lifetime athlete who plays basketball. Kobe is a once-in-a-decade basketball player with exceptional athleticism. When you watch Kobe play, there is little doubt that his father played the game, too. Kobe plays with an instinctive intelligence that can only be passed generation to generation.

The only legit question now is whether Kobe will make a run at Jordan's mythical throne. A couple of Shaq-less titles and the argument would be on."

and yet now, back to back rings later, kobe still aint shit in Shitlock's eyes lol........okay.

this is beyond goal post moving....this is using the Fulton surface to air recovery system to transport the goal posts to another country Dark Knight style.

_________________________

yes, kobe is domineering. he's also playing really well this season. the lakers' problem is that they have terrible perimeter defense, a weak bench and MVPau has been significantly slowed by tendinitis.

note: duhon has been great on offense!

its made for their second best player which doesnt translate to winning....couple that with the fact that their perimeter defense is horrible...translates to losing..

------------------------------------
2019 CABG Survivor

2016 OK Survivor Champion

be about it or be without it

RIP GOATs

while i agree that dwight should be getting more touches, that's not why they're losing. despite injuries to nash/blake and pau, their offense is ranked 5th in the NBA. they're second in threes made and seventh in 3pt %. they're very good on the offensive boards too.

the bigger issue is that kobe, duhon and meeks can't stop people from getting into the paint. opponents shoot too high of a percentage and they're terrible at creating turnovers.

but mostly, the lakers have been relatively unlucky. statistically, their record should be roughly 15-11, which isn't great, but isn't bad for a team that's had three coaches and riddled with injuries. still, it's hard to believe kobe can continue playing this well at his age - and i'm not sure how the defense improves with nash coming back.

Main issue to me is him acting like Dwight is a killer. I wouldn't at all say he's the best defender since Russell, or that he's the 2nd most talented player in the NBA. If either of those is true, I'm not seeing it right now, and that has not a got damn thing to do with Kobe.

He was the head of Orlando, yet was NEVER a dominating killer offensive force. I don't ever see him averaging over 25 points a game, if he even gets there, and he's (supposed to be) the best Center in the game? At a time when there are not many centers, and none close to his skill level aside from the injured guy with the Ike Turner hair style?

I can agree that Kobe forces a whole lot, we all know that and admit it, but for him to act like Kobe's psyche has done more harm in 15 years than has done positive, that's a motherfucking joke times ten.

I mean, this is OKP, so I know the Kobe haters are gonna love this article. But be for real. Dwight ain't no killer, even if you push him.

------------------------------

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they think that it's "funny when Kobe stans react and get mad"

___________________________________________________________________________
Bitch, don't kill my vibe.

but it also isn't intellectually dishonest to say kobe talks a lot about doing what it takes to win but has often made choices counterproductive to winning.

kobe interviews are often intellectually dishonest and adding d'antoni and dwight's dishonesty to the mix have only heightened the hilarity.

What's sad is you really believe that bullshit that you're slanging.

___________________________________________________________________________
Bitch, don't kill my vibe.

edit: oh hey, like your idol.

___________________________________________________________________________
Bitch, don't kill my vibe.

.

I can talk at length

but instead I choose to just joke around with funny people, and somehow I'm doing it wrong?

___________

HOPE!
https://vine.co/v/i7JjIBL3Qix
https://vine.co/v/i7JtqEFwxDu

___________________________________________________________________________
Bitch, don't kill my vibe.

everything you just said is money

------------------------------

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Kobe is turning into Melo of last year in 's offense

he's holding the ball, and ball movement stops when it gets to him

the assumption is this will be remedied with Nash's return

but then where does Kobe fit?

's offense doesn't use the post

as we've seen with Gasol turning into a spot up jump shooter

it's a pick and role heavy system

Kobe could actually add a couple of years to his career if he can sacrifice and make the adjustment

his jumper is money

let Gasol, D12 and Nash work the pick and role

when teams are forced to collapse

Kobe should still get 20 a night from the perimeter alone

and I think that's the sentiment of the article

if the LAL's are going to contend in the next few seasons

it has to be BECAUSE of D12, not Kobe

I'm just not sure Kobe is willing to do that

he's already said he won't accept a diminished role

he'd rather just retire when his contract expires

I think he should reconsider

and I like how the article labels D12 the 2nd best player in the league

and then quickly makes references to Bron, KD and Melo

D12 isn't the ORL D12 yet

top 10 sure

2nd, no, not yet anyway

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you can't understand it with an explanation

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columnists should really consult with beat writers before they write a piece, just to make sure their opinion is rooted in actual facts, not the "eye" test. Then again, I don't know if Whitlock is always concerned with such things.

Chris Broussard and his trusty anonymous sources, tackled this issue too: http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8763408/nba-opposing-gm-coach-says-los-angeles-lakers-problems-stem-kobe-bryant-shooting-too-much

What Kobe Bryant is doing this season is both phenomenal and unprecedented. No player in NBA history -- not Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, not Moses Malone, not Karl Malone, not any of the league's famed ironmen -- have come close to scoring as Bryant has in his 17th professional season.



Heck, most greats -- guys like Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Jerry West -- didn't even play 17 seasons.



So for Bryant to be leading the league in scoring at a 29.5 ppg clip while shooting a career-high 47.7 percent from the floor is nothing short of incredible. Before Bryant, Abdul-Jabbar had been the gold standard for well-worn scorers, averaging 23.4 points in his 17th season. But Abdul-Jabbar, who was 38 during that season, was clearly not near his prime, averaging just 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, well below his career averages of 11.2 and 2.6.



Bryant, while not the athlete he once was, is still producing at the same level he always has, posting 5.2 rebounds (5.3 is his career average), 5.0 assists (4.7 career) and 1.6 steals (1.5 career).



So it's very difficult to argue that Bryant is doing anything wrong in what statistically is one of his best seasons. And numbers never lie. But there are other numbers that say Bryant's offensive blitzkrieg is actually hurting the struggling Los Angeles Lakers more than helping them.

This season, the Lakers (12-14) are just 4-11 when Bryant takes 20 or more shots in a game. Yet, they are 8-3 when he shoots less than 20 times. And it's not necessarily because of the opposition.


"

When you play the Lakers, you don't worry about stopping Kobe. You just make sure those other four guys don't have career nights because you can beat the Lakers with Kobe scoring 34, 35 points.

"
-- An opposing NBA assistant coach With Bryant attempting fewer than 20 shots, the Lakers have beaten the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets, all of whom have better records than the Lakers.

The four teams Los Angeles has beaten with Bryant shooting 20 or more times? The bottom-dwelling Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Bobcats, who have a combined record of 32-64 (.333).

The eight teams the Lakers have beaten with Bryant taking fewer than 20 shots have a slightly better combined record of 87-112 (.437).



This trend intrigued me so I decided to go back even further, checking the numbers for the previous two seasons. The evidence was overwhelming: When Bryant has fewer than 20 attempts in a game, the Lakers are outstanding. When he shoots 20 or more times, they're only slightly above mediocre.



Last season, the Lakers were 26-19 when Bryant took 20 or more shots. That's a .578 winning percentage. Not bad. But they were 10-3 in the other games, a winning percentage of .769. In 2010-11, Phil Jackson's last season as coach, the Lakers were 24-17 (.585) when Bryant shot 20 or more times and 33-8 (.805) when he took fewer shots.



So in the past three seasons, including 2012-13, the Lakers are 54-47 when Bryant shoots 20 times or more. To put it in perspective, that .535 winning percentage equates to a 44-38 record in 82 games. In that same span, when Bryant takes fewer than 20 shots, the Lakers are 51-14 (.785), which would be a 64-18 mark in an 82-game season.



It seems pretty clear cut: The Lakers are better, and would be better this season, if Bryant shot less. At least that's what the statistics say.



But I didn't want to jump to conclusions simply based on the numbers, so I decided to call some of the league's basketball minds to get their take on the topic. I wanted to know whether Bryant needed to be reined in, or whether he's simply shooting so much because the Lakers' roster is so limited and it's the only chance they have to stay in games.



I asked one general manager, an assistant coach and two scouts, all of whom work for teams that have played Bryant and the Lakers this season. Their opinions were strong:



The assistant coach says:

"Absolutely, Kobe's shooting too much. When we played them, we told our guys, 'Look, we don't necessarily want Kobe going for 50. I mean, we're going to guard him. But we're not going to double him, and we're not going to try to get the ball out of his hands.' Our main concerns were not to let Jamison hit a bunch of 3s and not to let Dwight go crazy down low. There's no question they would be a better team if Kobe shot less. Why do you think Gasol struggles? He's going to struggle in any offense where he doesn't touch it.

"At the end of the day, it has nothing to do with D'Antoni and his system. It's all about what Kobe will allow to happen. When you play the Lakers, it's like they don't have a system. It's whatever Kobe chooses it to be. If he wants to take all the shots, he'll do that. He'll pacify his teammates early in the game, but then he'll throw up a heat check and if he's got it going, nobody else touches the ball. And then the other team benefits because the other Lakers won't defend as hard and they won't be engaged because they're not a part of the game on the offensive end. Kobe has to trust you, and it looks like he thinks most of his guys aren't trustworthy yet.

"The problem between Kobe and Dwight is that you can't have Dwight on the floor in the fourth quarter, so how can you play through him. In Kobe's mind, that's why he doesn't pass the ball to Dwight. But the Lakers really need to sit down with Kobe and say, 'At this stage, this is what's best for the Lakers. We've got to play through our bigs.'


US Presswire
The Lakers should emulate Memphis' bigs tandem but they can't because of Kobe."Memphis is the best high-low team in the league with Marc Gasol and Randolph. The Lakers could play that way with Dwight and Pau, but with Kobe shooting 28 times, that's not going to happen. That could definitely work, but the key is getting Kobe to sign off on it. The thing about this league is that every team is known for something. When you play the Lakers, you don't worry about stopping Kobe. You just make sure those other four guys don't have career nights because you can beat the Lakers with Kobe scoring 34, 35 points. Your biggest worry is if Kobe scores 25 points and has eight assists and then Dwight has 20 points and 16 rebounds and Pau has 18 and 11 and Nash scores 16 with 10 assists."


The scout says:


"One thing our coach always says is, 'Kobe's probably going to get his 28 points, but let's make sure it's on 28 shots and not 16 shots.' I would like to look at some box scores in detail to see if the Lakers are down in the fourth quarter and Kobe starts shooting a lot to lift them to a comeback, or to see whether he was getting to the foul line a lot in those other games where he didn't have as many field goal attempts.



"Watching the Lakers play the Knicks this year was hard to watch because the other Lakers were just so bad. It was like Kobe was trying to do all he could just to keep that game close. And hey, if Dwight's not going to try his butt off and if other guys aren't going to try their butts off, then I'm going to give the ball to the guy that's going to go for it, and that's Kobe. I don't think it's that Kobe doesn't trust his teammates; it's just that he trusts himself more. A questionable shot by him still might be better than a good look for one of those other guys. To me, they look disinterested.


"There's no chemistry. They're not pulling for one another. They're just a collection of individual talent that happens to be in the same place wearing the same uniforms. They look listless. Not Kobe, though."



The general manager says:


"Everyone thinks the problem is everybody else but to me, the problem is Kobe. Take a look at Andrew Bynum's quotes the other day, where he said Kobe stunted his growth. He didn't like playing with Kobe.



"And Pau? Pau's a really nice guy and Kobe just walks all over him. On the one hand, it's good for Pau because it helps make him tougher but overall, I think it hurts his game. Kobe can smack Pau upside the head and Pau will still go back to him and say, 'Yes, sir.' He's just too nice of a guy. But Pau can play. They won a few championships with him, so this notion that Kobe doesn't have anyone to play with and that he has to take all these shots is just wrong. Go back to the Oklahoma City series. Everybody blamed it on Pau and Bynum, but to me, it was more Kobe's fault.



"And we know what kind of a player Dwight is. He's not at his best because he's coming off the back injury and because of the system D'Antoni's running, but it's obvious to me that Kobe doesn't trust him. And I'm not so sure he likes the way Dwight jokes around so much."



Another scout says:


"That's been debated a lot -- whether Kobe is shooting too much. It's hard to argue against that if they're 8-3 when he doesn't shoot it 20 times. But I'd have to look at each game and study the game situations to really come to a conclusion. I don't think he's purposely hogging the ball or doing things selfishly to keep the team from winning. He's not trying to do anything to hurt the team. If he is shooting too much, it's only because he thinks that's what he has to do for the Lakers to win.



"My gut reaction is to say that Kobe does not need to shoot less. He's a top 5 player in the league, he's leading the league in scoring and he's shooting a good percentage. That's a big key -- he's shooting a high percentage. It'd be one thing if he was forcing up shots and shooting poorly. But I will say this, when you have as much talent as they do, you shouldn't have to shoot it as much as Kobe has been."

--------
Twitter: _TheloniousFunk
Instagram: thelonious_funk_

>There's no question they would be a better team if Kobe
>shot less. Why do you think Gasol struggles? He's going
>to struggle in any offense where he doesn't touch it.

this is the kind of afactual stuff that's just ridiculous

gasol had the best seasons of his career playing with kobe, and kobe took roughly the same # of shots, at a worse %, in those seasons

Cuz, um, that's not remotely true.

Their problem is defense. And that's with Nash on the bench.

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by and large even the biggest haters are not co-signing and lakers fans are still forming a little support group. it's cute.

i saw this as a reply in an earlier thread and didn't think much of it then. just another deadline, another column.

IMO the lakers are slightly better than their record. they have played their best when the ball moves more and kobe's most prolific games have generally meant losses. that doesn't mean he is the problem. they just having a losing formula with limited athleticism and depth on a team that tries to win by scoring a lot of points. they score, they shoot pretty well, they hit the offensive glass.

if anything the lakers problem is that kobe HAS to do too much right now. it's hard to imagine him keeping up this level of play and if he has to keep scoring like this, he won't be able to add much on the defensive end. their perimeter defense really sucks as it is.

And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

And, of course, there are people in this thread who are more interested in razzing Laker fans than staying on-topic. But we won't go any further with that.

latimes.com:

>T.J, SIMERS
Think Kobe's the problem? Here's the problem with that

Some in the media are saying Kobe Bryant is the reason for the Lakers' poor start. What team are they watching?

By T.J. Simers
December 22, 2012, 12:58 a.m.

I have the day off, recovering from a trip back East with the Lakers and old age.

But I find myself writing because I cannot believe the idiotic things being written about Kobe Bryant.

Now, I know what you are thinking: The guy really does need a rest if he's defending Kobe Bryant.

But ESPN's Chris Broussard and Fox's Jason Whitlock have done Kobe a disservice, both coming to the conclusion that he is the reason for the Lakers' disappointing everyone this season.

Without Kobe being Kobe this season, the Lakers might as well make like the NHL and disappear.

Kobe is the only one who has kept the Lakers afloat this season, with consistent and sensational play for a guy who should be slowing down.

One thing became very clear while traveling with the Lakers: If Kobe doesn't score, the Lakers don't score.

Dwight Howard is improving, and he's more aggressive on offense, but he hasn't shown the total game yet to carry the team through difficult times.

Whitlock makes an argument that suggests he has not watched the Lakers play this season but is writing off history and preconceived notions.

Whitlock writes: "The wrong player is driving the Lakers," while suggesting it should be Howard.

Whitlock writes a lot of compelling and interesting columns. Apparently an occasional stinker as well.

Howard is the wrong player to drive the Lakers at this time, and although a coach would like to see the ball go through the big guy, who is still best at putting it in the basket?

Broussard says Kobe is shooting too much and cites an unnamed general manager, scout and assistant coach who agree with him. How convenient.

Why does a writer need unnamed basketball experts to agree with him? Did anyone disagree with him? Isn't his own misguided opinion enough to stand on its own?

Kobe is the Ball Hog. Always has been. But who else do you want holding the ball with this wretched group? Howard? Does he make the free throws?

Pau Gasol and Steve Nash haven't been around much, Howard is on the mend, and so who carries the day?

Would you rather have Kobe play the role of facilitator?

Broussard cites statistics to back up what he thinks and what his anonymous sources told him; the great thing about stats is they can tell whatever story you like.

I prefer the eye test. I watched Kobe closely back East and usually have no problem finding fault with him. And no problem writing about all he's done wrong.

But if Kobe's ego was the big problem, as Whitlock wrote, the Lakers' situation would be even more chaotic. Instead of ranting and raving about everything that has gone wrong because it hurts his chances of winning again, he's tried to remain solid as a believer in the team.

Whitlock makes the point that Kobe "emasculates his big men. Andrew Bynum politely admitted this week that Kobe stunted his growth."

Any columnist who relies on the insights of Andrew Bynum needs a rest more than I do. Andrew Bynum stunted his own growth more than anyone else.

Whitlock writes, "I blame Kobe. He's the guy stopping Howard from eating."

I haven't seen Whitlock at a Lakers game this season. I haven't been to all of them, so maybe we just keep missing each other. That's too bad, I like arguing with him.

But I wonder if he's talked to Howard. I had lunch with Howard last week and he said Kobe is the one who has been yelling at him to shoot more jump shots. That's jump shots.

He said Kobe has been working with him on being more aggressive and less sensitive to criticism.

Maybe they won't coexist in the long run, but to make the assertion now that Kobe is holding Howard back is just inaccurate.

And to suggest the "Lakers' problems stem from Kobe," as the ESPN headline with Broussard's story suggested, is a misplaced cheap shot.

I'm all for pounding Kobe when he gives good reason to do so.

But darn if I can find a reason this season.

___________________________________________________________________________
Bitch, don't kill my vibe.

------------------------------------
2019 CABG Survivor

2016 OK Survivor Champion

be about it or be without it

RIP GOATs

~~~~~~

that turkey Kobe needs to be traded, he is holding the team hostage.

they would be better off without him.

they ain't winning nothing the next 2 years.

his rabbits foot of luck down ran out.

mistermaxxx R.Kelly, Michael Jackson,Stevie wonder,Rick James,Marvin Gaye,El Debarge, Barry WHite Lionel RIchie,Isleys EWF,Lady T.,Kid creole and coconuts,the crusaders,kc sunshine band,bee gees,jW,sd,NE,JB

Miami Heat, New York Yankees,buffalo bills

matter fact he twitted after she left

.

GOAT!

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But hell, what do I know?