Kings up one, 8.2 seconds left, Kobe to get the ball. I think we all know what's going to happen. Kobe will be doubled, and a certain someone will be left open.
There were so many people saying the series was over, and the Kings woul be lucky to win another game. That was just crazy, the Kings have just pounded the Lakers for the majority of this series, it was one game winning shot that tied the series, but the Kings still had homecourt advantage. I knew the Kings were going to win Game 5, after the Game 4 loss while the Lakers were celebrating and cheering the Kings were hugging each other and consoling each other. That right there showed me Game 4 wouldn't effect them. The Lakers are in a world of hurt. Game 6 isn't a give me for the Lakers. Don't be surprised if the Kings close them out at Staples. The Kings are a tough matchup for the Lakers.
It's hard to imagine how Kobe Bryant can have the outrageous ego and unmitigated gall to take the last shot when a playoff god like Robert Horry is camped on the 3pt line.
Kobe was ball hoggin like crazy in the fourth. Horry and Rick Fox were open many times, but Kobe refused to pass.
I thought Kobe was on fire in the fourth, or maybe the commentators were influencing me. Plus, Bobby Jackson knocked the ball away from him, and there wasn't time to do anything after that - the other Lakers didn't move much, it was classic Houston style ISO with the typical Houston style results.
Did anyone else see the replay of the second to last possession, when they Lakers cleared out, with only Bryant and Horry on one side of the floor? Bryant drives, Webber(who's guarding Horry) comes over on the help defense, and even though the replay is clearly focused on Bryant, you can see Horry standing in the corner with this look of complete incredulity on his face that he isn't getting the ball despite being wide open at the three point line. Hilarious.
Kobe was 3-11 in the fourth, and had missed 3 in a row before jacking up that last one. So no, he was not on fire and he definitely wasn't clutch by any means.
That was such a dumbass play by Bryant. These comparisons to Jordan just aren't holding water (keep in mind that I actually like Kobe). How can you iso in the corner istead of the wing, thus limiting your offensive options? How can you wait so long before deciding to do something with the damn ball? And how do you not drive the ball, so if you don't get the shot, there's still the possibility of getting fouled (even Paul Pierce got this one right, though he choked on the FTs)? That was just an overall dumbass final play. And if Phil drew it up that way, then he's a dumbass, and Kobe's a dumbass for going along with it.
You can credit the above two issues largely to Jackson batting the ball away from Kobe when he caught it. He had to chase it down, and then not a whole lot of time was left. Although enough time, in my opinion, was left to take a better shot than that, or get rid of it.
You've gotta love the double standard of some Rockets fans... It's ok for Cuttino "I've never hit a game winning shot that meant a damn" Mobley, to shoot bad shots at the end of the games. Yet, Kobe should look to pass out to his teammates who haven't been hitting any outside shots for the entire playoffs? Give me a break.
for real Kobe and Shaq carried the lakers BIG TIME Kobe is a big time player he takes big time shots he looked for his teamates quite a bit during the game, and they were awful
