Vee’s Spot: Couldn’t Shine

The Lakers managed to do it again. Once again, for the second time this week alone, they lost to a non-playoff team. It takes a lot of talent, or lack-there-of, to lose to a team like the Memphis Grizzlies. I mean, after all, they have Kwame Brown.

Kobe Bryant tried to outshine his entire team. After playing such great team basketball for most of this season, he once again put the game on his shoulders, and probably cost us the game. Bryant had 53 points and left his teammates cold throughout the game.

Apparently, Sasha Vujacic feels that he should shoot every time he touches the ball. Vujacic put up 14 three point shots and made only four of them.

The team had an overall of 45 three point attempts. They were shooting 3s when they didn’t have to. Even when they were ahead, they settled for the 3s. Vujacic later blamed the 3-point attempts on the Grizzlies defense. As if the Lakers have never played a team with great defense.

Bryant sat out most of the 3rd quarter. Lakers were ahead, but not by much. Because he had left his teammates cold from his first half shots, the team never got into the rhythm of the game and suffered by losing the 3rd quarter. Bryant came back during the 4th but the team was still settling for the 3s they couldn’t land.

We can blame Luke Walton for not getting the time-out during the last .9 seconds of the game but realistically, when was the last time the Lakers made a clutch three with that little amount of time left on the clock? Walton is our scapegoat, but the entire team is at fault for this loss.

Everyone from Bryant for taking so many shots, Vujacic and the rest of the team for taking so many 3s, maybe even Lamar Odom for being so sick. How about Trevor Ariza, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum for being injured? All we want to do is blame someone so we can have excuses for a pathetic loss. This was a team we should have beat. It’s time for the Lakers to get their heads in the game and start winning the teams who aren’t even playoff worthy.