Lakers are now 1-9 when Kobe scores 30 or more

[DuMa]

Lakers are 70% wining team for his career when he score 30+ or 40+, so the problem is somewhere else.

you can throw those numbers out the window. its a different team this year with many new peices and 2 new coaching systems that theyre going through. 5 rings and history doesnt apply to this current team

[Kblaze8855]

I dont care for these kind of stats. It causes too much assumption that I dont believe is fair. Just because Kobe shoots more when he loses doesnt mean he loses because he shoots more. Kobe is a 17 year vet who has won it all 5 times and been everything from a role player, to one of many stars having to fit in, to the guy leaned on to score 40 a night, to the MVP picking his spots to take over for a team that for the most part would be fine without him.

Hes seen it from every angle. Hes a student of the game. And I feel hes more than earned the right to make the decision on if all the extra work hes put in justifies him shooting instead of passing when he feels things arent going the way they need to be.

Is it a sign of a lack of trust in his teammates? I guess. But hes far from the first star or even the first real top(or near top) tier legend to do it. Some of the most unselfish guys ever would do the same. Bird flat out told Mchale and Parish in 86 that he would shoot every shot if he didnt feel they gave the effort he required. Dude drops 40 in a half on the Spurs to prove a point that he doesnt need them....they get it together. Win a ring that year.

He had Mchale and Parish in their primes. Kobe has Dwight....great...but not as reliable an offensive option and hes on his own around the basket right now not one of 3 elite frontcourt players all within 15 feet to take pressure off each other(and even when Pau is there Dantoni doesnt let him be himself). Kobe also doesnt have Dennis Johnson at point, Walton off the bench, and 2 great shooters.

Not really comparing the two as players....but Bird had the room to never appear selfish so he...never appeared selfish. You hear him talk about how much more faith he had in himself than his teammates he sounds a lot like Kobe though. Kobe has a talented team but until they mesh and play the ball that they can with Nash running the show....its a cluster**** out there. And Kobe feels the need to take over more than he would if they were getting it done.

Lots of stars score more in losses. You are down its on the shoulders of the star to keep you in it or bring you back. Especially when the #2 scorer is an in the flow of the game scorer more often than a takeover scorer.

Kobe takes too many shots at times. Hes been doing it for 17 years. But he took too many while winning rings. When it results in an L it looks ugly. But dude has been a key player on 12 top of the line teams. His way has proven itself.

If hes still doing it when Nash is back and 100% there is more to discuss. But now? I think hes earned the right to decide how to approach winning games.

The team as its been much of this season leaves a lot of room for someone to take over. Talent and assertive talent are very different things. Sheed is talented....Shawn Marion is talented....Zo was talented. Put all of them on a team with prime Tmac and hes still taking 20 shots a night....because they dont impose their will.

Kobe has no teammates who demand the ball. Pau is the closest and his coach is holding him back.

Nash can impose his will on an offense. And I think if its working Kobe wont mind a bit. But I can see why he wouldnt play spectator to the guys he has now. They arent built to lead a competitor like Kobe. Nash has the skills and resume to demand respect.

I think Kobe is smart enough to let him show what he can do. Till then...I reserve judgement.

[Umad101]

Wow kobe had 10 30+ games this season


Impressive

[Rysio]

he would need 50 points to carry those scrubs every game.

[chazzy]

its a different team this year with many new peices and 2 new coaching systems that theyre going through.

Which is why giving majority of the blame to Kobe for scoring 30 is stupid. You're figuring it out.

[kNicKz]

kobe is not the issue...

No nash/gasol

New coach

lakers have no flow right now.

Kobe looks better than he did last season imo, the TEAM as a whole is losing these games but if I had to point a finger it would be at dwight shooting low FT% and only showing spurts of his Magic self, maybe his back is still bothering him? idk, but they need a healthy nash and gasol back desperately. their record is going down the toilet

[swi7ch]

Well then the better question would be, why are they only 1-9 when he scores 30+?

Teammates are not involved on offense so defensively, they tune out as well because they're just watching Kobe the whole time on both ends of the floor.

[Kblaze8855]

If your teammates wont play defense if the 3 shots a game you take too many keeps the ball from them....your teammates are losers not worthy of a spot on a contender in the first place.

[swi7ch]

Lakers are 70% wining team for his career when he score 30+ or 40+, so the problem is somewhere else.

Yeah, well he's not as old as before, he had prime Shaq before, he had prime Pau before, he had the GOAT coach before, he had different teammates before, etc.

Point is, throw all those stats out because they're irrelevant this year in this current NBA season with this new Lakers with this new coach.

[chips93]

If your teammates wont play defense if the 3 shots a game you take too many keeps the ball from them....your teammates are losers not worthy of a spot on a contender in the first place.

so kobe taking too many shots is gonna make them play better defense?

could kobe try improve the defense, by actually giving effort on that end.

the lakers suck because of defensive issues more than anything else, and kobe has been pretty poor on that end so far this season. someone has to hold kobe accountable.

[White Mamba]

you can throw those numbers out the window. its a different team this year with many new peices and 2 new coaching systems that theyre going through. 5 rings and history doesnt apply to this current team

I'm not throwing numbers i'm throwing facts of big sample of games.

and you are right, this is a new team who has yet to play 2 games with their full roster, missing 2 allstars.

you are too smart to know the problem is not between 29 points and 31 points.

[White Mamba]

Yeah, well he's not as old as before, he had prime Shaq before, he had prime Pau before, he had the GOAT coach before, he had different teammates before, etc.

Point is, throw all those stats out because they're irrelevant this year in this current NBA season with this new Lakers with this new coach.

see comment above.

to think 30+ is relevant.....

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

so kobe taking too many shots is gonna make them play better defense?

could kobe try improve the defense, by actually giving effort on that end.

the lakers suck because of defensive issues more than anything else, and kobe has been pretty poor on that end so far this season. someone has to hold kobe accountable.

But it's not just Kobe's defense though. The whole team has been subpar defensively and that's a result of a number of factors. The thing is defense is about teamwork and communication. Dwight is supposed to be the defensive anchor and leader on that end.

Even if Kobe never missed a rotation and always closed out perfectly it wouldn't magically make the Lakers a 1st place team right now.

[Kblaze8855]

Kobe is not accountable for 11 other guys moving their feet or going over a screen hard. He can lead by example but the kind of man who needs someone else to do his jobe well in order to apply himself...is not a winner. If Kobe is dragging a bit on defense that is no excuse for you to see a man coming down the lane and not step in his way.

At what point are 30 year old men held accountable for their own actions?

Defense is coaching first and effort second. Kobe cant change the first and if they need help with the second....thats a character flaw Kobe cant be held accountable for.

You think say...Lindsey Hunter, Bruce Bowen, or Kirk Hinrich worry what anyone else is doing when someone is trying to score on them?

You have to have pride. If they lack it...they lack it. Kobe can help...and as leader he should. But the kind of people who NEED help to care....I dont want on my team to begin with,

[chazzy]

I would understand the criticism if he was playing the way he did last regular season, but Kobe's been more efficient as a scorer than all of Lebron's seasons and all but one of Jordan's so far. To point at his scoring being the problem is stupid, especially when the offense as a team is 6th or 7th in the league despite playing Duhon/Morris for 48 minutes most of the year.

They have defensive flaws, some of it personnel and some effort. They don't have enough perimeter speed to get back in transition, big hole at the 4 defensively, and no one's helping the helper when Dwight rotates.