Nick Van Exel was often clutch. Yet they gave rookie Kobe the ball vs the Jazz. Why?

[Kblaze8855]

We have all seen the 4 air balls. Im sure many are aware that Nick had a history of big shots. Shots like:






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1pDG6IWIlY

[Kblaze8855]

And




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-6tzW16loY

[Kblaze8855]

Or later full games like:





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm5YkSQnyNA

[Kblaze8855]

He could score and was pretty fearless. Had some erratic games as scoring combo guards are prone to but he could get you a basket. And its not like he wasnt involved in any of the plays. He gave it up to an open Kobe for one of them. On another Kobe is letting the clock wind down and Nick ends up wide open calling for it. And he looked ready to shoot on a 3rd one. So its not like he just bitched up and wasnt involved. The story told is often that nobody but Kobe wanted the ball. But you can see Nick call for it on two of the shots. And the 3rd one seemed to be a play run for Kobe off a screen and Nick seemed ready to get it back.



So it seems the person to take issue with is Del Harris.





These are the shots in question:





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi6fftt43xo





That is SUCH a tough spot to put a rookie in.

He didnt have Shaq as an option as he had fouled out. Nick had 26 on 9/17 that game and Kobe was 4/10 outside the 4 late airballs that got him to 4/14(along with a layup you can see him make late). Doesnt it feel like Nick should have had the ball to attack late? Especially when Del was known to give it to him with sometimes no plan. The game winner Nick made vs the Celtics there is a sideline mic you can hear catch Del call the play

"Nick you just kinda...shoot that thing....right at the basket".

And he did.

So with that kinda "He will bail us out" faith hes apparently calling at least 2 of those 4 late plays for the rookie. No doubt it built character and showed faith even though Kobe used the lack of faith Del had in him as fuel for years and later took it out on the Mavs when Del was an assistant before he realized how much having to earn everything helped him. Theres a story that Kobe asked for Shaq to be moved off the block when he came off the bench since he felt unstoppable with the small guards they would put on him. Del was right to hold the reins a little tight. But he picked a hell of a time to let go.

Hate as you might nobody reasonable can blame the 18 year old rookie there. Not to me at least. I kinda wish I could find a laker forum from around then to see what the fans had to say. They existed. I may be able to track something down. I gotta think they were all over Del. National media sure was. People didnt even think Kobe should have been in the game(even though Byron scott was out).

I dont know. Just weird all around.

[Reggie43]

Not that i watched a lot of those Lakers games but I remember that the narrative was that outside of Shaq nobody shows up for the playoffs like they do the regular season.

[Kblaze8855]

Oh yea Nick and Eddie were both ass a LOT of times in the playoffs. Crazy bad shooting at times. But nick in particular never seemed to care. He wasnt gun shy. And before Shaq and Kobe got there he had killed some teams. At times in the playoffs. He pretty much personally defeated the Sonics one year. He had more of a resume than a kid at least. Nick was one of those guys who you call a play for when hes 4-14 and he saves the day. I dont think he ever learned to mesh with other backcourt stars back then. Maybe having to play off someone threw him off. But before that he was fairly clutch.

[Kblaze8855]

Bad quality but here he is destroying the 57 wins Sonics to knock them out of the playoffs in 95:




https://youtu.be/1MDr1ey-pL8



He might be one of those guys who needs full control. Once he had others to give the ball up to he didnt show up the same way.

[Reggie43]

I get what you are saying that Nick was never afraid of the moment. He was really fun to watch with his handles and quick release.

[Kblaze8855]

Here we are.....20 big shots from Nick:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ilge5vfNTg



Im sure he shot like shit a lot of those games. But he was gonna create a shot when it counted if you asked.

And he was having an unusually good shooting night that game too.

Just seems like an odd time to finally decide you had enough of his inconsistency.

[Reggie43]

What a weird play to have at the end of the regulation, entrusting your team to the youngest player in the league.

[Kblaze8855]

Thats what im saying. Not that anyone else on the Lakers was a sure thing.....but you pick the 8ppg 38% shooting 26% from 3 in the playoffs rookie when you have a guy who has put away great defensive teams on his own?

Its almost as if Del had orders from the future to prepare Kobe for greatness by destroying him early and making him work harder.

[Horatio33]

Might have been another case of Shaq's revisionist history but Shaq said Kobe was the only player who wanted the ball.

[Doranku]

Wonder if anything changes in Kobe's career trajectory if he makes that shot at the end of regulation. He got a hell of a clean look there.

[Kblaze8855]

Might have been another case of Shaq's revisionist history but Shaq said Kobe was the only player who wanted the ball.


I knew id heard that but didnt remember who said it.

Nick doesnt strike me as a "Doesnt want the ball" type. He might miss when he gets it. But he usually wants it.

[Horatio33]

I knew id heard that but didnt remember who said it.

Nick doesnt strike me as a "Doesnt want the ball" type. He might miss when he gets it. But he usually wants it.

I agree with you, its probably just Shaq twisting it so he can become part of the narrative.

Van Exel always wanted the ball.

[72-10]

Kobe was supposed to be the next big thing in sports. We all wonder if four consecutive air balls is a record. In time Kobe disproved his doubters (maybe not his detractors), although it was a slow process...

[Lebron23]

Del Harris is a terrible coach. Lakers started winning after they hired Phil Jackson.

[Kblaze8855]

Del was ok I’d say. He only had 2 teams go sub 500 in his career and one of them went to the finals anyway. They upset the Sonics a couple times in the 90s(at least by record). He was supposedly pretty key in Dallas.


Kobe hated him at the time but later understood and had a lot of respect for his old school approach.




“I told him that he would have to knock out a player before he’d get his spot. It was like a championship boxing match. In the Philippines, you know about boxing,” the former Lakers coach remarked, per Eros Villanueva of ESPN (https://tv5.espn.com/basketball/story/_/id/29448689/former-lakers-coach-harris-was-coaching-kobe). “You don’t get a decision over the champion. I mean you gotta knock him out. And I told him, ‘There will be a day when that happens, but it’s not [now] yet.’ He didn’t like that at the time. He wanted to play all the time. But he appreciated it late. He told me.”



Del said that yesterday for some reason.

[LoneyROY7]

Even as rookie, Shaq looked into Kobe's eyes and saw that mamba mentality from the jump. Fearless and undaunted.

He certainly didn't see that when he looked at Van Exel's lego-head ass.

[Marchesk]

Even as rookie, Shaq looked into Kobe's eyes and saw that mamba mentality from the jump. Fearless and undaunted.

He certainly didn't see that when he looked at Van Exel's lego-head ass.

I wonder what Shaq saw when he looked into the Mamba's eyes as the Pistons were backdoor sweeping the Lakers in the 2004 finals.

https://i.postimg.cc/k40xnryY/kobe-shaq-2004-finals.png

[SouBeachTalents]

I wonder what Shaq saw when he looked into the Mamba's eyes as the Pistons were backdoor sweeping the Lakers in the 2004 finals.

https://i.postimg.cc/k40xnryY/kobe-shaq-2004-finals.png
I think the craziest stat from that series is Kobe playing 45 minutes in Game 4 and not recording a single rebound. I honestly don't even know how that's possible

[Marchesk]

I think the craziest stat from that series is Kobe playing 45 minutes in Game 4 and not recording a single rebound. I honestly don't even know how that's possible

That is crazy! Kobe is pretty good rebounding guard. Didn't he have 15 rebounds in a game 7 closeout against the Celtics for his final title? I can't imagine Westbrook having a game where he doesn't grab a rebound.

Anyway, I see Shaq had 20 rebounds and 36 points on 21 shots, but Kobe is still out shooting him with 25 FGA on 32%. Brutal stuff.

One thing about Shaq in that game. How does he only get 3 offensive boards? It's not bad, but come on, this is finals Shaq still in his prime.

[Shooter]

That is crazy! Kobe is pretty good rebounding guard. Didn't he have 15 rebounds in a game 7 closeout against the Celtics for his final title? I can't imagine Westbrook having a game where he doesn't grab a rebound.

Anyway, I see Shaq had 20 rebounds and 36 points on 21 shots, but Kobe is still out shooting him with 25 FGA on 32%. Brutal stuff.

One thing about Shaq in that game. How does he only get 3 offensive boards? It's not bad, but come on, this is finals Shaq still in his prime.

This is what happens when the WRONG player tries to get a FMVP

2004 Kobe
2011 Wade

Etc.

[tpols]

It's probably hard to trust a guy to hit a big shot after he shoots you out of the match all game long. it had to have been countless *sighs* from Del all game long as this fella ran a muck ****ing everything up over and over to the point even a baby overconfident Kobe was the best option for high stakes situations.

[Kblaze8855]

Nick had a pretty good game....on offense at least.



https://youtu.be/zD0lHJGXraY

[tpols]

it's like playing a table of hold 'em, and somehow winning on bad hands all night... and when you finally scrape your way to the end.. lose on a good hand.

[SouBeachTalents]

That is crazy! Kobe is pretty good rebounding guard. Didn't he have 15 rebounds in a game 7 closeout against the Celtics for his final title? I can't imagine Westbrook having a game where he doesn't grab a rebound.

Anyway, I see Shaq had 20 rebounds and 36 points on 21 shots, but Kobe is still out shooting him with 25 FGA on 32%. Brutal stuff.

One thing about Shaq in that game. How does he only get 3 offensive boards? It's not bad, but come on, this is finals Shaq still in his prime.
He was averaging as many as 6-8 rebounds in a few of his Finals, and granted, I know that's not a priority of his, but to average 46 minutes a game and get outrebounded by Fisher & Payton, very bizarre

[Carbine]

Off topic but have we seen a body type like Malones since he retired?

Ppl will say Bron but Karl was much broader and wider.

[Hey Yo]

Kobe was supposed to be the next big thing in sports. We all wonder if four consecutive air balls is a record. In time Kobe disproved his doubters (maybe not his detractors), although it was a slow process...
IN SPORTS???

Let's not get carried away here.

[Hey Yo]

Del Harris is a terrible coach. Lakers started winning after they hired Phil Jackson.
Should't be a surprise that he never got a head coaching gig again after 98.

[72-10]

IN SPORTS???

Let's not get carried away here.

I think it was tied with A-Rod and Junior, and the home run chase that quickly ensued.

[Marchesk]

Off topic but have we seen a body type like Malones since he retired?

Ppl will say Bron but Karl was much broader and wider.


Zion sort of, but he's more Chuck than Malone. Haven't seen what sort of shape he is now. Supposedly he's been working at hard since the shutdown.

[IllegalD]

The other narrative/explanation I've often heard besides "Kobe was the only one that wanted to take those shots" was that Del Harris did it on purpose in order to embarrass Kobe and teach him a lesson. Because he resented Kobe to a degree for being undisciplined, breaking the offense, and wanting to leapfrog all his teammates (instead of gradually working his way up to it and letting it come to him). So it was sort of a, "You want to be the man? Then here, take it..." After one of the airballs you can even see a sly little smirk creep across Del's face as if he's relishing Kobe's failure. I believe Derek Fisher also hinted at this during the Beyond the Glory where he mentions that Del put Kobe in a difficult position as a rookie.