I'd be alright watching a Jason Kidd Kobe Bryant for another year or two, but not if he's only ABLE to play once ever 3-4 games. I still feel like this is tank talk and they're sitting him to try to save him for one more big season next year. I don't buy that his body has deteriorated THIS much just because Byron was overplaying him for a month. He looked great to start the year and I think that's more likely what he could look like now if he wanted to. I think instead though the Lakers have asked him to try to Steve Nash it and give our guys some trade value. Take time off so we can lose games so we can go get that pick. I pray that's what it is.
janis carr @janiscarr ยท 20h 20 hours ago Kobe will travel with the team on 3 game trip but probably won't play all 3 games per BScott
Really depressing watching 24 age yet still somewhat defiant and coming up with vintage performances and plays though not as frequently.
Well let's not overlook his poor shooting percentages. It's not like he hasn't tried to put the ball in the hoop. Do you really think Kobe would be facilitating this much if he was shooting well consistently? The wealth of evidence doesn't seem to support your hypotheses about him not having deteriorated this much and still being able to play like he did at the beginning of the year. I do think they're trying to save him for whatever, but I only think they should continue to limit his minutes and sit him on back to backs. Sitting him for the rest of the year is a terrible idea unless he really needs to recover.
Wealth of evidence? What evidence is that? Just his shooting percentages? What else is so truly terrible watching him play? His shooting percentages have suffered from two things: overplaying and lately not playing enough. It's difficult to play every game and play too many minutes at his age. Especially with the team he has around him. It's almost equally difficult to play once every three days and have a great rhythm when you haven't done that ONCE in your career thus far. Statistically speaking his FG% is the only thing he's really struggling with this year. No he can't score the way he used to, but he's still a very effective player when he's played within his limits. I don't see any overwhelming evidence that his game has taken a dive.
As difficult as it is watching Kobe struggle, listening to everyone talk about it, etc, this pales in comparison to Magic announcing he had HIV. I mean, everyone thought with good reason at the time that their idol was announcing his imminent death. We'll still get to see Kobe do some special things on the court at least until the end of this season and I have to assume barring further injury until the end of a more meaningful season next year.
I don't know what to say to that. He absolutely looks different than before he blew the Achilles. Shooting, quickness, explosiveness. He was overplayed horribly that entire year and he looked fantastic. It's different for him now. How many times do we need to hear him say it?
Obviously it's different, but it's still good production. He's still better than probably 85-90% of the NBA at his position. He's still capable of elite level play. I never said he was capable of playing at pre-two-major-injury-level Kobe. You seem to forget though that he started the year among the League Leaders in scoring despite two major injuries and playing a lot of minutes. Then he begins to get tired, Byron plays him too much, his FG% suffers even more, and suddenly he's done? He's wrapped up? If he's considering retirement it's because he's tired right now and the team sucks. His abilities as a basketball player are still very much intact.
I fully believe that Kobe can still play at a high level with the right team and if his minutes are properly managed.
Ultimately, playing with more quality talent is what will determine if he keeps playing or not, IMO. Our FO has been attempting to add another player all to no avail so far..our best strategy might be to keep our pick and try to add pieces during this summer.
The MO of the FO, (ha, MOFO), should be to get a star, plain and simple. If it requires using the max, then so be it. We know a team can still be put together with limit resources and assets when we run out of them, that's not a problem. Put Kobe next to a star and he has less burden on his shoulders, (knee/achilles to be literal), and he builds the trust and chemistry that we all want to see. Whether it's Lebron, Marc Gasol, Rondo, Aldridge...they need they go 110% on trying to acquire one of them. That way, 2016 looks a lot more promising to one #35.
I'm really surprised because he looked pretty good in the Cavs game, then didnt play our next game, and there has been a day in between till today's game against PHX. I really thought he would play tonight
It's all part of the shadow tank. With Kobe tonight we'd have an outside shot at winning. Without him it's very unlikely.
I really don't think Kobe's sitting out because he's actually "hurt" or "old", but rather, because of the possibility of getting hurt. It's a wasted season, why waste his remaining time healthy with it? Stay healthy, play games to keep fresh, and wait for 2015 FA. We all can see Kobe can still play at a high level.
In 2015, we have again the possibility of signing a star. Lebron, Love, Gasol, Aldridge, Rondo. One final run. If he knows he's healthy enough now, why risk injury this year if it's already a loss? Let guys like Clarkson/Black develop, and play some games to keep fresh.
Put yourself in Kobe's shoes. Would you like to spend your one good healthy year with Price/Johnson/Davis/Hill or one of those guys?
Depends on how healthy he is. I would play as much as possible (within reason), flirt with a triple double every game and have fun.
