Probably just me going ape shit over the loss, but have we beaten any good teams so far this season when Kobe had a horrible game? I'm not talking about lottery teams, I'm talking about legit playoff contenders. Because for a long ass time now, we've been relying on him to do way too much for my liking.
This wasn't so much Kobe not carrying us, rather than horrible defense. If we palyed somewhat defense for the WHOLE game, and not for one half, Kobe wouldn't have to carry us.
Kobe didn't really struggle, though. He was bad in the 4th, but he got mugged a couple of times. When you're not getting calls and Dwight Howard is in your way, there isn't much you can do. He still had one hell of a game.
I agree. Kobe doesn't have to score 35 in order for the lakers to beat good teams (lakers have enough weapons), but the defense has definitely got to pick up.......
I don't know if Kobe had a bad game. I'm with Mamba on this one. He was on fire in the first 3 quarters and then couldn't get a call to save his life for a good chunk of the 4th quarter. My main concern is can we beat a team with Kobe jacking up shots the way he was last night, specifically the 4th. He was 9/16 through the first 3 quarters (I believe), and in the 4th he went 3/12, almost equaling the amount of shots he took in the first 3 quarters. Most of our losses come with Kobe shooting 20+ times a game. I realize it might be a necessity right now when since we're lacking some depth, but we're better when he's picking his spots instead of forcing it the way he did in the 4th. I know on a lot of nights he's going to get some of those calls, but he wasn't last night, and near the end, was taking some pretty bad contested jump shots that he shouldn't have.
I'd like to point out 1 thing... Kobe Bryant himself is not helping out that much defensively as we think. I noticed that the Lakers love to double bigs and try to go for the steal or what not... thats not defence. Kobe, OFTEN leaves his man to roam the perimeter ESPECIALLY when he is a 'no - namer' like Lee, Bogans, R. Butler and co. and what happens? He gets smoked with a 3 pointer. And if he does get a good matchup such as VC, Salmons or Wade, even though he tries to man him up, he's left them alone with sufficient time to establish a rythm. Kobe has stopped guarding the other teams best guard with grit that's why other SG's can now score on him. D*mn, he should have guarded Jameer f*cking Nelson! Clearly he was the man on fire during that game! The Lakers gamble to much... Derek Fisher going for the steal against Mason INSTEAD of just guarding him is an example. I hate to say it, but Kobe is should be one of our anchor's on D apart from our Bigs but not this year. He won't even make All - NBA Defensive team this year.
Bryant's defense is pretty much empirically the same as last year. He needs to play that one man zone, or his offense will suffer. I'm not worried about him, more so what we will get from our sad PG situation.
Well it wasn't good either. Wade played more efficiently than him. Kobe tried so hard to defend Wade that it (imo) affected how he played in offense (which for that game, sucked)
The difference in this matchup is Kobe guards Wade, and Wade guards Fisher. The Heat never use Wade to guard an opposing superstar. Also Wade did most of his damager when Kobe wasn't on him.
I remember there was a huge difference in the defense that Kobe played than anyone else. Especially that 4th quarter. Kobe can D up if he wanted to.
