Kobe Continues to be AWESOME in the Olympics

Courtesy from the Orange County Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/poin ... ece-strong

I've watched all the games and personally, I think he's playing marginally well. I'd say B- on scoring, B+ on defense, A on ball distribution, A on being a team leader and a C- for outside shooting. But in a very general, overall grade I'd say B+. It's amazing that 3 Lakers and 2 Sparks are representing in China! Go L.A.!!!

This was his most impressive game in the preliminaries. He can play this way every game. I want the world's best player to start showing everyone why he has been given that title.

Kobe and Kidd both played their best games against Greece.

That's why they were recruited in the first place. Everybody knows the youngsters can beat the Angola's and the China's. It's the upper crust international teams that bothered them and hence why TeamUSA picked up a couple vets.

kidhell wrote:I've watched all the games and personally, I think he's playing marginally well. I'd say B- on scoring, B+ on defense, A on ball distribution, A on being a team leader and a C- for outside shooting. But in a very general, overall grade I'd say B+. It's amazing that 3 Lakers and 2 Sparks are representing in China! Go L.A.!!!

Kobe , and Gasol. Who else?

Vigen wrote:

kidhell wrote:I've watched all the games and personally, I think he's playing marginally well. I'd say B- on scoring, B+ on defense, A on ball distribution, A on being a team leader and a C- for outside shooting. But in a very general, overall grade I'd say B+. It's amazing that 3 Lakers and 2 Sparks are representing in China! Go L.A.!!!

Kobe , and Gasol. Who else?

Sun Yue?

Yep, Kobe, Gasol and Sun Yue. Orange County register and nba.com had "Laker - Sun Yue" as captions under photos of him already.

You can't find Kobe's true value to this team on the stat sheet. Kobe has been the critical glue player along with Lebron and it's clear by his rotations that Coach K feels that way too. Kobe has set the tone defensively by always stepping up to guard the other team's best perimeter player, whether that's a 1, 2 or 3. So you see the entire American team playing excellent defense, you see Lebron and Wade play defense like you never see them play it in the NBA, that is Kobe's influence on the team. I never knew Lebron could be such a good weak side blocker. I never knew Wade had such quick hands. That is the Kobe effect in action.

Wade is the tornado 6th man, Lebron is the force of nature, Kidd is the veteran presence who has never lost in international play (now 46-0); Bosh, Howard, Williams, Paul, Redd, Anthony, they all have their places, but for my money, Kobe is the team MVP.

So if Kobe is cold from outside, no one begrudges him a few more shots, everyone knows that's how he is. I've only seen him come close once to that take over the game mentality. Believe that was against Australia or Lithuania, iirc, when Kobe had 12 in the 3rd while the team was very sluggish offensively. He's been content to be part of the team, to revel in the teammates he won't have when he goes back to the Lakers.

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/08/16/v ... atriotism/

http://msunderestimated.com/2008/08/15/ ... ism-video/

So refreshing to hear. I'm not a Laker fan, but I'm proud to have Kobe representing the USA.