Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum combined to shoot 21-for-28 shots. Mamba was 10-for-26 (2-for-6 on treys). No wonder Gasol isn't happy. But hey, what's Pau complaining about? Just because Kobe's eighth on the Lakers in Effective Field Goal Percentage -- behind even Jordan Farmar, Ron Artest, Sasha Vujacic and Shannon Brown -- doesn't mean he shouldn't continue taking the most difficult shots possible. And it's very mature of Kobe not to "blast Gasol into oblivion" for behing disgruntled. Just ask Adrian Wojnarowski.
And here's Truehoop, piling on.
These Lakers want me to hate them.
Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum had complete and utter mismatches every time down court, they were playing well together and finishing expertly all game, and yet this does nothing to tame Kobe Bryant (10-26 shooting) and Derek Fisher (2-7 shooting)'s triggers.
I know the Lakers have this regular season wrapped up, but they're going to need these guys in the playoffs. They're going to need them interested, on the court, ready to play defense, ready to help. But it's Basketball 101 to feed the big man when he has it going, and Bryant just never gets that. Kobe had seven assists, he had a terrific game superficially with 30 points and nine boards as well, and he's to be commended for finding both Bynum and Gasol open under the basket for dunks at times, but that's not what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about giving the ball up early, making yourself a threat away from the rock, and watch as two of this league's most talented (if not this league's most talented) 7-footers go to work. 29 other teams would kill for just one of these two, and the Lakers boast both. How can they continue to ignore them?
Oh, I know. One makes mistakes, and one's soft.
Guess what? Inconsistent and soft still score, board, pass, and block shots for you. Consistently. Unlike jump shots, which even for the greatest of shooters, are inconsistent.
I just need, in a fourth quarter that sees Pau Gasol score 11 (4-4 shooting, four rebounds, an assist), more than 1-4 shooting, three assists, and two turnovers for Kobe. I know he knows the game. I need to see him act like he knows, that we know, that he knows.
28, 12 rebounds, four assists and a block for Gasol. 21, 12 rebounds, three blocks for Bynum. 21-28 shooting, or, 11 more field goal makes in two more attempts than Bryant.
Even with the injuries, these Lakers could have been a 70-win team this year had they just committed to the offense, from the coaching staff on down. Ron, get out of the post. Kobe, stop shooting long jumpers. Bam. 70 wins.
Yeah. Just more ammunition in my "this is why Kobe is not the greatest" gun.
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