I predict a 42 points on 38 shots type of game from Kome. Finally, Kome gets to be the first, second and third option on offense.SACRAMENTO -- With the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs already locked up heading into Thursday's regular-season finale against the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching staff is planning to sit the team's stars and use the game as a talent evaluator for its young players.
With one caveat: Kobe Bryant could be the lone starter lacing them up with the subs utes.
While the win-loss column might not be a motivator for the team at this point with the postseason looming, Bryant still has something to play for. Bryant comes into Thursday averaging 27.86 points per game, second in the league to Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, who leads the NBA with a 28.03 points per game average and would win his third straight scoring le if he can stave off Bryant.
"We'll probably rest guys, but it won't just be me saying, 'Hey, I'm going to sit you down,' " Lakers coach Mike Brown said after practice on Wednesday. "I give guys some ownership in this."
Bryant will make his final decision to play or not Thursday at shootaround and already has said that capturing the third scoring le of his career in this, his 16th season, was "not very important." But Bryant also seemed to indicate that he did not plan on sitting out any more games after returning to the lineup last week after a seven-game, 14-day long absence because of a left shin injury.
"I'm not on vacation," Bryant told reporters in San Antonio after his first game back in the lineup. "I was hurt. If I'm healthy, I play."
Durant scored 32 points in his regular-season finale on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets meaning Bryant will need 38 points or more against the Kings to beat out Durant for the scoring crown.
Brown wasn't championing Bryant winning the scoring race on his watch, saying Wednesday, "it's not necessarily important to me," but another L.A. skipper fully endorses the idea.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who found himself in a similar situation to Bryant back in 1984 when he entered the last day of the MLB regular season still vying for the batting le with his New York Yankees teammate Dave Winfield as his main compe ion. Mattingly won the le by going 4 for 5 from the plate in the last game of the year.
"If you ask (Derek) Jeter, down at the end of the year and we had a four- or five-game lead, he wants to play because he wants to stay sharp," Mattingly told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne. "Is that wrong? Some people will say he should've taken the rest."
For more news and notes on the Lakers, check out the Land O' Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky brothers. Blog
Mattingly added that Bryant has "got to do what (he) feels is right" and should not worry about any outside criticism if he decides to go for 40 points in an otherwise meaningless game to win the scoring le.
"I like Kobe," Mattingly said. "He's a killer to me, under pressure. He's one of those guys that wants the ball. He's hit so many big shots."
Bryant, Pau Gasol and Matt Barnes all sat out practice on Wednesday, with Barnes staying back in Los Angeles to rehab his moderately sprained right ankle rather than traveling with the team to Sacramento.
Gasol repeatedly has said he would welcome rest if the schedule allows it, so he is likley to sit out. Andrew Bynum told reporters after practice Wednesday that he would not have a problem sitting out if Brown decides to get him extra rest with the playoffs right around the corner. The Lakers will also be without Metta World Peace as he'll serve the first game of his seven-game suspension for his hit on Oklahoma City's James Harden.
Barnes' injury and World Peace's suspension left the Lakers with a glaring hole at small forward, so the team recalled Christian Eyenga from their D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, on Wednesday. Eyenga was acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the Ramon Sessions deal at the trade deadline.
Eyenga is quite the unknown, having never had an introductory press conference in L.A., and has yet to play in a game for the Lakers. He has only attended a couple home games to be part of the team on the bench, once coming just to pose for a portrait while wearing his Lakers No. 88 jersey for media guide purposes.
Eyenga averaged 12.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks and 33.0 minutes in six games with the D-Fenders and will miss Game 2 of the D-League Finals on Thursday to play with the Lakers. The D-Fenders hold a 1-0 lead over the Austin Toros in the best-of-three championship series.
"I know he's athletic," Brown said of Eyenga. "It will be interesting to see what we have (Thursday)."
The Lakers also are considering resting Sessions, who has been playing with a sore left shoulder and jammed right index finger for the past several weeks. If Sessions sits, rookie Darius Morris likely will take his place.
So if Bryant decides to play, he could be joined by Morris, Devin Ebanks, Jordan Hill and Josh McRoberts in the starting five. If Bryant doesn't play, it likely would be Eyenga along with those four.
"They know they need to be ready," Brown said when asked about his young players.
Last edited by noob cake; 04-25-2012 at 11:40 PM.
Coach Kobe
and he still says is not important
http://members.fortunecity.com/stefn...nson/71sco.htm
David Robinson on scoring 71 the last game of the season to win a scoring le:
" Generally, I don't get wrapped up in individual accomplishments. Most times, my primary focus is on the team. I just try to win games and not worry about personal goals. I don't like getting too much hype. One time, however, there was an opportunity to win the NBA scoring le, and I capitalized on it..."
"Our game was meaningless for both clubs. We were in the playoffs, and the Clippers were not. Its only significance was its affect on the scoring race."
"...I rank that as the most memorable game of my career."
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"Durant would have to score 184 in the final six games of the season, an average of 30.7 points per game, to pass Bryant (28.075 to 28.071) for a third straight scoring crown. ‘That’s hard to do in the NBA, man,’ a smiling Durant said of averaging 30.7 points the remainder of the season. ‘That’s the farthest thing from my mind....' "
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Durant on the proposal that his minutes be limited to close the season in meaningless games:
"If I play, I don't want to play 15, 20 minutes," Durant said. "Scotty, whatever he wants me to do, I'll do it. But I really don't want to play a half or something like that. I want to go out there and, if I do play, kick it in full drive and use that as an opportunity to get better."
"Once I'm in the mode and the energy is going, I just don't like to get pulled out and sit for a while," he added. "I just want to hopefully play as long as I can. But we'll see what Scotty does."
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I’m not going to sit him (Durant), but he’s not going to play the 37 or 38 minutes that he (usually) gets,’ Scott Brooks said. ‘If he can get it done (score enough points to win the le) in 28 minutes, then good luck.’
Minutes Durant played last night: 40:02 (used "as an opportunity to get better")
Last edited by namlook; 04-26-2012 at 01:03 AM.
Namlook is butthurt
Relax man
Yeah right. More like laughing my ass off. It's funny as that DRob thinks his meaningless game was the most memorable of his career and that Durant totally lies about wanting the scoring le. If Kobe scores 70 tomorrow and calls it the most memorable game of his career what is the reaction going to be?Namlook is butthurt
Relax man
Except that D-Rob was a team player during his whole careerYeah right. More like laughing my ass off. It's funny as that DRob thinks his meaningless game was the most memorable of his career and that Durant totally lies about wanting the scoring le. If Kobe scores 70 tomorrow and calls it the most memorable game of his career what is the reaction going to be?
So what if he went off on a ty Clippers team ?
Kobe tries to do that every ing single night
I agree that if you have a chance at a scoring le go for it. But don't call it the most memorable game of your career. That looks bad.
We built Brick City on Kurrrrrby's shot...
lmao fuking candyland NBA.
Lakers have lost too many games enabling Kobe to win that le, it would be foolish to give up now.
This is one of the rare times that I'm rooting for Kobe to shoot 50 shots. He'd be a ing doozy if he doesn't.
Players seriously want scoring les?
Wtf?
go for it mambz
sons this award will be led ...
"I chucked the ball up as many times as possible and shot an absolutely pathetic field goal and three point percentage"
yet he still will not have scored the most points in the NBA this season. he has had an advantage playing in less games than others like LeBron and Durant to help his points per game average look better than it really is. regardless both of those players mentioned shot the ball with much better accuracy than Kobe. its not even close.
I predict he will get hurt around the 4Q, with his team up by 25, and him still in the floor...
^Warrior
Kobe, unjustly winning the scoring le, like he unjustly got away with rape.
[QUOTE=namlook;5825029]http://members.fortunecity.com/stefn...nson/71sco.htm
David Robinson on scoring 71 the last game of the season to win a scoring le:
" Generally, I don't get wrapped up in individual accomplishments. Most times, my primary focus is on the team. I just try to win games and not worry about personal goals. I don't like getting too much hype. One time, however, there was an opportunity to win the NBA scoring le, and I capitalized on it..."
"Our game was meaningless for both clubs. We were in the playoffs, and the Clippers were not. Its only significance was its affect on the scoring race."
"...I rank that as the most memorable game of my career."
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You have no idea what you're talking about. I still remember that game to this day.
"Everybody wanted him to get it and everybody was mad he was passing some shots up," Lucas said. "David deserves it. Sometimes I have to push David to become selfish."
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=2873,6002744
The game was meaningless and John Lucas being the rah-rah guy he was made a big deal of it. Basically, he made the game all about David and David went along with it. The whole game all the Spurs did was throw it to David. Most of them wouldn't even take a shot. His teammates wanted him to win it for the whole team. Most of Kobe's teammates would probably spit in his burger if they had the chance.
And yeah, I'm sure it was the most memorable game for David. Most people remember when they score 70+ in a game.
And footnote on your Kevin Durant story, OKC actually lost in a game that went down to the wire. They were trying to win the game. In contrast to Kobe, Durant wouldn't have been about there trying to chuck 40 shots up while the rest of the starters are resting.
Nothing wrong with this. A player should play with a certain level of pride, and winning the scoring le is proof that a certain player is the best scorer in the that single season against some very stiff compe ion.
And we all know Kobe is the coach, he couldn't get the GM spot a few years back, so Cupcakes gave him the assistant coaching job for all he did for the Lakers. Afterall, Kobe makes a great compliment to any real leader.
So, this is really going to happen tonight:
I can't wait.
13-38 for 39 points and ESPN runs a 2 hour special for the chuckster
This will be Kobe's
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