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Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking all 20 seasons of Kobe Bryant’s illustrious career

By Justin Hickey

LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 22: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers points in the air in a game he scored 81 points in against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2006 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 22: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers points in the air in a game he scored 81 points in against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2006 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Ranking every Kobe Bryant season with the Lakers: 12. 2004-05

Kobe’s 04-05 season was his ninth in the league and one of his better seasons passing the ball. He averaged six assists per game and it was tied for the second-highest mark of his career, only behind his 6.3 average in 2013-14.

It was a down season for the Lakers as they finished 34-48, and there was a lot of criticism that surrounded Bryant after 03-04. The team hired Rudy Tomjanovich, who resigned in the middle of the year due to health issues. The season just seemed to be a waste as a whole from the start.

Bryant although second in the league in scoring, did so on high volume as he shot splits of 43.3/33.9/81.6. Averaging 27.9 points per game to go along with his six assists and 5.9 rebounds, he posted a good line across the board. The supporting cast around him was a big weakness in his first season with Shaq.

Looking into advanced stats they didn’t paint a good picture either as his offensive rating was 107.6 and his defensive rating was a 109.7, for a -2.1 net-rating. It was the first time in his career that he finished with a negative net-rating. Although his TS% finished at the fourth-highest of his career at 56.3%.

The stats would lead to many saying this season should be farther down the list. That could be true, he didn’t make an All-Defensive team and was All-NBA third team. But the Lakers struggled without Kobe on the court and the team didn’t have much time to build around after the Shaq trade.

Highlights of the season were 18 double-doubles and five triple-doubles to evolve his all-around game better. The team was 28-38 with Bryant in the lineup and 6-10 without him. It was the only time in his first 17 years in the league that he missed the playoffs, he played in the All-Star game for the seventh time.

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