RealGM

So I found some stats that we might find interesting here.

Kobe's inside at the rim game.

2008-2009
Kobe shot 66% 2.9 out of 4.4 a game

2009-2019
Kobe shot 58% 2.8 out of 4.9 a game

This is a DRASTIC drop from just one year. Previous years Kobe would be 64% or 63% as well.
It's his finger guys. It's hard to grip/handle/dunk with that that cast on his finger.

Despite this.. he managed to get better with his mid game shooting. He's 50% at the 10-15ft area. AN IMPROVEMENT from last year where he was 45% with a lower volume. 3.2 per game as oppose to this years 4.0 per game.

If Kobe comes back next year with a better inside game(FINGER).... watch out! (or this could be a sign of old age....)

he will be better . so the league better beware .

and his knee, and his ankle, and his back

I think it has a lot to do with how he was scoring in the paint this season... He was focusing on posting people up a lot more with his back to the basket and in previous years he seemed to be more of a face up slasher...

We have Gasol, Odom, Bynum, Artest who can all post people up... As much as I think a quality low post game makes Kobe better, on this team I think he and Odom should focus on slashing and hitting jumpers. We need to spread the floor.

I think(hope) after the surgery, his handles and touch will be better, so his percentages should go up.

I'm not sure of the stat, but what was Kobe's turn over #s before and after the injuries to his finger.

I remember Kobe just losing the ball because it would seem to take an awful bounce off the finger brace.