I didn't see the whole interview but I don't see anywhere that Kobe told him how many minutes he could play. Maybe it's me but it seems like Byron is falling on his sword for Kobe. I don't buy that he ran Kobe into the ground. Enabled him, failed to prevent him sure... But nobody can make Kobe sit if he wants to play.
Kobe said he wanted to play "X" amount of minutes before the season started. Byron said it was less than anticipated. He proceeded to play him what he thought was right.
As Doc mentioned, this was something that was pretty well discussed prior to the season. Apparently Kobe said 30/32 (something like that) and Byron said 36.
KEVIN DING ✔ @KevinDing Pseudo-point guard Kobe acknowledged he needs to get shots closer to the basket in the future: "I'm on the perimeter way too much." Yup. You think, Kobe? I pointed this out during the GD thread. Free-throw line extended down; that's where you need to be. Talk to that dumb-a** of a coach we have and see if he's competent enough to make adjustments to the offense...
KEVIN DING ✔ @KevinDing Kobe on limited minutes: "The hard part is sitting down for stretches and then trying to get back in. I feel like the Tin Man." Ben Rosales @brosales12 In the four games from 12/28-1/4, pass-first Kobe averaged 17.0/8.5/8.0 w/60.2 TS%. That's probably the peak of what Kobe can currently do.
I never would have imagined Kobe declining so sharply. I thought maybe 75-80 percent of the level at which he's traditionally played. But wow, he just can't shoot at all anymore. This is so hard to watch. I can't imagine another year of this and I can't imagine him wanting to play another year if this is all he's got. They say father time sneaks up on you but he ran Kobe over with a bus.
^ plus we all thought he would age gracefully since his game is all about skill/talent and not physicality. Now, imagine some of these other/younger players being at the end of their careers...
Let's not forget the two injuries he had, I assume these might have helped the decline. But generally I agree, it's hard to watch and just sad. I still hope he can bounce back but games like this one - after a few days of rest - make it harder and harder to believe
I think the change is in his head. at the start of the season he came with pride. didn't talk THAT much about him being old. talking about a new challange. now that he came to a conclusion his shot is not the same, and the team going to lottery, the mindset of him not being the same anymore is taking over. it's really sad. i guess that if we had a playoff team we would see the same Kobe trying to prove everyone he is the best. and I still think that building a new team in the summer will push Kobe to a good season. maybe better than this one for him. oh and by the way, still looking foward to the Cavs game. I wish Kobe atleast can preform at a high level against Lebron. everyone will watch it.
Serena Winters retweeted Lakers Nation @LakersNation · 7h 7 hours ago Kobe Bryant tells @SerenaWinters poor shooting % isn't about his legs, it's about 'quality of shots.' VIDEO: http://youtu.be/SgFYWPfOVQQ
Kobe didn't look that bad to start the season. He wasn't that efficient or anything, but he looked nimble / quick. He had that dunk on the Clippers. He was also still shooting above 40%. He had some awesome shooting quarters too. Then, gradually, he started shooting worse. It first started taking its toll in the 4th quarters. Then it was surprising to see a good shooting quarter in general. Now, it's atrocious. I expected him to improve as he worked himself more into game shape, but that obviously didn't happen. Byron admitted that he ran Kobe into the ground. Well, Byron, thank you for your incompetence. It was obvious to anybody with a brain. It was obvious to anybody that watched the games. It was obvious to the reporters that repeatedly questioned you about Kobe's minutes.
It's amazing how Byron couldn't understand the importance of limiting Kobe's minutes until now. To see his interviews were he's basically saying "sorry Kobe, I worked you to hard, my bad" is pathetic. I know Byron can't be completely incompetent to be a head coach in the NBA but, I'm seriously starting to think this guy has a screw loose. And although most blame should come to him, Kobe needs to pick his shots a little more wisely. I can let Kobe slide for jacking up some questionable shots (or I should say a lot of) because he came in to this season testing himself against father time. What I can't let slide is Byron being an idiot of a coach.
Kobe, WTF, LOL, come on I'm your guy..... look at the good pic of you I chose for my Avi for crissakes. But, "quality of shots"? How about you're just missing all of them no matter from where right now, for whatever reason.
Kobe is not blameless in this situation; at the very least, he should take 'some' responsibility for his shot selection. Nevertheless, to sit here and act like Byron has put Kobe in a position to succeed is completely nonsensical, IMO. Kobe has been operating from the perimeter all season long. It's Kobe ISO after Kobe ISO. That's all we see. Byron stated back in October that he wanted Kobe to operate from the free-throw line extended down; that hasn't happened. He also said he would manage Kobe's minutes and not risk his health. That hasn't happened. Byron is just has culpable as Kobe in all of this bull#### offense that we have to watch every freaking night. That's ok, though. Tank on… Please don't bypass the swearing filter. Thanks much.
A little perspective: it's not like Kobe has completely fallen apart. Kobe is still rebounding the ball fine. He is passing the ball fine. He was 6rpg / 6apg again last night. His D is not great, but it was not great 3 years ago either before he blew the Achilles and the knee. The only thing that's missing is his shot. The problem is that his shot has always been what has defined him as "Kobe". With that missing it's just painful to watch. In the old days when his shot would go missing in a game he would lock himself in the gym for an insane overnight workout of hundreds of shots, and do that as many times as it took to force himself back into the zone. Now, his body can't handle the old cure. He has never been in a slump this deep for this long. Ever. I really hope he figures this out.
The only way to bring the "old" Kobe back is to get him a good PG. Rondo was a perfect fit, that played defense and hit open guys with perfect passes. Even though his shot stinks, he would make Kobe's life much easier.
got this off Roto, per Mike Bresnahan Kobe Bryant may be shut down when the Lakers are eliminated from playoff contention, according to coach Byron Scott. The Lakers are already 10 games out of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and only the Wolves have a worse record than they do. It would appear Bryant is almost a lock to be shut down at some point and it's really just a matter of time. Wes Johnson might benefit the most while Wayne Eillington, Nick Young and Jordan Clarkson may also get more shots.
I don't think so. The only way to bring "old" Kobe back is to pair him with a legitimate inside/post scorer. It's the only formula that has worked with Kobe. Reason being is that those kind of scorers are able to draw the defenses in and provide the ample space for Kobe to work. Also, those type of scorers are usually high FG% shooters, so usually if Kobe's shot isn't falling, you go to your other best option, the points in the paint. Go back to the triangle, and space the floor with shooters, and that's how you get Kobe easy looks.
