by LakersPride
The Lakers are on a roll with Kobe lighting up the scoreboard. He hasn't been this hot since 2007 and it looks like he is getting stronger. He is back to getting whatever shot he wants and opposing teams are noticing and worrying.
His current play and knee surgery success shows that he must have been pretty banged up last season without whining and using it as an excuse when the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks. I think Kobe deserves the respect for not complaining or using excuses ever. One of the most competitive players the league has seen, only rivaled by MJ, you would think losing would bring out excuses. Kobe loses with grace and never walks off without congratulating the other team, ala King "Lames". His mindset must be that he knows he gives all he has in any competition and that if you beat him he accepts you must have deserved it.
This competitive drive in Kobe also has a downside. He is on a terror showing everyone that he is healthier than he has been in a long time and wants to make sure there is no mistake he is the best player in the league. Lakers fans know what he brings to the table and they also know what can happen. When he scoring like this he is praised for carrying the team, but there is going to come a game where he is 7 for 25 and everybody will say he shoots too much. It's always been that way for him, he can't win, he is either a ballhog or proving a point by passing too much.
This week is going to show the progress of the Lakers in their new system and if they have the ability to adjust their game against the best teams in the league. Clippers tonight, Dallas Monday, Heat Thursday, Orlando Friday. If Kobe shoots the same amount against these teams the Lakers will not win all of those games.
Bynum has touched the ball much less once he started getting doubled. This has been the reason Kobe has been shooting a lot more. The Lakers will need that post option to beat the best in the league. The Lakers size is their biggest advantage and if they don't use the post then the court will close up for Kobe. Pau has become a mid range shooter to allow Bynum to sit on the block. The Lakers can't afford not to use the post because the point guard position is not used to penetrate and dish. Fisher has never been the quick ball handling drive and kick point. The Lakers get the ball in the paint via the pass to the post, Bynum isn't the passer that Pau is so it has been a challenge for him to make decisions when the double team comes. With
Pau standing around the outside it makes it hard to for the interior passing to happen like the Lakers have had success using the triangle in the passed.
Kobe needs to get at least Pau and Bynum going in order for him to operate on the outside. The Lakers have the garbage players to make up for the loss of Lamar so that is no longer an excuse. Murphy, McRoberts, Barnes, Kapono cancel out the Odom numbers.
If the Lakers are going to make another run for the Ring than it solely falls on Kobe's play and in game execution. The elite teams will double and triple him to get the ball out of his hands, his competitiveness will either force a bad shot or he can find the open teammates for easy buckets. Mike Brown knows this and is hoping his defensive system keeps them in the game long enough for Kobe to make the right decisions.
As usual the Lakers success rests on the drive, passion, and decisions of the "Black Mamba" Kobe Bryant, is there any other player you would rather give that responsibility? Not until someone else can show they are the best player in this league...Kobe is still the one.
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