ryone. He's taking over, and he's doing it now. Bryant would follow with a 30 point quarter...without missing a shot. That's right. For all those who are saying Kobe's a ball hog, the rest of the Lakers shot 50% that quarter...who do you pass to? For me it's Kobe.But here's my message for people who call Bryant a ball hog. Maybe he is a ball hog, maybe he isn't. But that's not what the focus is on. He is a scoring machine. This isn't 8th grade school basketball where everyone is always encouraged to share the ball. At times, you need to run the isolation for Kobe because he is shooting so well. This is the NBA, where you need to do everything to win.
And I hate to make the "comparison" but I will anyway. Kobe is Kobe, not Michael Jordan. I regard them as two different players who were almost opposites. Jordan came into the league with no one on his team. With the spotlight on him he averaged 28.2 points per game (ppg) in his rookie year. Kobe Bryant came into the league in the shadow of the star studded Lakers. Not only was he behind the shadow of Shaquille O'Neal, but also behind all-star players like Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. Add the past history of the Lakers, and all the fans expecting no less than a performance rivaling the "Showtime Lakers". His first couple of years in the NBA could be compared to that of Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks. In New York, Robinson is heralded as a great player because of a couple of his highlight reel plays. But Robinson isn't a superstar yet (I'm not at all saying he will ever be like Kobe). Kobe developed into a superstar. Imagine if Bryant had been drafted by a lowly team in 1996. I doubt whether he would have averaged Jordan's rookie season numbers, but for a player out of high school, he would have averaged amazing numbers (I'd say maybe 10-20 strong ppg). With that experience in him, just think about how good he would be today. Kobe was known as a quiet player on his team. When other guys would go out partying after a big win, Kobe would sit inside and read. He was different. But if there was a world where no Michael Jordan existed, imagine how popular Kobe would be. What leads people to love Jordan but merely yawn at Kobe? How can they label Jordan a team player, but Kobe a ball hog. Their averages in ppg and assists per game (apg) were very similar (in their highest scoring seasons, Jordan averaged 37.1 ppg and 4.6 apg while Bryant averaged 35.4 ppg and 4.5 apg). Was it because of a court case in 2004 that se
nt his image spiraling downward. I haven't heard any writers saying it so I'll have to bring it up. Kobe Bryant's alleged sexual assault changed the view of him in the eyes of many fans. He lost many of his endorsements after the case including his deal with McDonald's and Nike. For me, it's not about what happens off the court. Because if it was, I could argue that Jordan's father called many "sex chat" numbers on his cell phone. I could argue that Jordan was hated my many of his teammates and he didn't mesh with the people around him. I could say that Jordan had a severe gambling problem, and was known for never paying debts he owed through these games. How can you call the best player to ever play the game, a guy who retired three times, for no apparent reason. Who knows? It may have even been a press stunt. He did not win 6 championships himself, considering he had all star help by means of Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman. I would call the greatest player ever, the guy who works the hardest. A guy like Kobe, who worked so hard during the summer after the Lakers 2000 NBA Championship to improve his game. Kobe, during the 2000-2001 season, was told to remain in his original role. A role where he was subdued to scoring lesser numbers. Kobe went on a tear during the first half of that season, ranking second in the league for ppg. He went on a tear during the 2005-2006 NBA season where he averaged 35.4 ppg.This is that Kobe we saw tonight. We saw him make the turn around jumpers. The fade away three's. The dunks in the paint. Andrei Kirilenko (who ranks 3rd in the league for blocks per game at 2.83 a game) was unable to stop Kobe's jump shot throughout the night. The third quarter was Kobe's official message. It was his press conference, saying last year's Kobe is back. The one who can't be stopped.
As for the game recap, Kobe's stats sums it up. Kobe finished with 52 points and on 12-15 shooting (tying the Laker franchise record for most points in a quarter; the NBA record for most points in a qua
rter was set by George Gervin with 33 points). Bryant shot 9 for 9 in this time along with 10 for10 at the line during that very same quarter. His 52 was through only 34 minutes of play, which makes the numbers even more amazing. Try hitting 10 free throws in a row at the gym, plus 9 more shots in various locations...all without missing. Kobe did all that, playing against the NBA's best team (the Jazz have 13-4 record; tied for the best record in the NBA) and one of the premiere shot blockers in the league (Kirilenko). Lamar Odom added 14 points and 8 assists for the Lakers. Carlos Boozer posted another strong game with 26 points and 7 rebounds along with 5 assists. Deron Williams also played well with 13 points and 9 assists. The game was close until the 2nd quarter, when the Lakers took a 1o point lead and never looked back. The conclusion was a blowout, the final score at 102-132 in the Lakers home game win.
A 30 point win? The Lakers are making a statement folks. They are currently in 1st place in the Pacific Division and have had a great start. I'm not saying this is a team that will win the NBA Title this year, but they are a force to be reckoned with. So when the Lakers fans chant "MVP!" just 15 games into the season, their actions can be justified.
