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Scott must lead Kobe Bryant if he wants the others to follow. Not just get along. Not just offer license and liberty. Lead.

And Scott's ledger on that front so far is as bad as the Lakers' one-win record under him, the worst 10-game start in franchise history.

There is a fundamental problem with the template.

You want to build the team around Bryant's free rein on offense while he is encouraged to "rest"—Scott's own word—on defense, yet every other guy is being held to fantastic standards that must be met for the team to overachieve?

How is anyone besides Kobe ever going to think that's cool? Resentment is bound to build, especially when Bryant is so unabashed in competitive zeal that he described his view on his teammates' passivity Sunday night thus: "Can't just sit back and watch crime happen."

Scott riding Bryant for so many sloppy extra minutes Nov. 4 against the visiting Phoenix Suns—he'd predetermined that the lack of games afterward meant Bryant could go longer—is not building a team. It reeks of desperation and undermines the rest of the players—besides endangering Bryant for the long haul of the season (and making him tired and making it less likely to win that game down the stretch anyway).

The whole thing, deep down, doesn't make Bryant happy either. He has learned most from the push and pull of Phil Jackson, the cross-denunciations from Tex Winter and the stubborn self-worth of Derek Fisher that his success doesn't come courtesy of yes men.

TyCobb wrote:But is winning 20 out of 82 games really that important?

Scott's focus should be entirely on turning current players into trade-able assets.

"I'm more than willing to sit back. If you think I want to shoot as many times or be as aggressive at 36 years old, you're freakin' crazy."

In other words…

Byron, (and Jeremy!) help me.

D'Antoni took every minute Bryant was willing to give until the Achilles tendon rupture (Bryant's minutes log leading up it: 47:37, 47:04, 42:32, 47:20, 41:06, 48:00, then 44:54 at the time of the rupture).

it's the coach's job to build a real team with what pieces he has.

Use it to build this team—a team that can indulge, overcome and, above all, include Kobe.

LApwnd wrote:Its ironic, if i'm using it right that Scott use to have all the answers/adjustments last season in his post game analysis when he was with Time Warner.....and now when it comes to actual application he's just as much a failure as MDA if not more. Also this should help Magic shut his pie hole too

LApwnd wrote:Its ironic, if i'm using it right that Scott use to have all the answers/adjustments last season in his post game analysis when he was with Time Warner.....and now when it comes to actual application he's just as much a failure as MDA if not more. Also this should help Magic shut his pie hole too