Kobe Bryant had a rough game against the Spurs, shooting just 1 of 14 from the field. Sure, he was clearly not himself and said he has a virus, but before, he would always come through. At age 36, Kobe Bryant looked mortal against the defensively talented Spurs.
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Obviously, he was going to come out swinging against the Warriors. What must have been the fifth game against the Warriors, including preseason, ended up in another blow out. The Warriors have beaten the Lakers every game in a two month stretch.
It’s clear that they look ready to compete for a championship.
On the other hand, the Laker team is trying to find its identity. Kobe knows his identity and isn’t going to waste time with losses trying to figure it out for the team. He’s going to come out shooting.
Klay Thompson usually lights up the Lakers from the field. The last game, he scored 41 points on 14 of 18 shooting from the field, with 5 of 7 behind the arc. This time around, he shot 5 of 11 from the field, with 2 of 7 behind the arc in 29 minutes. He finished the game with 18 points.
Clearly, Kobe Bryant went on the attack. He used screens and curls effectively, and actively sought out his shot in isolation situations. Making Klay Thompson work on defense, especially on the second game of a back-to-back, worked.
Klay Thompson defended him very well through a series of multiple plays. Kobe took difficult shots and hit quite a few, and was able to get to the free throw line 16 times, making just 11. He also shot an unusual amount of three-pointers, making just 3 of 12 behind the arc.
Tonight, Kobe Bryant won his match up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to carry the entire team. Kobe can carry the Lakers on offense for a quarter or two, but someone else has to carry them to a win.
What do you think about Kobe Bryant’s shot selection? Is he shooting too much? Is he carrying the team? Should he keep this up? Let us know in the comments below!