Comments on: Around the World (Wide Web): Lakers News From The Weekend

By: The Dude Abides

The Dude Abides — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:50:36 +0000

13. I think Joel meant that Pau shot 3 FTs a game against those teams (25FTs in 8 games).

By: Don

Don — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:15:18 +0000

Edit to above comment: I got you Joel, you’re saying he missed 3 FT’s a game versus Dal, Cle, and Den. I want to point out that he’s “costing” the team 3.75 FT’s by shooting 64% instead of 79%, and that avgs to 1.25 pts per game. If you factor in the Orl game, he’s costing .94 pts a game against those elite 4 teams w/ his “poorer” free throw shooting.

By: Darius

Darius — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:10:23 +0000

Warriors game preview is up.

http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2010/03/15/preview-and-chat-the-golden-state-warriors-3/

By: Don

Don — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:07:58 +0000

10 Joel, how is a 15% (79 to 64) drop an average of 3 free throws a game? Pau would have to be shooting 20 FT’s a game for that to be the case. It seems like that drop should only account for a 1.5 pt difference per game. Am I misunderstanding you?

By: Joel B.

Joel B. — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:56:46 +0000

Philip thanks for looking up that free throw percentage for me. I did a quick look at just the top four teams (the teams they will most likely have to face to win a championship) Dallas, Denver Cleveland and Orlando. In 8 games versus those teams he’s 16-25 64% a drop for 79% average. (and thats just by not missing any freethrows versus Orlando). Thats an average of 3 freethrows a game versus those teams. So in the playoffs I just hope he can pick that part up. Last year in the playoffs he got to the line regularly like he’s doing this season. An average of 3 freethrows a game is not going to cut it this year. But it was just an observation so I digress.

By: Chris J

Chris J — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:53:49 +0000

Off topic, but the Boston fans at CelticsHub are having a meltdown, wake-up-and-smell-the coffee kind of moment about their team’s title chances. They’re a bit late in making this realization, but Boston fans aren’t known for seeing things as they are.

The best comment was this one:

“NHBluesMan says:
March 15, 2010 at 11:59 am
i also REALLY wish we would’ve held onto Leon. Him, Perk and Rondo would’ve been a great new ‘Big 3? to build the team around”

Yeah, a nucleus of Rondo, Perkins and Leon Powe would easily replace the talent level of regular All-Stars like Garnett, Allen and Pierce.

Maybe we should hope the Lakers can build around Sasha, Josh Powell and Sun Yue when Kobe, Pau and Odom begin to fade. Yeah, that’s the plan…

For his sake, let’s hope NHBluesMan is only 7-years-old. Otherwise, he may be the least-informed basketball fan on the planet, and that’s saying a lot considering he’s distinguished himself from so many other Boston fans.

By: VoR

VoR — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:46:11 +0000

I have no problem acknowledging that Kobe is past his athletic prime. I am not so sure that means his productivity is in decline. I think we will see Kobe become a better shooter and better facilitator for the next two or three years. Drives to the hoop will be a rarity, but with Gasoland Bynum, it is not really needed.

The question is can Kobe keep evolving as his scoring totals shrink, or will he still feel he has to ‘eat first.’

By: Aaron

Aaron — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:36:02 +0000

6,
The reason Kobe is past his prime isn’t entirely his age. There are just so few athletic freaks who make it into their 30′s without losing much athleticism. Kobe has had two knee surgeries and after each he has lost a little something. To me Kobe’s work ethic and skill speak volumes to this as he has maintained his play at such a dominant level while his explosiveness has taken a hit. He has gone from the next Michael Jordan to the next Larry Bird. He can get his shot off in the tightest spaces and make so many of them. When you watch Lebron you ask how does his body do that? When you watch Kobe now you ask how did he just do that?

Its OK as a Lakers fan to admit he is past his prime. He still is the 2nd best player in the NBA and the guy who is going to lead us to another championship.

By: lesha

lesha — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:47:27 +0000

i dont agree that kobe is past his prime just yet.

the guy plays with a broken finger and still delivers amazing stats. while guys like lebron take a week off, and shaq the rest of the regular season because of his thumb even though he probably needs 2 healthy fingers to dunk a ball and lets face it, he doenst have a shooting touch to lose, kobe still keeps it going.

i am quite certain that if he takes care of his body this summer and gives himself the chance to heal he will have improved stats next season for sure.

By: Craig W.

Craig W. — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:41:49 +0000

A couple of year ago there was an extended analysis of Kobe’s shooting and I think today’s commenters should read this extended article before getting specific with their comments. http://www.littlewhitestatistics.com/?cat=7

Frequently Kobe shoots more because his team is in trouble. This usually occurs in the 3rd and/or 4th qtr of games. When he shoots fewer shots it is usually because the team is ahead and functioning well. This ballhog name tag just doesn’t take into account the when or why he is shooting. Also, his percentage often goes down when he shoots more because his teammates are ‘out of it’ and the other team is – properly – assigning more defenders to him.

This isn’t the entire answer, but I suggest people read the above link before starting this old saw again.