Kobe Bryant using Hakeem's Move (YouTube) Against Clippers

As I said Kobe already had them up in the air and helpless with the pump fake, and at exactly 14 seconds he had both feet on the ground and was within just a few feet from the basket. The easiest way to the basket in that instance was a straight line (straight to the hoop), and not by spinning and then moving diagonally. Remember he had another dude to his right trailing him. Any delay in his movements and that guy might catch up.

 

I'm sure he's losing sleep because of your questioning.

LeBron is the more complete player. If a one-man team was ever possible, LeBron is that man. Who took a team of scrubs to the finals at age 22? You can argue he was swept, but his performance against the Pistons was legendary. He's guaranteed ECF almost every year from here on out if he decides to stay out East...even with Mo Williams as his sidekick. Who the hell is Mo Williams and why should anyone care? He owes LeBron half of his pay check.

LeBron scores twice as much as the next person, leads the team in rebounds, 2x assist as the next person. He IS the team.

Kobe is the better shooter, and probably more clutch, but his edge over LeBron in these departments isn't nearly as much as LeBron is over him in all other facets of the game.

 

Kobe Bryant is such an unoriginal player, I really can't think of a move or anything that he can come up on his own.

 

What can I say, the guy is smart.

 

I think that's what sets Kobe above. The NBA doesn't give bonus points for originality. So Kobe copied 90% of his game from MJ, why is that a bad thing? As long as it gets you more rings it all good

 

You spin after the pump fake to regain your balance and get more separation from the defender/s. I do a similar move a lot during pick up ball, and the resulting shot (a short bank shot) is much easier than an off balance flip shot with two people in the air above you. The spin was hardly unnecessary.

 

why will you be off balance in the first place? Its a pump fake, your feet never really left the ground. It doesn't have to be a flip shot, you can go strong to the basket for a layup/dunk/foul, he already pump faked that near to the basket. Much better than spinning away from the net and launching a jumpshot while spinnning.

 

No im not talking about any pump fake, Im talking about that specific one.

Jumpstopping doesn't mean theres no momentum.
When he jump stops he still has momentum. Its much easier for someone to redirect that momentum by spinning than it is to go against that momentum by trying to jump straight up afterwards for a shot - most of the time youll end up taking a leaner.
The difficulty of trying to do this is increased because when you sell the fake properly, your centre of gravity is a bit out in front of you and so its harder to control your body as well.

As for not jumping into a pump fake, Its not useless because you should never have to jump INTO a pump fake. If you don't get beat of the dribble then you should be able to jump STRAIGHT up and be able to contest his shot.

Also, just because YOU dont know how to tell whether a movement is a pump fake or a real shot, it doesn't mean other people don't know.
I think im a pretty good defender and I don't usually fall for fakes unless I get caught out of position and HAVE to over commit to not allow an easy shot.

And why the referencing to LBJ? It was a clippers game.

 

Watch again... after he pump fakes the two defenders jump but they are still in front of the basket. It will be hard to finish if you go for a layup while they are still defenders in front of the basket (even though they might be landing). The spin move was used to provide just the right amount of spacing for a good shot that Kobe is confident in taking.

Also, when you are parallel with the baseline and you try to make a layup, it's harder to balance to make a layup. And if you haven't noticed, the turnaround jumpshot is a piece of cake to Kobe

 

Pump fake to get the defender in the air, spin to get a step closer, then shoot with left hand.

No other guard used a move like that. And no center used it from that distance.

 

Why players don't use this move more is beyond me. The up and under move is also so effective but you don't see players use it much. Scola utilizes this move here and there.

Landry is getting better with the pump fake and has also incorporated the spin move. I get ppl on the spin move and up & under pretty easily. Been doing it since I was a kid!

 

Mo Williams was good before LeBron...Did you watch him play with the Bucks?

 

Number wise, Mo's career year was 07-08 in Bucks.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/maurice_williams/career_stats.html

 

Players these days lack fundamentals and creativity.

 

Nice move by Kobe, but it's still the Clippers.

 

Holy crap you're right LOL. I saw the headband and thought it was LBJ and Mo Williams being lifted off the ground.

As for the rest of your comments, I'm not sure why you think jumping forward when you already land in a crouched position from the jump stop is somehow more difficult and less natural then spinning off your pivot foot while moving diagonally towards the basket. You were moving forward towards the basket before you made the jump stop, correct? Then due to inertia the momentum you're trying to dissapate is forcing you to go forward. Why is continuing the motion and jumping forward supposed to go against it then? If anything, your jump forward after the jumpstop becomes stronger and more explosive. Even if you sell the fake first like Kobe did, you'll end up in a crouched position while leaning to the front, yet again an optimal position for jumping forward.

I'm also not sure how you could end up with a leaner after you sell the pump fake, the only time you wouldn't be able to lay it up or dunk the ball is if you faked far from the basket.

In that case, spinning off your pivot foot won't do anything, as you're too far away after the spin and lifting your pivot foot to move forward will cause a travel.

 

Although he's parallel at the baseline, just one more step instead of spinning away would put him right next to the basket for a dunk or a much easier layup, which would have been the better play IMHO. By the time the defenders land Kobe would have been inside the defensive circle already, and any contact they make with him would result in 2 fts. Instead Kobe opted for the riskier jump shot. Sure he made it, but had he missed the Clipper would have rebounded the ball and gained a possession.

 

Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

 

ummmmmmmmmm, cool dude.

why are you posting on a message board instead of making millions of dollars?

 

honest, i ve seen tmac done the same type of move before, except he didnt shake the defender off, he just drove, stopped, n did a really fast n explosive 360 turn, n there he had a wide open jumper. the defender just stood there...but tmac's jumper was so much more smooth n fluid than kobes

ughh, i cant find the video, i think it was 2005 season that he started using that move