He's done defensively. Offensively, he still does some good things, but he's a liability out there defensively. For Kobe's standards, I think he'll consider himself 'done' by the end of the year. He holds himself to such high expectations. I don't think he'll put up with his play beyond this year...
I refuse to watch Kobe go out like this. Come on basketball gods! Give Kobe the power to be great again!
Well I believe it was 2012 Kobe told Stephen A. Smith he wasn't gonna hang around if he's only averaging 17/18 points a night. This is it for him. I don't think he wants to play if he can't be the Black Mamba anymore. Not that I blame him. If I were him and I'd be so dominant throughout my career it'd be hard to accept that you aren't anymore.
That was a good read, and I think he's right. Kobe has not been the same since the achilles injury, and I don't think we should have expected him to be. Adding up all his years, regular season games, playoff games, Olympics, he's played a ridiculous amount. This is Kobe now, it has been in the limited time he's been on the court since the achilles. I think the further injuries just delayed us seeing that, or maybe gave us excuses for him. It's sad to watch, and I'd have to think this is his last season for sure, we'll see if he even gets to the end healthy this time.
I wonder...is there any chance of him hanging it up before the end of the season? Say his averages are 15pts on 35fg% before the All-Star game. Would he stay true to his word and retire?
He'll play out his 20th season unless he's physically unable. I just hope he'll stay healthy at least.
I mean yeah he's cooked defensively, but what player his age isn't? Especially wings that are his age? With his mileage? I was never expecting him to be a lock down defender, but you know what? He can still rotate. He does it so seldom though that most of us think it's over. It's not over, he just has to play smart defense and he hasn't done that literally in 7 years or so. The key to making him an effective player is putting him on the post and running actions off of that. You'll never save his man-to-man defense, but you can at least make him effective offensively. Hello Dirk!
Could someone explain to me why Kobe is shooting wide-open airballs? I have a feeling that this stems much deeper than just a shooting slump. I haven't seen Kobe shoot multiple airballs since his rookie season. Is this more psychological than physical?
i think it's physical. he's got no legs, and that's why his new three point stroke looks so funky. he's exactly like late career grant hill, imo, physically and in terms of how he should be approaching the game. that grant hill was a useful part of a couple decent phx teams, iirc. but he played within his limitations (adjusted defensive strategy, only took threes when wide open and in specific spots, moved the ball quickly when obvious scoring opportunities didn't present themselves, etc.).
I think that is all mental-last night he airbaled wide open 3. It is all mental, we are 4 games in-playoffs are out beceause of the defense and the coach, but Kobe will rebound!!! I have to plan my trip to LA from Europe and get a ticket for the game, and Kobe must have a good game, or else i dont go back untill he does...
Last night I wasn't sure if I was watching 1997 Kobe against the Jazz in the playoffs or Kobe of this year with all those airballs. It's like watching a family member die a slow painful death from what we have seen these past 4 games. Please make it stop or help him out karma. For all the time Kobe put in throughout his career he deserves better than this (what he is playing like)
Very good video from coach Nick ... basically saying Kobe should have worked on his catch and shoot skills sooner in his career . He's so used to take and make contested jumpers through the years than he's now catching , waiting and shooting instead of catching and shooting quickly
Not sure about that analysis because Kobe was excellent at shooting wide open in his prime. It was almost automatic.