Doubling Kobe Failed In Denver

It’s pretty consistent and unoriginal how teams guard Kobe Bryant these days. They bring everything they can. They double him on the perimeter, sometimes they trap. They guard him like he’s giving away money.

Kobe’s go-to-shot has always been his mid-range jumper. For 19 years, whenever the Lakers offense broke down and Kobe was required to be a savior, his mid-range was nearly automatic, something the Lakers depended on. Over the years, his efficiency from 10-16 feet range made Kobe tough to guard because he was athletic enough to rise up and shoot over defenders and he was skilled enough to put the ball on the floor and dribble by his man.

Dec 30, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Lakers won 111-103. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

In Kobe’s last full season, 2012-13, he shot 47% on mid-range shots. In 2010-11 he shot 51%. This year he is shooting 30%. According to SportsVu/NBA.com, Kobe Bryant’s mid-range shots are contested 93% of the time. That leads the NBA.

So, teams feel comfortable swarming him, convinced he is going to struggle with fatigue and their presence. There is no Pau Gasol anymore to divert attention, for Kobe to play off of. The majority of Lakers, from Nick Young to Wesley Johnson to Ronnie Price, are perimeter players who can’t consistently create and lack aggression. Jordan Hill is an available target but not necessarily trusted as a player who will continually make shots. It’s easy for teams to execute the Kobe Defense. Swarm him every time he gets the ball. If and when he shoots, guard him closely. Hawk the ball and hawk him.

It is what Denver did. It is why Denver lost. Kobe had a triple double, his second of the month.

Many years ago, Tex Winter, the architect of the Triangle Offense, told Phil Jackson that Kobe Bryant could have been a top 5 point guard if he had dedicated himself to the position like he did to scoring. Kobe’s vision allows him to make the cross court pass. Or, to drive in the paint and execute a no- look wrap around that ends in a dunk. He is blessed with the ability to see on the perimeter and observe big guys in the paint, simultaneously. On a team of twenty-somethings, Kobe Bryant is the best point guard the Lakers have.

Against Denver, he made it seem easy. Kobe fed just about everybody and Denver didn’t have an appropriate adjustment. Kobe Bryant may be in his 19^th year but his court vision is still tops in the league. When his teammates are making shots, his passing becomes more precise and aggressive. Often his turnovers pile up; he had 9 against the Nuggets.

Afterwards, Kobe admitted the obvious. When your first option is scoring and you play 35 minutes, energy depletes rapidly. At 36 years old, his body cannot take the punishment anymore, not night after night. It easier, this style of play. More importantly, Kobe feels fresh logging only 31 minutes a game. It is the perfect recipe for getting the most out of him in his 19^th year. “It takes less effort”, he said, “less energy. It’s old school Oscar Robertson basketball.”

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