There is nothing sadder in sports than a legendary player who cannot recognize when his career is over. Kobe Bryant is constantly asked if this is going to be his last season. The more appropriate question is, will Bryant make it through this season or at some point, despite what the Lakers are paying him, will he want to stop tarnishing his legacy and hurting his team?
No one wants to think it. No one wants to say it aloud. But for Bryant, the end of his illustrious career could come sooner than we imagined.
When training camp opened, there was a legitimate question about whether Bryant could physically endure the rigors on an 82-game schedule. The plan was to limit his minutes so he would not get worn down in the second half of the season. No one quite envisioned, however, that he would look worn out when the season began.
Bryant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. For 20 years, he has meant everything to the NBA and to the Lakers. For his efforts, he has received the love and support of an entire city, has become an international superstar, and is deservedly a very wealthy man who will only add to his fortune by virtue of his post-NBA business opportunities.
Nov 8, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) embraces with Los Angeles Lakers small forward Kobe Bryant (24) after the game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: The Knicks won 99-95. Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Until three seasons ago Bryant seemed immortal. But time eventually ran out for Bill Russell and Jerry West. So, too, did it catch up with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and with MJ, Bird, and Dr. J. Now it is Bryant’s turn. Age has finally caught up to the Black Mamba. The irony is, whether anyone wants to say it or not, no matter how smart Bryant is, he is the only one who doesn’t realize it is over.
The Lakers played a winnable game Sunday against the New York Knicks. Indeed, they led most of the way until suffering an all-too-familiar collapse down the stretch in the fourth quarter, losing 99-95. With seven minutes left, they began a period where they missed 16 consecutive shots.
Bryant shot 6 of 19 from the floor including 2 for 10 from three point range. This equates to approximately 30% from the field overall and 20% from behind the arc. Bryant has been remarkably consistent with these dismal figures in virtually every game so far this season.
There was a time when Bryant could be a prolific facilitator when he concentrated on that aspect of his game. This season, however, knowing it is going to be his last, Bryant seems intent on just shooting as often as he can.
How long can this go on?
Is there any other player in the league who would be allowed on the court if these were his stats night after night? Would that player be in the league at all?
What made the recent game especially frustrating was that Bryant spent much it laughing with and hugging the opponents, Carmelo Anthony, Sasha Vujacic, and Derek Fisher, even after the loss. Can you imagine the old Bryant smiling and laughing with an opponent after a heartbreaking defeat?
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Sunday was more about Bryant’s farewell to Madison Square Garden than trying to win a basketball game. There is a threat that the entire season could play out the same way. This is not fair to his teammates or to the fans, who want to see the young players develop and want to see the team win no matter who is on the opposing roster.
Watching the other Lakers stand around against the Knicks, with the game slipping away in the fourth quarter, waiting for Bryant to do something, was beyond disappointing. There is no reason to believe that Bryant has anything more to give, so when does someone get to tell Bryant that this isn’t working for him or the team?
Surely, Byron Scott deserves some of the blame since he is merely enabling the situation. He is unable or unwilling to tell Bryant the truth.
It was painfully obvious that none of the young starters, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, or D’Angelo Russell, were playing well against the Knicks. Randle and Clarkson had their worst games of the season and seemed out of sorts all game, and Russell is just not a very good player right now.
Randle, Clarkson, and Russell stood and watched Bryant going one on one with the game on the line. No one was aggressive. No one tried to make anything happen. So long as Bryant is on the court at these times, this is the way it is going to be. At one time Bryant could go one on five and prevail, but those days are over.
The Lakers second unit now consists of Tarik Black, Larry Nance Jr., Metta World Peace, Lou Williams and Nick Young. This solid group held its own against the Knicks, just as it did the game before against the Nets. World Peace and Nance Jr. are probably the best Lakers defenders. The other solid defender on the team is Anthony Brown, but he doesn’t even dress for games these days because Bryant and Young take all the minutes at small forward.
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Given the state of the Lakers, does it make any sense to keep Bryant and Young on the court and not give Brown a chance?
Is Bryant really going to put himself and his team through an entire season of 30 percent shooting, while taking more shots (including three point shots) than anyone else? Is he capable of doing better? All indications are that the answer to this question is no, so how long does this go on and at what point does someone yell “stop?”
Last season, Steve Nash, another legendary NBA player, retired a few weeks into the season when he finally had to admit that he could not go on. This is not the way he envisioned his career ending, but at some point it was for the best.
In the case of Bryant, unless things unexpectedly turn around, is there a point this season when he pulls the plug? Is there a time when he has to be benched or play with the second unit? Unless things change, these questions may have to be answered between now and the end of the year.
Reporters will continue to ask Bryant nightly if this is going to be his last season. It is a silly question, since anyone who sees Bryant play knows he can’t possibly go on beyond this year. In fact, it is likely that in his private moments, Bryant is just trying to summon the strength and courage to make it through this year with his dignity intact.
Next: D'Angelo Russell Should Be Closing Out Games for LA
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