He "seemed" (easy for Me to say) to also not be exerting himself that much, and enjoying himself more, while firing the ball all over the court like Tom Brady. Seems like J. Hill is money for him whenever Kobe gets it to him now. Of course we were shooting well that night, but Kobe's assist average would be a hell of a lot higher if the rest of the guys shot consistently better. And a hell of a lot lower if he were shooting better. Speaking of great passing, when's Nash coming back to help out with our PGs' play and teach them all that trick s**t? Chump.
Nash, who's Nash? Oh, that's right that guy we haven't seen in months that the Lakers pay 9 mil to to stay at home and chill or enjoy life in sunny LA. Worst Laker ever.
Well clearly he' s not taking every shot anymore but I agree that there's nothing to save him for. We're not getting to the finals next year. Even if we were to have a shot at the finals, all the more reason for Kobe and the rest of the guys to get comfortable playing together. Sitting him for the rest of the season makes it that much more difficult to adjust AGAIN when he comes back. Will he come back and try to play like a facilitator or will he come back trying to be the scorer? Makes no sense at all if he's not injured.
Even in his old age I still enjoy watching Kobe play. It seems he's made an art out of getting the most out of his play despite being in the league for 19 years. I can honestly say he's still better than most starters on most teams. It's just too bad he doesn't have the team that makes him look as good as he really is. But still...Kobe may be old, Lebron may be better, but that won't stop me from reminiscing about the good old days.
Damn...... http://www.lakersnation.com/kobe-br...ement-crossed-my-mind-this-season/2015/01/17/ Also for those that missed Kobe's last post-game press conference, its a must watch (link posted below). He is so reflective now in his career. The End is so near, even though I don't think he retires after this year. http://www.nba.com/lakers/video/2015/01/16/150115cavsbryantmov-3492267
I missed that semi-redaction from Reggie but good to hear he did it because (corrected your typo) what he said was so far off the mark and insulting to Kobe it was ridiculous.
Yeah no kidding it looked great in that clip and Kobe has made an art form like few others of going backward. That said, I've never understood why it is legal, especially thinking back to Shaq, or yeah like Kobe right there. The defender is in proper position between the offensive player and the rim, and the guy on offense can just pound into him because he's going backwards. If he were going forward and lowering his shoulder to bounce the defender backward it's a charge. Who could stop Shaq by being in position and trying to keep him from knocking them backward with his strength and weight. Then half the time the defender gets called for a foul just trying to stop that backward momentum. He's forced to bump with his chest.
I don't even want to think about it but ... if it would be the case for Kobe to retire after the season - would his salary come off the books? Or would it still count against the cap next season? But I hope he's still there next year as I'm traveling to the states next winter and definitely need to see Kobe live before it's said and done.
OK, is everyone sitting down? It's Plaschke, but it is also an excellent read ...... on the current state of affairs with Kobe and an increasing willingness on his part to open up on how he is viewing his situation and limitations and career. And for me it is surprising, in spite of all that has already been written, to realize he really IS hurting this much. Because when I watch Kobe Bryant come up the floor with the ball he still looks as graceful and elegant in his movements as always. I even mentioned above how it looked almost effortless and like he was having fun in his remarkable game against the Cavs, playing that way. Firing the ball all over the court and enjoying the "legends" competition with LeBron again. bill.plaschke@latimes.com http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-kobe-bryant-plaschke-20150118-column.html Limited Kobe Bryant says retirement from Lakers has 'crossed my mind' At the end of another night of both magic and mystery, Kobe Bryant winces as he slowly walks through the Staples Center tunnel to his car. He speaks softly. His leather shoes barely make a sound on the concrete floor. He is clearly in no hurry to leave. But he also clearly wonders just how much longer he can stay. When asked whether he has considered retiring at the end of this season, one year before the end of his Lakers contract, he nods his head in agreement. "I'd be lying if I said that it hasn't crossed my mind,'' he tells The Times. "Right now I doubt it … but anything's possible.'' He emphasizes the right now (because, right now, the reality is so muddled and difficult that even the Black Mamba is having trouble wrapping his mind around it. Amid what was supposed to be a slow-approaching sunset, Bryant has found himself double-teamed in the corner of twilight limbo. He is still here, but his body won't let him be all here. He is still strong enough to still dominate, but not young enough to do it for the usual time, and not sturdy enough to do it for his usual games. Like an aging pitcher, he has been placed on a count, 32 minutes per game, which basically leaves him on the bench for one crucial stretch per night. Like a fragile relic, he also has been forbidden to play the second night of back-to-back games, which means he will miss at least seven more full games this season even though he's not injured. There has even been talking of completely shutting him down in March if the Lakers fall completely out of playoff contention, which has essentially already occurred. The most stunning part of these developments is that a man who has spent his entire 19-year Lakers career fighting to play every minute of every game — he even made two free throws after tearing his Achilles' tendon, remember — has agreed to every current and potential restriction. "I know everyone is surprised I'm not fighting all this,'' Bryant says quietly. "But I've changed.'' No, no, he's not resting so the Lakers can tank the season in hopes of retaining their top-five-protected draft pick, he hasn't changed that much. In fact, as The Times' Mike Bresnahan wrote in a story last week, "They're terrible with him … terrible without him.'' Says Bryant: "Tanking, that's sacrilegious for us, no way.'' He says he's agreed to the handcuffs in hopes of maintaining the strength to ward off those retirement thoughts. Specifically, he says the rest is designed to avoid the overuse that might lead to another Achilles' tear. "The Achilles' rupture gives you a lot of perspective, I think the Achilles' issue scared everyone,'' he says, speaking of Lakers officials. "They don't want to wear the tendons down, because you just can't see that coming, there's no warning: Pow! It's gone. We understand how a player can rupture an Achilles' then rupture the other one, we're very conscious of that type of stuff.'' If he can stay sound under the current restrictions, he says, he could be also be a factor in the recruiting of any potential free agents who could help him make one last playoff run if he sticks around next season. Kobe Bryant sits out his third straight game Dec. 26 against the Mavericks for rest. (Brandon Wade / Associated Press) "It's important for free agents to see how I can adjust my game, because that's always the question mark, right?'' says Bryant. "Are they going to get the old grumpy guy who is going to want to shoot the ball all the time? No, they're not. It's important for free agents to see that my determination comes from self-assessing, from saying, 'OK, I'll do this.' " But as currently constructed, and as Bryant admits, "this" is difficult, unnatural, and so un-Kobe. It's so hard to watch him endure even a week under this new schedule that one must ask how he can keep doing it for another year and a half. There is a real sense that Bryant is currently asking himself the same questions. "I'm still enjoying it, but it's hard,'' he said. "You have to find new challenges, not playing for a championship, it's pretty tough." He shrugs and adds, "Then again, you've got to be willing to deal with the bad stuff just as you ride with the good stuff.'' Bryant makes it clear that, even though retirement would cost him the highest 2015-16 salary, $25 million, he's willing to walk away from the money. "I don't care about the money," he says. "If I don't feel like doing it, I won't do it.'' He also makes it clear that, up until the end, whenever that is, he will keep fighting to finish his legacy as he lived it. It was evident Thursday when he demanded to guard James in the final minutes, when he hit a three-pointer in Tristan Thompson's face down the stretch, when he battled his way to the foul line amid the eternal chants of "MVP." "I love figuring stuff out,'' Bryant says. "I don't know what's going to happen in the future, I don't know if I'm going to play an extra [next] year, but while I'm playing, I want to be able to figure this stuff out." Are these the final months in the career of one of the greatest players in basketball history? That's the stuff Kobe Bryant is trying to figure out most.
I should have been sitting down.... Always difficult to hear Kobe talk like this. We've all known him as the cold blooded killer and to hear him talk about giving in hurts.
NO!! Silly.... I was talking about sitting down, Plaschke wrote an excellent article Just teasing. I know, me too.
Sad days. Painful to watch. Painful to think the end is near.... possibly imminent. Then he gets 17 assists. Waiting for a vintage 40 point game.
Well glad it's allowed because if it weren't Shaq wouldn't have been born and we'd have 3 fewer titles. Oh and no Kazaam!
Man I can't believe the possibly is here now that THIS could be his last season and not next. His body is not holding up though, something is not right if he's playing 1 game, then missing 2 (saw that he was questionable for Phoenix game). Never expected this from Kobe, never expected to hear him talk like this, but the miles he has and those injuries, taken their toll. I didn't expect him to be his old self after that Achilles injury, but I did expect him to find a way to stay on the court like he has . These are indeed sad and strange times, and if it's possible this is his last season, I'm going to watch every game he plays from here on out. Freaking sad that if he does go out this summer that this all time great will go out missing the playoffs and with his body that's always been so strong betraying him, feels so wrong.
Kobe Bryant Work Ethic - Former Lakers' Scout Rasheed Hazzard Shares a Story Cool story, not going to be another player and person like him
Since Kobe's minutes have been held in check, here are his numbers: 7 games 31.2 MPG 14.7 PPG 7.7 RPG 9.0 APG 4.3 TO 1.3 STL 35-94 FGs (37%) 13-33 3pts (39%) 20-24 FTs (83%) There are a couple of bad looking numbers there - TOs, FG%, but it's clearly the way he should be playing for the remainder of the season. He's also much more efficient in terms of points per possession (producing at least .2 points per possession above what he was prior to this stretch). They're the kind of numbers that Jason Kidd was posting at 31, and he played 8 more productive seasons.
