<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DynastYWarrioR6:</div><div class="quote_post">maybe it was too easy to break to be called a double team?</div> Well I just finished watching the game and its kind of weird. I watched it knowing he was gonna get 81 points. But the most important quarter was the third. The first half of the game Kobe was being Kobe but the Raptors plan of playing him on-on-one was working. He had 26 and they had a 14 point lead. The third quarter they figured why change anything... its working. So they kept the single coverage on him and he started hitting threes from everywhere. I believe he must have hit maybe 5 of his 7 threes in the third all while dribbling straight up to the arc and just letting it fly. The Raptors never thought to double him then and by the time they did it was too late... he had already pulled the Lakers back to within 5 or 3 and had over 50 points. This is where it gets even harder on the Raptors and Mitchell... because then Kobe gets some easy buckets off the ball... a steal and dunk... a screen to the basket... a turnover and an easy layup... no time or way to double him. The fourth quarter Kobe actually cools off and forces some shots under a double team. He turns the ball over because they run him into a couple traps and the refs miss a few fouls. So by now the Raps were doubling him and hitting him hard when he came into the lane. He splits a double team not once, but twice in the fourth so quick that they have to show it in slow motion for me to realize its a behind the back move to get in between both players. It was stunning to watch... it really didn't seem like he scored that much. Which would make sense that Phil didn't think he had that much, some of the Raptors players maybe didn't realize how much he had till near the end either. It was hilarious to listen to the commentators of the game talk about Kobe getting 50 and losing to the Raptors, and then Kobe getting 60 and the game being close, and then "Wait a minute... he has 64?! He's going to get 70?!" They had no clue even after the third quarter that the guy was going to do what he did. Poor Sam Mitchell and the Raptors were'nt thinking about stopping Kobe... they were trying to win the game which was still close till the fourth. Amazing game!!! I am going to go watch the third quarter again... just the most incredible 12 minutes of basketball I have ever seen!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks for the post Durvasa, I was surprised on the comment about the Raptors not double teaming Kobe at all. I know the Raptors used a lot of zone defense in the game, but they were definitely double teaming Kobe in the 2nd half. In fact one of Kobe's highlight plays was dribbling behind his back and splitting a double team for a layup.</div> I watched the game today, and it seemed like there were only a few instances where Kobe was double teamed when he had the ball. It's interesting to compare McGrady's lackluster performances against the Raptors this season and Kobe's. Actually, Kobe had a season-low against them last time, so based on those three games (one against Kobe, two against McGrady) you'd think the Raptors have high-scorer wing players figured out defensively. In his games against the Raptors, McGrady was somewhat passive and waited to create off the pick and roll, thus allowing their double team to trap him. But in the 81 point game, Kobe was just in attack mode and didn't bother using a pick (smartly). The Raptors help defense was pathetic virtually all game, and while Mo-Pete had a *few* good defensive stops against Kobe, Jalen Rose and rookie Joey Graham got burned repeatedly trying to guard him one on one while Peterson was in foul trouble. Kobe wouldn't allow double teams to get to him because (a) the Lakers spread the floor for him, and ( as soon as he got the ball he made his move. Fiyah, great recap of the second half.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">I watched the game today, and it seemed like there were only a few instances where Kobe was double teamed when he had the ball. It's interesting to compare McGrady's lackluster performances against the Raptors this season and Kobe's. Actually, Kobe had a season-low against them last time, so based on those three games (one against Kobe, two against McGrady) you'd think the Raptors have high-scorer wing players figured out defensively. In his games against the Raptors, McGrady was somewhat passive and waited to create off the pick and roll, thus allowing their double team to trap him. But in the 81 point game, Kobe was just in attack mode and didn't bother using a pick (smartly). The Raptors help defense was pathetic virtually all game, and while Mo-Pete had a *few* good defensive stops against Kobe, Jalen Rose and rookie Joey Graham got burned repeatedly trying to guard him one on one while Peterson was in foul trouble. Kobe wouldn't allow double teams to get to him because (a) the Lakers spread the floor for him, and ( as soon as he got the ball he made his move. Fiyah, great recap of the second half.</div> Just wanted to point out Kobe had a season low against them the first time because the game was over after 3 quarters and PJax didn't put him back in the game during the 4th quarter.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Kobe may have sold his soul to the devil, because he scored 81 on his 666th NBA game.</div> Are you serious?!? Wow, thats crazy maybe..... but then again Kobe's work ethic makes it so he dosent need to sell his soul to anyone! Hes That Damn Good!
Maybe Kobe IS the devil....cause he is ON FIRE!...ok that was a lame one...yall can shoot me for it.... ::shame::
