And you have a team(Lakers) fighting it out with OKC/SAS for the number one seed in the West. Kobe has all the talent in the world on his team, but his play fails to incorporate the players enough. His ego is too much for him to defer to Dwight/Pau. First round exit
Kobe has played the same way for over 15 years, with consistent stats, won multiple championships, and only missed the playoffs once. It's the people around him that keeps changing.
Dude u realize your comparing one of the top NBA players of all time with James Harden who is only 23 yrs old? Kobe has multiple championships and awards. This thread needs to be locked up before you get flamed more
Bryant is one of the game's most talented individual players. As far as team ball goes, though, Harden is better on both ends of the court.
Kobe's advanced +/- stats aren't very good (and frankly never have been very good). Currently Harden has a higher rapm than him.
It's easy to see Kobe's monster stat lines and say he's not the issue. Maybe that's true, the issue doesn't like on him solely. But he sure as hell is part of the issue.
A couple years ago a center would stand straight and get called for a foul. Kobe would attack the basket and just throw himself to a center standing still. Now flopping is the countermove for that call. Since that epidemic Kobe has no chance. You can see how overrated he is. Stern has been trying to replicate Jordan ever since.
He's getting 10.8, which is right around his career average of 11.2. Howard hasn't been the same defenisively, and he can't make free throws. Pau Gasol has been bad. Howard hasn't been the same. PG & bench has been terrible again.
Atkins / Brown / Vucajic Bryant / Rush Butler / Jones / George Odom / Cook / Medvedenko Mimh / Grant / Divac This team is only going to go as far as Kobe takes them. Where did Kobe take them? 34-48, obviously they did not make the playoffs. Armstrong / Vaughn McGrady / Sassler Miller / Giricek / Hill Garrity / Gooden / Humphrey Kemp / DeClercq / Burke / Hunter / Oyedeji McGrady took an old Kemp and a bunch of scrubs to the playoffs. He then took the team that went on to win it against the all-star Lakers the next season to seven games. When the entire team played zone and focused on McGrady they won the last three games. Have you ever seen an entire team focus on shutting down one man? If it's okay to compare Harden to McGrady (which has been done before several times the GARM) then you can compare Harden's ability to lead a team to Kobe's. Quit basing individual talent and athletic abilities on team success. It's a flawed concept. A weakness in a player is a weakness in the team. A team weak at the center position is not a weakness in a player manning a different position.
His shoddy defense is definately part of the problem in LA. Turnovers and perimiter defense have been their biggest issues. Bryant has sucked in both categories this season.
Laker fans are so loyal to Kobe. They can never fault him. Unlike clutchfans, we will call out anybody.
