Kobe Bryant Discussion: Mamba Out!

Yeah at some point you have to transition into the next era. As much as I'm sure D'Angelo loves playing with Kobe I'm sure he's ready to be given the keys to the car and be allowed to run the show here. As good as Kobe has been offensively he can't stay in front of anyone anymore defensively and that's a big problem that we can ill afford to keep having at such a criticial spot.

 

Yea I know Weez

It probably is the best time for Kobe to retire if he can sustain this level the entire year. Go out on a high note. Not the highest he's had, but still a very nice way to end a career.

 

D'Angelo has been pretty solid for about a month now. I don't think this is just a good four or five game stretch. This has been a sustained level of solid play for him. Whenever the kid has actually gotten the minutes and the ball has been in his hands he's been very good.

 

Anyone have a gif of that pass to Russell for the layup? That was gorgeous!

 

I've quoted posts like these numerous times as this simply isn't talked about enough by all the "experts" who act like Duncan has had a definitively better career. Kobe has had the equivalent of dog **** for a coach ever since Phil left.

 

Some wish this is how Kobe played his entire career. Efficient, nice impact, team play....made the game look easy.

Has he changed enough to sustain it? I sure hope so. This is so much better to watch and leave as an example for the youngins than horrible high volume chucker Kobe from earlier in the year.

He's never been able to for a sustained stretch in his career though, so even in his old age, Kobe remains must see TV.

 

That fluidity of movement, even in his waning hours, was always one of the reasons I loved his game.

 

This is one of the reasons the CP3 veto was such a bummer: he was one of the few players that likely could have extended Kobe's career.

 

Out of all the difficult shots Kobe has in his arsenal, I am most impressed by that high-arcing rainbow fadeaway he takes when defended by taller players. He makes it look so easy.

 

Yeah that one. It's so ridiculous.

 

Yeah, imagine if he played like this his entire career. I bet he could have won multiple titles.

 

Gotta give credit to the young core for having the confidence to break out under Kobe's shadow. All stars have not had the mental toughness to do that. Imo the fact the've been doing that has impressed Kobe and in some way probably inspired him to play this way. His horrendous start I'm sure has been a factor in his mind as well (as he's about to get voted into the Allstar game again). But I honestly believe he'd prefer to play this way as long as the young guys continue to assert themselves and play well. Of course he'll press too much in some games but I'm optimistic he's going to play this way for the most part from here on out. He was getting ripped by everyone and I have to believe he doesn't want to go out like that. last point, I think part of why Kobe's been shooting himself and the team into oblivion is precisely because he wants to show the young aspiring greats that that is the kind of tenacity it takes to be great, to put in the work and have the will and confidence to keep throwing everything you got until they start falling by force of your will. His turnaround of late has just demonstrated that.

 

Well that was totally unexpected lol.