Lakers need Kobe to be Jordanesque

If the Lakers are to overcome the Celtics, Kobe Bryant may need to put up a legendary performance.



http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/shaun_powell/06/12/kobe/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1



Not sure which disappeared faster, the Lakers' lead in the NBA Finals or all of those Kobe-is-better-than-Jordan postseason proclamations.

Maybe one has something to do with the other. No question, Kobe Bryant carries the most weight in this series (figuratively, Big Baby, figuratively) and swag as well. He's drawing the double and triple looks from the Celtics. Making some insane shots. Averaging 28.3 points, easily the highest in the Finals. And burning both ends, because he must keep up with Rajon Rondo.

But at this time of year, did Michael Jordan ever turn someone like Tony Allen into Dennis Johnson for a night? Did Jordan shoot less than 41 percent in the Finals, as Kobe is? Or look less like an MVP in the fourth quarter, as Kobe has the last two games?

You already know the answer to the above.

There's certainly no shame in failing (so far, anyway) to reach the bar raised by MJ, who went 6-0 in Finals and always saved his best for last. And besides, Kobe never said he was as good or better than Jordan, his legions did. Still, this much, we know: Kobe needs to be Jordanesque from here for the Lakers to beat the Celtics, now drooling like a Big Baby at the possibility of stealing the championship.

That's because the tenor of the series has changed. Andrew Bynum is now hopping around on one healthy knee and most certainly won't be 100 percent, leaving the Lakers light on the boards and interior defense. That puts a bit more responsibility on Lamar Odom to make an impact, on the bench to chip in, on Pau Gasol to outplay Kevin Garnett and of course, on Kobe to do what he does.

It has been an uneven series so far for Kobe, who has yet to drop a monster performance, or at least a fourth quarter full of heroics, something he managed to do in the three previous rounds. When he dropped daggers on the Suns in the Western Conference Finals, best known for the Alvin Gentry Fanny Tap, the Jordan comparisons came thick and heavy. Even Gentry, the Suns coach, marveled how he wasn't sure if "that was Kobe or Jordan out there."

Well, who wasn't impressed? Once again, Kobe flashed his famous killer instinct and was tremendous with something on the line. As the NBA Finals began, it was all about Kobe, again, and his desire to get championship No. 5, one shy of Jordan. Makes you wonder how many more titles Kobe would already own if he didn't develop a beef with Shaquille O'Neal and/or had a healthy Bynum in 2008 against the Celtics.

Here in the rematch with Boston, Kobe has been limited to streaks and flashes. That's all. The most consistent Laker has been Gasol and the big-shot maker was Derek Fisher in Game 3. When Gasol and Fisher were quiet in Game 4 and Bynum was on the bench and the Lakers needed bailing out, Kobe was busy giving up seven turnovers and trying to shake free of Allen in the Game 4 loss.

Doc Rivers is playing it cautious, though, refusing any urge to say the Celtics have Kobe figured out.

"Listen," Rivers said, "he's going to have big games. And like I said in the series against Cleveland, we're going to have to win one of these games where (the superstar) goes off for a big night. And that may come in the next three. But we still have to find a way to win that game."

Well, Kobe is certainly due, and is running out of time. He's shooting a lower percentage than everyone in the rotation except Ron Artest. And the Celtics will certainly study the Game 4 tape when Allen was on the floor. Allen is athletic and while the Celtics surrender offense when he's in the game, they'll gladly take the trade-off if it means keeping a body on Kobe. Two more games like the last one, and Allen, with all due respect to Rueben Patterson, will be remembered as the real Kobe Stopper.

Kobe bristled when Phil Jackson suggested he was tired in the fourth quarter, and had a strange response when asked about the problems Allen presents.

"I'm enjoying it," Kobe said.

Here's what Kobe will enjoy: Two days of Tony Allen hype before Game 5. You can almost visualize Kobe listening to every radiohead and blogger and expert analyst raving about Allen and his D and how Kobe has his work cut out for him. That's a lot of fuel going into Kobe's veins. The big game, as Rivers fears and predicts, may happen Sunday. Kobe could treat Allen the way Jordan did Bryon Russell.

And if not?

Then this will be the championship that Kobe blew. Because the Celtics are not the 2008 version, can't get decent numbers on the same night from all of the Big Old Three and have lost four of their last seven games, dating back to Orlando. Boston is proud and resilient but nothing special, basically.

Kobe, on the other hand, is special. He just hasn't had a performance to match.

Yet?

Here's what I take away from that article...This Celtic team isn't special to Shaun Powell...and Kobe is. How much does he get paid to write this stuff?
There are several people on this board who could write a more insightful article about this finals, and should be getting his paycheck.

lacelt

they just dont get it...never have never will. but we do.

These stats, courtesy of ESPN.

Kobe Bryant By Primary Defender, NBA Finals
Category v. T Allen vs Others
Possessions 73 234
Pct poss. w/ touch 79.5 88.0
Points 20 93

What these stats do not show is the relative number of minutes Tony covers Kobe vs the rest (although they do show # of possessions).

Through 4 games, TA has played 67 minutes. Kobe has played 160 minutes. So, the rest of the defenders have covered Kobe 160-67=93 minutes, roughly 50% more than TA.

Kobe has a lot more than 50% more points vs the rest. I don't understand, though, how come there's almost 3x the number of possessions.

My statistical gibberish. Bottom line is: Tony's doing one hellaciously good job on one of the most unstoppable players in the game. Whether the stats show it or not, all you have to do is watch the game and you can see how much less fluidly Kobe gets to his spots with TA on him.

bob