This was Byron's plan all along. Coach so badly and treat the young players so horribly that Kobe had no choice but to step in as good cop.
Yeah Kobe is playing great basketball right now. How he should've been playing all along. Great to see. Lamar once said he could be the best point guard in the game if he wanted to be and he's showing he still has that kind of play making ability. You can just see when everyone gets involved it gets them upbeat and really makes guys make that extra effort defensively. You take good shots and that is contagious as well.
Well right on cue as I expected if Kobe's play starting to pick up you'd have people saying he should come back another season. No. He said it himself. His body can't take anymore. It's already taken twenty years of punishment and the Lakers at some point have to move forward into the next era of Lakers basketball and give the keys to the franchise to Jordan, Julius, and D'Angelo.
didn't think kobe would pick his game up at all this season last few games have been very impressive. mindblowing that he can still put up those numbers almost 20 years later against today's athletic monsters
kobe is the man right now...i hope he continues this blend of scorer/playmaker/mentor as long as possible
kobe is having great streach... fewer minutes and less shots makes him far more productive...it only took 20 games for kobe and byron to figure it up... btw last game that rainbow shot was old vintage masterpiece and that asissist to rusell is one of better i saw in whole league so far...
His better play also coincided with him scoring 30 pts for the first time. It seemed to me that was a mental barrier he had to get past at all costs. And it was UGLY! Like this version of Kobe much better.
I swear this is the Kobe we thought we were getting all along. What a relief to see him go out here and give us this kind of performance. It would have been great if we had a stronger coach that coached him to play this way from the beginning instead of "figuring it out on his own" but at least he's here now. Mentor Kobe is one of my favorites.
I bashed Kobe pretty hard, so I will give credit where credit is due, he has changed. Granted, he is changing into exactly what most of us on this board that were bashing him were telling him to change into, but he actually did it which I didn't see him doing. Now the question is how long will he do this until he reverts back into chuck mode? Call me pessimistic, but Kobe is Kobe and I can't see him being "Mentor/Low Usage Kobe" for 50 some odd games.
I don't see Kobe going back into chucking mode simply because he can't afford to do it anymore. He's gonna wear himself out and get injured again if he starts going into ball hog mode again. I don't see any reason to think he's gonna revert back given how he's played recently.
Watching the highlights from last night again, I was thinking Kobe doesn't even need to retire if he can play like this for 82 games with 25 mpg. He made some beautiful shots, made some even more beautiful assists, and did anyone else notice the pep in his step out there? There was spring and life in those legs... Kobe, play like this for 10 more years.
I'm cautiously optimistic about how Kobe is playing. I hope they keep his minutes down so he can keep playing, and I really hope he can hold up and finish the season. I still can't shake the feeling he will stay in too long in close games, or go into chuck mode for a road crowd in a place he wants to put on a show, or gets into a duel with another player. For now though, I like what I'm seeing and hope he stays the course. Lol he should not come back another season though, he is at the end, retiring is the best option for him and for the Lakers, so both can move forward.