I don't think Kobe was targeting Lamar in his rant. The two bench guards, Blake and Brown, had as many assists as Kobe, zero. Kobe's criticism was that the bench needed to get Pau and Bynum the ball. Blake and Brown are not Kobe. They should have utilized either Pau or Bynum better, whichever was in the game.
It's not that I don't think Kobe doesn't share blame. It's on him to play better to, at least in making sure the bigs get involved. But the zero assists is skewed. Kobe was passing the ball too. Collecting assists still is dependent on the guy you pass it to making the shot. But sure Kobe needs to play better too.
The game wasn't won or lost only on that last shot attempt. If Kobe was 3-for-20 on the game for 8 points and hit the winner, he wouldn't have been considered to have "led the team to victory." But he wasn't. He had 36 points up to that point. It was his shooting and scoring that was largely why the Lakers had a chance to win the game. That's why people would have said Kobe led the Lakers to the win if he made that shot. Not just because of that shot.Kobe had a wide open look at a game winning 3. He missed. He then blamed his teammates (specifically the bench even though Odom had a very very good game). Just pointing out how stupid that is. You're more than welcome to continue disagreeing.
Making that shot wouldn't have meant the bench played well.
Kobe wants to be the leader. He wants to be the alpha male. But he doesn't want to take responsibility when HIS team loses? That's bull , and most Hall of Famers would agree with that. If his team is disinterested, it's on him to motivate. That's what leaders do.
One could easily argue that calling out his teammates in the media is a form of motivation.
How did Lamar Odom play? Does he start?
I just cant believe some people. Kobe shoots a disproportionate number of shots, turns it over in the final minute, bricks the potential game winner and then says the loss had nothing do with him.
Lakers might not have lost if he didnt forget Jason Terry plays for the Mavs.
Lakers might not have lost if he didnt trip over his own two feet on that hand-off.
Lakers might not have lost if he didnt choke a fat one on a WIDE OPEN shot at the buzzer.
Yet the Loss "had nothing to do with him".
Whats more pathetic is the apologists who feel the need to defend him.
Could you even imagine Dirk saying "It had nothing to do with me" after a loss, regardless of how his teammates played?
Yeah..you go with that one, bro.
No problem with him calling them out. At all. Encouraged, even.
But the blame game is seriously at the level of rec center maturity, where you have the one guy who shoots every time he touches the ball and then immediately calls a foul and/or es at his team anytime the other team scores.
People would be talking about how gaping his vagina is.
I think your problem with Kobe is that he's being Kobe. This is who Kobe is and has been for most of his career. He's an asshole of a team leader. He throws everyone else under the bus but him. And he'll call out anyone for losing. Is this a new and different Kobe? Well is it?
You're criticizing him for being him. It hasn't hurt them the past two seasons. And if they don't win it all this year, if they get beat by the Mavs this series, I highly doubt it will be because Kobe didn't take accountability.
He shares the blame. But why are you so obsessed with that very irrelevant fact? It bears nothing on the rest of the series. If it has any effect on his teammates, it will be a positive one in terms of their play. I think it's ridiculous to suggest as one post did earlier that his teammates will now quit just so Kobe won't win.
Where did I suggest that his teammates will quit? Please show me.
And this situation goes to the argument about Kobe's place in the all-time greats. He's not a great leader. Most of the top 20 all-time players are great leaders.
Why do you have such huge troubles understanding Kobe's clearly wrong, the loss is on him as the team leader? furthermore, isn't he clearly outside the category of leaders like Tim Duncan or Shaq or many other winning legends by calling out his teammates yet not assuming any of the blame?
Kobe is a total punk, who continues to prove to true NBA fans that he is an all-time great scorer and not much else.
Imagine what Kobe would do if you switched him and Chris Paul last series and he had to deal with CP3's teammates. Yet you didn't hear Paul shirking responsibility or talking about how his teammates sucked.
Imagine Kobe switched with, well, anyone. The media lets him get away with this, and that's the sole reason Kobe fanboys get away with defending him.
Any other superstar would get heavily criticized, minimum, and maybe crucified for passing the blame onto his teammates. Additionally, other *winning* superstars understand the blame starts with them.
Kobe with an epic failure. Anyone defending this, especially with the usual BSPN-spawned hype-machine talk "It's just Kobe being Kobe dawg!" deserves to be ridiculed.
"I know we got that crazy last minute there, but we've got to come out in the second half and play better," said Andrew Bynum, who managed eight points and five rebounds for Los Angeles. "We didn't lose it at the end. We lost it in the third quarter."
What about when you're up 3 points with 60 seconds to play? Should you not win about 90% of those games in the playoffs?
Absolutely, and the Lakers will. I actually think this was that blessing in disguise game. Kobe is at fault for his driving turnover no doubt. I'm not going to blame him for the last shot. He had a good look. Some you make some you dont. Again, it should have never got to a one shot outcome.
So in that last 60 seconds it was all Kobe's fault? What about Gasols foul? What about PJ's subs ution blunder? What about Pau turning the ball over?
4 miscues in the last 60 seconds not including the last shot miss and only one of them was Kobe's. Any one of those 4 don't happen and it doesnt come down to a desperation 3 to win.
"The game was won in the third quarter when we got the lead and stopped playing defense and stopped playing offense, basically," Jackson said.
But hey... What would PJ know?
Kobe: 5
tired old bag Duncan: 4
1) Contrast that statement with the one Kobe made. Amazing maturity from the young Drew.
2) In spite of the HORRIFIC 3rd quarter in which the Lakers were outscored 27-25, the Lakers still had the lead and the ball with the 30 seconds to go. Then Mr. "Loss had nothing to do with me" a brick.
Had to switch computers...
I didn't say you said that. I said one post did earlier, not you.
Your "leadership" critism is pretty weak IMO. Jordan was notoriously a to his teammates. Bird was an asshole. Zeke was an asshole. There have been plenty of great players who weren't the "sympathetic" or "coddling" type of leader you suggest as a knock against Kobe. Winning championships forgives those charcter flaws over time. The same will be the case with Kobe. History won't remember Kobe as a poor leader. It will remember Kobe as a multiplte championship winner, multiple Finals MVP winner, and one of the greatest players in the history of the game. You're obsessing over what I feel is a "non-issue."
Kobe sucks as a leader when it comes to taking responsibilty. I don't argue otherwise. But it doesntreally change anything. Nor do I think it will negatively affect the Lakers chances of winning or losing.
Ammended
Hey you show some RESPECT Cubby or I'll make you ride the Dan Majerle bus for a week.
The Rapist coattailed Daddy to 3 les and singlehandedly cost his team 2 other les.
Tim > Kobe
What trouble understanding? Kobe's wrong. The comments showed poor judgment on his part to share in the blame. I still think it's irrelevant to the series.
I am a Kobe fan but I don't defend his personality. I don't defend him as a person. I'm a fan of his game and his game only. But to suggest all he is is a great scorer shows your bias.
No. The proof is after the divorce....
Kobe: 2
Daddy: 1
P.S., you've no room. Your Neal raped as well.
It's hard to sustain le contention for 14 seasons, and even harder to re-tool/build while maintaining it.
Kobe couldn't do it, that's for damn sure. Not even close to it.
You're a lieing sack of .
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