The circumstance of Kobe Bryant’s fatigue led him to a place he is familiar with: problem solving. Stimulated when he can understand a puzzle well enough to align the pieces, Kobe has always figured things out on his own. His much talked about fatigue was a sword in the collective Lakers hearts; it was killing them. It was also mathematical. It was something to measure and then solve.
As far as the big picture was concerned, Kobe’s fatigue was a cautionary tale. Would his body make it to Christmas? Could he survive the season in the same physical condition as he started, which is to say, healthy?
January 4, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) passes behind his back against the Indiana Pacers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
It took Kobe a little while longer than normal to balance the needs of his aging body with his perimeter game. It was one of those things he had to experience and then, in his Kobe-way, analyze.
Anxiousness aside, the formula that benefits just about everyone is fewer minutes, fewer shots, organizing the offense and letting his teammates succeed or fail.
The Lakers fourth quarters with Kobe as the centerpiece has been pretty dismal all year. His shots were short on the rim, his legs were tired, he appeared particularly slow in stretches. For the first time in his career, he couldn’t push through the heavy fog of fatigue and execute the way he wanted to. His mental will was in tact but his body would not let him deliver on its promise of 19 years of offensive brilliance.
Through no fault of his own, Kobe continued to cling to past Kobe feats of triumph, what he was able to do in 2012-13, pre- Achilles injury. But, so much about Kobe Bryant’s body has changed since then. It stood to reason, he had to change too.
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With a realistic formula of 32 minutes, less than 20 shots, and organizing his teammates, the Lakers, all of a sudden, have symmetry on the court, especially in the 4th quarter. Regardless of how ridiculous it may seem from afar, 36 year old Kobe Bryant is the best player on this Lakers team. He is their best passer, their most skilled scorer, their toughest player. Fatigued in the 4th quarter, a tired Kobe Bryant eroded the Lakers only advantage.
Byron Scott is so dedicated to keeping Kobe’s minutes to the 30-32 minutes range in order to preserve his energy, Kobe is not going to Portland tomorrow.
In the last three games, Kobe has shot 44%in the fourth quarter and 90% from the free throw line. Against Indiana, the best defense in the NBA, Kobe scored the Lakers last nine points, including a three pointer, four free throws and a game winner with 12 seconds left. Even the shots he missed were good shots that just didn’t go in. They weren’t shots that fell short because of fatigue.
In some ways, this is revolutionary, this Kobe Bryant, the one who plays 32 minutes and is happy because he is not tired to the point of breathing causing him pain. It is not the familiar Kobe that has been an institution in the NBA for almost two decades, the robotic, willful man who could overcome just about everything, possibly even his own death. This Kobe is mortal. Give him rest and recovery and he can deliver.
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