Pau's absence explains Kobe's chucking

[Slava]

For Kobe Bryant, nothing expresses love like making the ultimate sacrifice: passing up shots.

It’s a commitment he seems most willing to make for Pau Gasol. I have a theory that Bryant feels a special attachment to Gasol because he sees him as the ticket to the championships he needs to surpass the five Larry O’Brien trophies Magic Johnson won with the Lakers or the six Michael Jordan won with the Bulls.

So you don’t hear Kobe make any snide remarks that question Gasol’s toughness, as Phil Jackson has during the hamstring injuries that have sidelined the Laker big man twice this season. And you’re far less likely to see Bryant jacking up shots at a high rate when Gasol is on the court.

Bryant averaged more than 21 shots per game in the two months before Gasol arrived from Memphis in a February 2008 trade. In the first month with Gasol aboard that number dropped to 18 shots per game. He would wave teammates out of the way to allow Gasol to operate alone in the post.

Gasol missed all but three minutes of 10 games in March that season, and Bryant’s shots per game ballooned to 24 in that month.

This year, in the four full games since Gasol tweaked his hamstring on Jan. 3, Bryant has taken 111 shots – almost 28 per game.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... -pau-gasol

I have always thought Kobe only trusts Pau and Fisher and whenever he looks to pass, he looks for either of those guys.

Should Kobe be more trusting in guys like Artest and Drew and what do these guys need to do to earn that same kind of trust with Kobe?

[Sedale Threatt]

In that case, I hope Pau comes back ASAP as I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a screwdriver than watch much more of this. Playing and/or shooting poorly is one thing, but this is four straight games that even Allen Iverson would be ashamed of. It's about time to make an adjustment.

[Dr Aki]

kobe doing so well earlier in the season in the absence of pau says otherwise...

[USA]

The only reason/cause for Kobe's 'chucking' is the fact that he loves to shoot. He chucks with or without Pau in the lineup.

[magic1fan]

i think pau being gone has alot to do with it. look for the people who complain about chucking(i myself have done it) we have to remember that kobe knows how to win. he knows that when pau is back his shots must decrease for the benefit of the team. he has proven that by taking us to two straight finals. i don't really care about kobe chucking per se' i can more about him using up so much energy this early in the season. he isn't in his 20's like wade and lebron. he needs to be smarter about conservig energy. once pau get's back and get's a rhythm all will be well in lakerland again.

[Tee212]

i think pau being gone has alot to do with it. look for the people who complain about chucking(i myself have done it) we have to remember that kobe knows how to win. he knows that when pau is back his shots must decrease for the benefit of the team. he has proven that by taking us to two straight finals. i don't really care about kobe chucking per se' i can more about him using up so much energy this early in the season. he isn't in his 20's like wade and lebron. he needs to be smarter about conservig energy. once pau get's back and get's a rhythm all will be well in lakerland again.

+1

[crazyeights]

It's pretty simple. Chucking implies taking shots and missing them. Kobe is missing shots at an uncharacteristic rate. Why? His hand.

The problem is that Kobe has this recent media-hyped iron man complex where he feels that since he's not the youngest, most athletic stud anymore, he'll just be the old tough as nails vet. The problem is mixing that with Kobe's enormous ego, he's not going to back down from taking shots, even when he's missing. But hell, that's what makes a player a great scorer. To believe in themselves to the utmost degree.

In my mind, Kobe Bryant will never be able to self-regulate, especially when he's obviously playing so poorly (with this turning into the big story line of recent weeks). That's where a coach comes in.

This one's on PJ.

That aside, watching interviews, it seems like it's as simple as Kobe's hand. He's been tinkering with the support he's been wearing on it and has been convincing himself that he can figure it out. Essentially he's changing his shot every game, which not even the best shooters in the world can do. Shooting is about repetition and if you haven't figured out your form, how can you repeat it. He either needs to sit a few games or settle on what hand-support he's going to use. Once he does that and his hand heals, then he'll be back to shooting around 43-46%.

[fareweatherfan]

He's fine, the Lakers are fine. But there is no excuse for his performance last night against the Bucks...that was all ego, plain and simple. It happens.

[Jase]

Bynum has taken a step back this season (thanks, Kurt), and Artest is iffy lately. Kobe has the confidence that he can win games himself. I don't think he's "chucking," just trying to carry the team by himself.

[supaflash]

Yes, and PJ has to get the whole team on the same page. He has to set the game plan up, tell guys to be aggressive, take shots, get the ball in the post more often. Its also hard to regulate something like this over a short span, you don't expect it as an elite scorer to continue so you keep firing. And rightly so for the most part, as you need that confidence and mentality. It will take some restraint from Kobe to pick better spots, but he can't simply stop shooting and it will take the team stepping up as well. LO and Artest HAVE to be more aggressive, because they are the only ones who can create shots and force the offense in a different direction. Drew is playing well, but he can't pass to himself in the post, and he needs to fight for deep position on every possession.

Kobe is shooting a little too much for my tastes too, but I'm glad to see him still aggressive and I understand where he is at as well. The team needs to follow Shannon's lead and not only have the energy he does, but have the same fearless aggression to do some things themselves instead of entirely waiting for Kobe to set them up or not take a shot he knows he can normally knock down...

[snaquille oatmeal]

if those chucking shots go in then is it still chucking? Kobe will shoot reguardless, but we need to pay attention to what is going on and not to what espn tells you. Phil said after the game that during the past 3 games Vitti changed the wrap on Kobes finger and it is more ridgid and make it very difficult to shoot and especially to pass the ball. if you can't pass and you cant shoot what do you get? Kobe chucking shots.

[iamworthy]

if those chucking shots go in then is it still chucking? Kobe will shoot reguardless, but we need to pay attention to what is going on and not to what espn tells you. Phil said after the game that during the past 3 games Vitti changed the wrap on Kobes finger and it is more ridgid and make it very difficult to shoot and especially to pass the ball. if you can't pass and you cant shoot what do you get? Kobe chucking shots.

Snaq, did they say why vitti changed the wrap?

[USA]

if those chucking shots go in then is it still chucking? Kobe will shoot reguardless, but we need to pay attention to what is going on and not to what espn tells you. Phil said after the game that during the past 3 games Vitti changed the wrap on Kobes finger and it is more ridgid and make it very difficult to shoot and especially to pass the ball. if you can't pass and you cant shoot what do you get? Kobe chucking shots.

Changed wraps or not, Kobe should not have games with fga's of 37, 30, 27, 27, ect even when healthy. This team is plenty capable of picking up the slack. I am a Lakers first, Kobe second fan but his play recently has really pissed me off at times. We are just lucky that the Lakers have a good enough team to win most of the time regardless.

[Mamba Venom]

Heat check

[laduane1]

Kobe is all about winning. Who ever his team mates are.

[snaquille oatmeal]

if those chucking shots go in then is it still chucking? Kobe will shoot reguardless, but we need to pay attention to what is going on and not to what espn tells you. Phil said after the game that during the past 3 games Vitti changed the wrap on Kobes finger and it is more ridgid and make it very difficult to shoot and especially to pass the ball. if you can't pass and you cant shoot what do you get? Kobe chucking shots.

Snaq, did they say why vitti changed the wrap?

Phil said that Kobe felt like he needed more support, but he also said that Kobe told him that he was going to ask Vitti to go back to the old wrap for the Spurs game.

[semi-sentient]

Bynum has taken a step back this season (thanks, Kurt), and Artest is iffy lately. Kobe has the confidence that he can win games himself. I don't think he's "chucking," just trying to carry the team by himself.

... and he's been failing miserably these past few games.

Kobe's volume is not the only the issue here. He's taking some very bad shots that are nothing more than desperate attempts at being bailed out by the refs. He's overlooking wide open teammates and going 3-on-1, which to me is chucking. In his defense, he's missed a ton of easy shots also (which you can't knock him for), but he's had stretches where he played completely out of control (4th quarter, Blazers and Clippers) and really hurt the team all by himself.

If he wants to carry the team then he can do that without taking 30+ shots. He can tone it down and make smarter decisions and get others involved more. If we still lose, that's fine. At least we went down as a team. This isn't the same team that has Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. We have capable scorers in Bynum and Artest, but they can't score if Kobe is taking every single shot.

[Sedale Threatt]

if those chucking shots go in then is it still chucking? Kobe will shoot reguardless, but we need to pay attention to what is going on and not to what espn tells you. Phil said after the game that during the past 3 games Vitti changed the wrap on Kobes finger and it is more ridgid and make it very difficult to shoot and especially to pass the ball. if you can't pass and you cant shoot what do you get? Kobe chucking shots.

21 shots in 28 minutes when you're in the middle of a slump and/or injured is chucking.

Everybody is going to have bad games, even the second-best shooting guard of all time. But by the third or fourth game, it's time to make an adjustment.

[Sedale Threatt]

Bynum has taken a step back this season (thanks, Kurt), and Artest is iffy lately. Kobe has the confidence that he can win games himself. I don't think he's "chucking," just trying to carry the team by himself.

... and he's been failing miserably these past few games.

Kobe's volume is not the only the issue here. He's taking some very bad shots that are nothing more than desperate attempts at being bailed out by the refs. He's overlooking wide open teammates and going 3-on-1, which to me is chucking. In his defense, he's missed a ton of easy shots also (which you can't knock him for), but he's had stretches where he played completely out of control (4th quarter, Blazers and Clippers) and really hurt the team all by himself.

If he wants to carry the team then he can do that without taking 30+ shots. He can tone it down and make smarter decisions and get others involved more. If we still lose, that's fine. At least we went down as a team. This isn't the same team that has Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. We have capable scorers in Bynum and Artest, but they can't score if Kobe is taking every single shot.

+1