Kobe the Closer

worldjunction · by **worldjunction** on Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:38 pm

Undoubtedly Kobe is one of the best closers in NBA history. He just seems to have trouble closing games last year and this year. These last two games are by no means isolated (1-7 to finish today and 1-10 last game).

He just seems to miss shots he normally makes in the 4th and sometimes passes on easier shots for harder ones to end games. But that is just my opinion of why. The numbers don't lie. I'm not trying to trash Kobe... I just want to draw attention to a problem that could keep the team from winning a chip (and Kobe getting his Sixth).

I'd be interested to see what other people think the reason could be?

And of course I do hope he turns it around.

kray28 · by **kray28** on Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:48 pm

Did you see his last basket? It's a miracle he made that....and we needed those points just as we needed Drew's tip in. When the refs declare open season on Hack-a-Kobe (he shot a whopping 5 ft, one off defensive T) while drawing hard doubles and getting hacked to pieces all night by Ray and Peaches, you're just going to have to accept some of the misses.

The reason that Kobe is in that position in the first place is the retarded decision to play Fisher a whopping 24 minutes, and somehow allowing Ron to touch the ball on offense.

Weezy · by **Weezy** on Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:58 pm

I think it's as simple as Kobe having to do so much for us all game long that he has no legs at the end of games, he's not exactly young anymore. He's still clutch, he just isn't fresh enough at the end of games, too many minutes played, too much of the load carried by him.

kray28 · by **kray28** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:05 am

KGB are good enough to absorb one useless player in the starting lineup. But Ron's nosedive into pre-retirement, and Fish having been there for about 2 seasons now....the damage is simply too much to overcome.

Part of that damage is an exhausted Kobe at the end of the game expected to win the game for us.

Texas Lakers Fan · by **Texas Lakers Fan** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:07 am

He's really fatigued and it's showing. With all the miles on his body there's no way he should be among the league leaders in minutes.

V.V.V.V.V. · by **V.V.V.V.V.** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:11 am

Weezy wrote:I think it's as simple as Kobe having to do so much for us all game long that he has no legs at the end of games, he's not exactly young anymore. He's still clutch, he just isn't fresh enough at the end of games, too many minutes played, too much of the load carried by him.

This.

Jacks3 · by **Jacks3** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:19 am

33 yrs old. 16th yr in the league. 48,000+ min on his legs. Tired legs. Simple as that. He'd be much more effective if he was at 34-35 MPG.

TIME · by **TIME** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:19 am

Weezy wrote:I think it's as simple as Kobe having to do so much for us all game long that he has no legs at the end of games, he's not exactly young anymore. He's still clutch, he just isn't fresh enough at the end of games, too many minutes played, too much of the load carried by him.

This.

Plus that pesky dagger in the stomach. :man12:

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:23 am

1. It's not fatigue from the season, the guy can make some killer moves early in the game. If it's fatigue it's from that game and that game alone.
2. He's been a terrible closer, but he still gets so much attention. I'm okay if he takes those shots if Gasol and Bynum figure it out and get in rebounding position.

Tragic · by **Tragic** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:24 am

dagger to my stomach

KobeSystemtwofour · by **KobeSystemtwofour** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:48 am

He's still the closer../thread

24fanyes · by **24fanyes** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:49 am

lol who said hand checking existed? :man10:

John3:16 · by **John3:16** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 1:26 am

Tragic wrote:dagger to my stomach

thkthebest · by **thkthebest** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 1:54 am

It's not just tired legs, although I'm willing to accept that as one of the main culprits.

Maybe it's my selective memory, but the shots he takes in the final 5 minutes of the game are not the same shots he takes earlier in the game. We can't expect Kobe (a tired Kobe at that) to get the ball near the 3pt line, make a move, barely get separation from his man, and then make a fallaway. It's just not going to go in all that often. We can't just put him behind the 3pt line, have him hold the ball for 5 seconds, and make magic happen. He can be much more effective making quick moves off the catch from within 15-20 feet. Sometimes, Pau comes to set a pick and he doesn't even use it when good things almost always happens when he does use the pick (like an open jumper by Pau). He can be so much more effective and efficient in other ways.

KB24 · by **KB24** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 3:06 am

the answer is very easy...we don't have any structure on offense so 1 on 5 isolations all the day in the 4th is destined to fail...also everybody knows that Bryant would almost rather shoot an airball than pass in the closing seconds and put his faith in someone elses hands.

So he will dribble around and take a terrible shot. Thanks to his greatness he might make it and we are amazed or he will miss and we will wonder whether he still has it.

revgen · by **revgen** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:10 am

Pau and Drew have been more clutch this season than Kobe. The whole ISO routine in the 4th quarter isn't working. I don't mind Kobe taking over in the 4th, but we need to figure out a more creative strategy.

wcsoldier81 · by **wcsoldier81** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:57 am

He's 15 for 54 in the clutch ( 5 pts game in the last 5 min of the 4th) this season ... I'm not surprised , it's a combination of Kobe forcing/taking bad shots , Mike Brown inability to draw any play down the stretch( " Work your magic " and " win the game for us " isn't going to make it ) and our PG/SF inability to make a open shot.

Kobe should work more with and give the ball up to Drew and Pau though ... they would have very makeable shots , especially with the way the opponent D is focused on Kobe

Vasashi17 · by **Vasashi17** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:05 am

In a condensed season where the games are packed in, Kobe doesn't need to be the closer every night. Pau missed some shots he normally makes, but it was primarily Drew that missed some chippies inside. However, both were very successful on the interior so you feed the rock there and allow the defense to dictate whether it gets moved back out to the perimeter for an open shot or not.....but work inside out for god sakes. Down the stretch....wayyyyy too many jumpshots for my liking when the interior was ours the whole game.

This way Kobe saves his legs and can be an effective closer on some nights, but not every night...especially if it really doesn't require him to.

ladam24 · by **ladam24** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:06 am

revgen wrote:Pau and Drew have been more clutch this season than Kobe. The whole ISO routine in the 4th quarter isn't working. I don't mind Kobe taking over in the 4th, but we need to figure out a more creative strategy.

We need a primary ball handler who can create oppurtunities off the dribble. Once Kobe can play off the ball without being expected to create offese for everyone else every time down the floor, he'll be much better.

nameant · by **nameant** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:38 am

He gets terrible possessions in close games late because EVERYBODY knows what we're gonna do. Hey let's give Kobe the ball and get out of the way. Never seen that one before.

Sirron · by **Sirron** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:42 am

44 minutes? :man4:

but he is setting up some nice tip opportunities for the big guys

Thenextgreat · by **Thenextgreat** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:58 am

he is playing to many minutes...get some guys on the bench who can actually play

Lakerjones · by **Lakerjones** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:42 am

ktate14 wrote:he is playing too many minutes...get A STARTING POINT GUARD who can actually play

Fixed for ya :man12:

JGC · by **JGC** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 9:45 am

Weezy wrote:I think it's as simple as Kobe having to do so much for us all game long that he has no legs at the end of games, he's not exactly young anymore. He's still clutch, he just isn't fresh enough at the end of games, too many minutes played, too much of the load carried by him.

This.

But he's not still clutch until he shows he is actually still clutch. Clutchness has no excuses.

Otherwise, everyone could be clutch.

brickshooter · by **brickshooter** on Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:41 am

Kobe is playing too many minutes. IMO, his jumper is actually better than the last two season. He actually looked like he has more bounce in the legs. His early game shots is money. But I can see that he gets tired at the end of games. Not just the shots. I can see him often hanging on to his shorts when there's a break. And when Brown takes a late game time out, I can see Kobe stopping in his tracks to catch his breath.

Hopefully the reserves can play better and allow Kobe to lower the minutes to the low 30s.

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