Lakers Split with Rockets and Blazers

Lakers Outgun Rockets, 108-99

Everyone (especially Mike Brown) is in denial concerning Kobe’s flameout against the Nuggets on Sunday.  “Hey, Kobe’s a shooter. He takes a lot of shots. That’s what he does. He simply was missing them on Sunday.” Uh-uh.  In the fourth quarter Kobe took some bad shots.  They weren’t open shots or even good shots. They were forced shots. And they missed. He missed seven shots in the quarter. And he never stopped shooting except for when he turned the ball over. He didn’t go to his two hot hands that night–Bynum and Gasol. Usually I’m loath to repeat myself but I see it’s necessary: Kobe stunk.

Kobe’s hubris will be the Lakers’ undoing unless it’s dealt with. He’s 33. He’s hurt. The schedule is a killer. It’s a new day. If the Lakers win another NBA title with this group it will be because Kobe matures a bit and realizes that Bynum and Gasol have to have great years. All three have to average 20 points or more a game, and Kobe needs to be the one to make sure that happens.

I wasn’t that impressed with his seemingly triumphant bounce-back with 37 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists against the Rockets. Those are great numbers but he took more shots (29) than Bynum (15) and Gasol (11) combined—and they played a lot of minutes. That’s not a winning formula. The game was closer than it should have been. Houston won the 2nd and 3rd quarters and trailed by one point going into the 4th quarter. Jordan Hill, Houston’s starting center, is listed at 6-10, 235 pounds. Bynum is listed at 7-0 and 285 pounds.  Hill’s backup is Samuel Dalembert, who is 250 pounds and not in Bynum’s class. Bynum should’ve taken about 10 0f Kobe’s 29 shots.

Noted: Derek Fisher’s seven assists in only 21 minutes and World Peace’s five assists and no turnovers in 24 minutes.

Same formula, different result: Trailblazers 107, Lakers 96

Like I said! “That’s not a winning formula.” The shot distribution against the Rockets was sub-par, but the Lakers won because the Rockets are in the middle of the pack and probably won’t make the playoffs. The Blazers are a very different story. The Lakers, the Heat, every team in the league is lucky Brandon Roy was forced to retire and Greg Oden can’t stay healthy.

Still, the Blazers are formidable. What worked against the Rockets did not work against the Blazers. Once again Kobe took about twice as many shots (24) as Pau and Bynum combined (26). Yes, Kobe shot a little better than 50% which is very good for that many shots, many of them difficult, but Pau and Bynum both also shot better than 50% and Pau took only 10 shots. Aldridge, who had five personal fouls, might’ve fouled out trying to contest more of Pau’s shots. That’s just one notion. The point is it’s still a team game no matter how you slice it or rationalize it. The Lakers’ Big Three all have to have big nights–and then some—against the Portlands of the NBA.

In re Bryant playing hurt and logging 37 minutes: In the LA Times, Mike Brown is quoted:”[Kobe] will never say it but I know that the wrist [pain] is there. It’s great to see him shoot the ball just for the simple fact that you know the wrist [pain] is there.”  Brown sounds like a fan who admires Kobe’s courage rather than a coach whose very first responsibility is to protect his players. The first rule of the Hippocratic Oath for doctors is to “do no harm.”  Should basketball coaches be held to a lower standard?  Only Mike Brown can take Kobe out of a game, sit him down, play him fewer minutes or not play him at all because, as Brown admits, Kobe “will never say it.” That may indeed be courageous of Kobe but if he can’t say it, Mike Brown has to.

Noted: Derek Fisher’s six assists in 22 minutes. He’s been solid playing about half the time. Steve Blake has played the other half and has run hot and cold. Last night: cold. 2-9 from the field, 0-5 from 3-pointville. The Lakers were 0-11 shooting 3s. They committed 13 turnovers (not bad), with two steals (both by Fisher). Check it out: Portland committed four turnovers! I’ll leave you with one last stat: Andrew Bynum, who played 37 minutes (probably too many and, remember, the Lakers don’t have a backup center), got one offensive rebound. In many cases he was out of position, meaning the Lakers offense was out of synch.

Lakers-Warriors game starts in 45 minutes. I’m outta here