Simmons:
Important note: Kobe's reputation as a "killer" at the end of games remains overblown. The site www.82games.com just posted a study of game-winning shots from the last five-plus seasons (regular seasons and playoffs since the 2003-04 season) that revealed Kobe was shooting 14-for-56 (25 percent) with one assist and five turnovers, and made 12 of 15 free throws. So let's say that was 70 possessions total, including Sunday night. ... He only had one assist in nearly six years??? That's why Orlando quadruple-teamed him in that spot. Kobe is a phenomenal streak shooter, and he has a real talent for catching fire with a lead and closing games out ... but you can stop him in one-shot situations simply because he's his own worst enemy. He wants to be a hero, he's shooting it, and that's that.
Thank you.
When it comes to the clutch discussion (or lack thereof), Kobe benefits from great branding — but reality just doesn’t back it up. You want clutch? Look at LBJ’s stats in crunchtime. Look at Melo’s. Shit, look at D-Ho’s (.661 from the field — a.k.a. two feet from the basket)!
All that said, I’m really curious to see what goes down tonight. Brilliant as Kobe has been, Orlando should be up 2-1 right now (and that’s with Pietrus disappearing, and SVG playing Jameer and Redick waaaay too much). If the Magic get their business done tonight, we officially have a series on our hands.
-G
2 comments:
You can't say you're not hatin' on Kobe, then proceed to lift an entire 2 paragraphs from the biggest Kobe hater in the professional media. You just can't. It's like me saying I'm going to provide a fair and balanced perspective on Kobe, than popping in Kobe: Doin' Work. Besides, the dorks at 82games aren't telling you that he's not clutch. You and Simmons are just taking their research and drawing the conculsion you'd like from it. Forget "game winners" for a second. Kobe's "clutchness" is not just about hitting the last shot. It's actually more about the daggers he throws at teams when there's 3,4 minutes left in a close game. It's those streaks of scoring and defense that he goes on to close games out. Looking narrowly at who hit the most buzzer beaters doesn't tell you nearly as much.
But forget Kobe for a second. Let's wrap our heads around "Adam Morrison, NBA Champion". In homor of Darko Milicic I think the NBA should pass a new law. If you're not in the playing rotation during the playoffs (and it's not because of injury), you don't get a ring. No exceptions. If Orlando happens to come back from 3 games down, Tyronne Lue does not get a ring. Chris Mimh - no ring. J.R. Rider back on the 02 Lakers - no ring. Sasha Vuyacic has played, but should also get no ring.
Last point: is SVG blowing this entire series for Orlando, or is it just me? Is Orlando actually better than their playing, and possibly better than the Lakers? I'm feeling like the answer is yes despite Kobe's all-time clutchness, PJax's wisdom, Gasol's unstoppability and Derek Fisher's God.
I think this series could lead to the demise of this Orlando team (a la the 2006 Mavs). Take the ideal situation for them. They pay Hedo to keep the team in tact, and make it all the way back the Finals next year. Are they gonna trust SVG and each other. Losing faith in your coach is tantamount to mini-rebuilding. A coach losing, and displaying a loss of, faith in his players is not good. Skip is outta there this summer, but the damage could go much further than him. How do you forgive yourself as a team for losing the Finals to a team you know you can beat?
Orlando lost that series at the end of Game 4. Here's what I saw: Trevor Ariza fumbling a lay up and falling out of bounds, the ball bouncing around for a few seconds, then Ariza rushing back to the floor and snatching the rebound while three Magic players stood there waiting for it to fall into one of their hands. Here's what else I saw: the Lakers making it so hard for the Magic to inbound that they had to call two timeouts. On the flip side: the Magic let the Lakers inbound with zero pressure. Here's what else: no full court press in the closing minutes. Etc.
I tend to loathe this cliche, but the Lakers just want it more. That, plus SVG just straight f**king sh!t up for his team, are the turning points here.
You're right, the Lakers should not be dominant here. But they are.
-G
P.S. If nothing else, it's interesting to see a therapist win a ring. Oh, I mean "the rapist."
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