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Before I get on my Kobe "bash-fest", he's still a terrific player. Top 5 in the league, on his best day could still be looked at as the best. He's still averaging just about the same numbers he did 5 years ago on a per minute basis. He's physical skills have declined some, but he's made up for it in other areas.

Having said all that, Kobe's play this year has just been odd. People often accuse him of going out of the offense and forcing the issue, and while there is some merit to that, never has it been to the extreme that people like to make it out to be. But this season I've been more frustrated in his play than ever before. I look at his efficiency number and there is no reason he shouldn't be scoring at a TS% of 56 at minimum.

Compared to last season, Bryant has been able to get to the rim with more regularity and success. That's mostly due to having an off season off where he could rest his knees; he's quicker this year, more explosive and he's finishing better at the rim than he has in years. Knowing that fact, why does Kobe settle for those awful and I mean awful 16-23 foot shots. He inexplicably takes these shots every game and this season he has done so more than in past years.

Is it confidence bordering on arrogance or does he not know any better. It's understood that Kobe has to play more towards the perimeter because of the big guys inside, but what has changed this season from last years or the year before that one? Why is he taking more challenging and difficult shots?

It's a concern because players are creatures of habits, and while Kobe is normally a fantastic Playoff performer, what happens when Kobe starts taking these types of shots during the Playoffs? If Kobe goes back to playing more efficient basketball then we'll be fine, but if he keeps playing the way he has been all year, I'm cautious about this team's chances.

I don't know if Kobe is shooting (Please Use More Appropriate Word) shots all the time just because he's bored or what, but he needs to stop, and I think he will by the playoffs. But for the season.. it's disgusting to watch. Also I know his fingers are dead but he's been dealing with them forever. I haven't seen an elite player at his level with such poor ball security (gets it slapped out so easily), and with handles where he dribbles it off his foot at least twice a game.

Also, he's one of the best players in the game, one of the best scorers in the game.. and from March til now, he's had 7 games of sub-40% shooting? Out of 18 games played? Really Kobe? I don't care what excuse you want to bring, but shooting in the 30% range that often is unacceptable.

He's a ballstopper and a shotjacker these days, and like I said, I hope it's because he's bored. He's done this before, but he's come through the last few years in the playoffs and I know he will again.

I'll always judge him after the playoffs. Last season he was terrible to end the season, shot 35% for the first 2 games against thunder and then went onto average 35 PPG at 55% till the finals.

He's just one player where the end justifies the means.

That was mostly due to his knee issues. Unless I'm mistaken, he's not suffering from the same injury.

Yea he had the knee that got drained that let him become a monster afterwards. I don't think he has anything right now that can be corrected like that. But he does have his brain and I'm confident he'll be back to normal (aka not so ****) in the playoffs

Not as much as I am disappointed with Gasol. Kobe isn't exactly the world beater he once was but Gasol has taken his soft mentality to a whole new level this year.

slifersd wrote:Not as much as I am disappointed with Gasol. Kobe isn't exactly the world beater he once was but Gasol has taken his soft mentality to a whole new level this year.

gasol has had one of his most productive seasons yet, not even close to how soft he was last year. lets just give them a break and hold on til the playoffs start and that goes for kobe as well

Kobe's game goes drastically different from regular season to the playoffs, same with Phil's game plans and the general pace of the game. Most his playoff performances are much more efficient and he puts a lot of trust in his teammates. I wouldn't worry about Kobe, not unless we get eliminated.

trade him.

CowsMoo wrote:trade him.

This.. he's a scrub hopefully we get a couple 2nd rounders for him

I think we can hold off trading for a little while.

In all seriousness, look at his number here. Kobe's obviously that much better 15 feet and in, but settles far too often for the low percentages. I hate long twos with a passion...

http://www.hoopdata.com/player.aspx?name=Kobe%20Bryant

i think kobes "struggles" as of late is a lack of practicing with the rest of the lakers. hes not on the same page as the rest of them therefore he does his own thing on offense. im hoping come playoffs he starts acknowledging what the TEAM is trying to do out there and starts playing TEAM ball.

Everybody knows the lakers are at their best when proper ball movment is being made while the bigs are being used accordingly, and if the opposing team is denying the post entry, the lakers are the best team in the league to use the high low action.

so again lets just wait until the playoffs to really know what this team is made out of...

he hasn't been as great but he still has the playoffs to make it up and we all know that

kobe sucked this year to be honest...LA was powered by lamar odom all year long.

iki4life wrote:kobe sucked this year to be honest...LA was powered by lamar odom all year long.

It's absurd how consistent he's been this year, knowing who Lamar is. There's been no dropoff in play, no lack of focus with all the BS around him, and he's been leading the Lakers in 3pt shooting WTF. I love LO

Kobe's been playing absolutely garbage basketball in the last month of this season. He really needs to pick it up or the championship parade will be held somewhere else this season

If kobe disappointed you this year. Then he should have disappointed you every year of his career.

Taking the same shots. Making less. But they are the same shots he was taking for the last 10 years of his career.

He's been playing with an Iverson-esque level of efficiency over the last month or so.

He's Kobe, what do you expect?

No and yes. The timing of this thread is biased because it's directly after our four-game losing streak, which we lost games for reasons mostly other than Kobe. He does take some bad shots sometimes, but that's who he is. He is an imperfect player.

To be honest, I'm more disappointed with Shannon Brown, Steve Blake and Luke Walton; Also, Fisher and Artest haven't been so great either. I've seen so many 1/5 or 2/9 games from those guys after games that I don't even count anymore. I think Odom, Gasol and Bynum have all been great this year, and Matt Barnes has been good, too.

I think this discussion is better suited after the post-season, as he typically raises his play at that time...In addition to that, you have to put the blame on the other players, as well.