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That Pau is getting another taste of being an offensive focal point, or that Kobe is experiencing what it's like to win (dominate) without being a leading scorer? I say both bode very well for the Lakers.

I've seen some people say Kobe just looks OLD with team USA, but i see it a different way.Obviously he's older than everyone on the team, but i look at it as him scaling back and getting familiar with playing off the ball more on the perimeter, being that he will have to accept that more with Nash on the team

Exactly, I'm loving it.

I like that the players have a sense of urgency. Forget the NBA, they're representing so they got to play as a team. Im liking this Kobe

Let's hope that Kobe will finally learn from it to depend more on a team ball in his "old age" - something that Pau always understood coming from Euro-style bb. To me it seemed that Pau's problems were more the result of frustration (hinted at in several post-game interviews) with Kobe's ... let's say strong self-reliance

stillflossin wrote:That Pau is getting another taste of being an offensive focal point, or that Kobe is experiencing what it's like to win (dominate) without being a leading scorer? I say both bode very well for the Lakers.

good point dude, i hadn't thought of that. Should be interesting to see what their mind set is back in training camp, will kobe tell pau to man up and get kobe his 30+ pts!

You get too see this

gotta go with pau getting some of that confidence back.

kobe adjusting anything about his game due to whats happening with the olympic team isn't really something i'd put much stock into.

PurpleMamba wrote:I've seen some people say Kobe just looks OLD with team USA, but i see it a different way.Obviously he's older than everyone on the team, but i look at it as him scaling back and getting familiar with playing off the ball more on the perimeter, being that he will have to accept that more with Nash on the team

I don't know, he just looks pretty old to me.

I like what Kobe is doing, he isn't trying to exert too much energy into these Olympic contest. He looks fluid, in shape and most of all fresh. People look for numbers too damn much to tell the story. Kobe has let LeBron carry the blunt load of work while the thing I see from Kobe is him trying to work on his defense, because that'll be whats need most in our up coming season. I could care less about his offense.

As an non-American, non-Lakers fan...

I respect Kobe not trying to get his. Problem with the US team sometimes is that they play like an All-Star team, but having someone like him NOT forcing things is definately helping them from a team concept.

As a Celts man, I hope Kobe likes it so much in London he stays there, and Pau can keep him company.

DEEP3CL wrote:I like what Kobe is doing, he isn't trying to exert too much energy into these Olympic contest. He looks fluid, in shape and most of all fresh. People look for numbers too damn much to tell the story. Kobe has let LeBron carry the blunt load of work while the thing I see from Kobe is him trying to work on his defense, because that'll be whats need most in our up coming season. I could care less about his offense.

I agree, his defensive focus has been great to watch, and it will definitely be needed for the Lakers. I can't wait to see him step it up another notch when medals are on the line. Guard defense in general has been pretty spectacular to watch, some of these guys can barely get the ball past half court against us. I am slightly worried about how utterly ineffective Kobe has been 1-on-1 though, because we all know Kobe and he may never stop trying to beat guys 1-on-1. It's just how he's wired, it's part of what has made him great.

kobe playing like he's 100% ready to accept the 4th option role behind pau, bynum and nash.

Nut shots...

anyone watch the Australia game today?

kob3!!!!!!!

the last heat check 3 from Kobe would've blown the roof off if it went in.

3 in a row... damn Mr. Bryant.

Watched the first 3 quarters, then had to take the kids to childcare, missed the Kobe show.
But...Joe Ingles should get more interest from the NBA. At least a summer league invite. Good size, good all-round ability, and he has a calmness about his play I don't remember from when he was younger (and got some sort of camp invite from the Lakers/Phil Jackson)