OFFICIAL LAKERS 2009/2010 (57-25) 2009-2010 CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by Brandon3000

So then we all agree that Kobe is on a decline in his career?

man and what poor timing just before the playoffs....

so was it his knee this time? or is it true that they lost this game on purpose so they could avoid the big bad blazers in the 1st round?

someone help me find the ANSWER!!!

  

 

[i nasmatic i]

Injuries or not, it's painful watching Kobe play lately.

 

[JD617]

I wouldn't call a broken finger which is the main reason he sucks a decline.
It's not just the finger. His lift and explosiveness are rapidly declining. Maybe it's the knee/ankle injuries, but it's possible that it's also age/mileage. Take it from someone who's watched KG over the last year...Kobe looks like he's starting to head down the same path.

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I

Injuries or not, it's painful watching Kobe this whole Laker team play lately.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Kobe is wearing down, I've been waiting for it. Hopefully Phil and Kobe realize this and will make the appropriate adjustments for next season (limiting minutes, running the offense more through other players, etc.)

 

[xsalvioutlawx]

Originally Posted by JD617

I wouldn't call a broken finger which is the main reason he sucks a decline.

It's not just the finger. His lift and explosiveness are rapidly declining. Maybe it's the knee/ankle injuries, but it's possible that it's also age/mileage. Take it from someone who's watched KG over the last year...Kobe looks like he's starting to head down the same path.
I refuse to accept that simply because he was BEASTING just last year and before the injuries that he just got this season. He was the leading scorer in the league and playing great basketball before his finger injury and while Gasol was out.

Everyone was talking about how Kobe can still put up 40, and people were arguing if he could average 50 a game.

That was THIS season.

Now that he's injured everyones trying to say it's because he's on a decline and what not, yet he was beasting before the injuries....

KB isn't KG. The only thing they have in common is they both came out of highschool and they both got tons of miles on their bodies, but one clearly suffering and declining more than the other. In KG's case, not just this season.
  

 

[westcoastsfinest]

^

you got a point i mean he was playing well in the beginning of the season till his nagging injuries

 

[kvsm23vs24]

Ya y'all are mad crazy saying he is declining....

My man was beasting in the block when Pau was out.

Leading the the league in scoring.... I think he had like 2 40 point games in the begining.

He just hurt. Have you guys seen the damn band he has on his finger! He has to adgust his shot.

I agree with everything xsal said...

 

[JD617]

KG was beasting right up until he hurt his knee, and then was never the same again. It can happen as quickly as that. It's not like it was a slow, gradual decline with KG. He hit a point where his body just pretty much had enough. I know KG had a knee injury that required surgery and with Kobe it's apparently just some knee soreness, but it's still something to think about. Especially since Kobe had a full week of rest and still looked like he had nothing in the tank yesterday.

KB isn't KG. The only thing they have in common is they both came out of highschool and they both got tons of miles on their bodies
That's a pretty significant thing that they have in common.

Also, KG had around 42,500 total minutes played in his career when he hit the wall. Kobe is already at 44,254.

*shrugs*

We'll just have to wait and see I guess...

 

[al3xis]

So you guys believe Kobe is as good as he was 2 years ago or 4 years ago?

You honestly believe that?

 

[CP1708]

^
Absolutely.  As has been said, before the finger, he was the one leading the league in scoring (as usual) and having 40 point nights all those games without Gasol. 

But he's basically running on fumes now.  KG HURT his knee.  He messed it up pretty bad in Utah. 

Kobe hurt his finger, but his knee and ankle is just wear and tear, he hasn't done anything to them structurally.  And people forget, they are coming off back to back finals.  ALL the Lakers have to be more tired then other teams.  They've played more games, and more intense games at that. 

If LA gets knocked out first week of May, and Kobe rests over the summer, I see no reason he won't be back to normal next year. 35 points a game?  No, not that normal.  But normal in that he doesn't play like he is now.   And if we DO find a way to go far this postseason, then I am already pretty much ready to say we will be horrible next year. 

  We won't have any gas left in the tanks if this summer is 2 extra months of playoff games. 

 

[xsalvioutlawx]

Originally Posted by JD617

KG was beasting right up until he hurt his knee, and then was never the same again. It can happen as quickly as that. It's not like it was a slow, gradual decline with KG. He hit a point where his body just pretty much had enough. I know KG had a knee injury that required surgery and with Kobe it's apparently just some knee soreness, but it's still something to think about. Especially since Kobe had a full week of rest and still looked like he had nothing in the tank yesterday.

KB isn't KG. The only thing they have in common is they both came out of highschool and they both got tons of miles on their bodies

That's a pretty significant thing that they have in common.

Also, KG had around 42,500 total minutes played in his career when he hit the wall. Kobe is already at 44,254.

*shrugs*

We'll just have to wait and see I guess...

To be fair, KG's injury was worse than KB's, plus KG was noticebly declining even before his injury.

Let's be serious. What is KB's MAIN problem? His FG%. He's shooting like @!%%. He wasn't shooting like @!%% before the finger injury. It's his index finger for one, and anyone who plays basketball knows thats one of the main fingers that you NEED for a good follow through.

He's not making freethrows either. Why? Because of his finger... I find it hard to believe if he was truely declining he'd be missing freethrows because of that. It's clearly because of the broken finger.

Let's not forget Kobe has had a bad right hand since the 07-08 season. Remember when he needed surgery on his hand? Different injuries, yet none of them ever affected him as bad until this one.

I'm not making excuses for him, but if you guys honestly watch the games, just watching him shoot freethrows and looking at how he holds the ball says it all.

His finger will heal, but until then we will have to endure his game as it is as the moment. 

What we should really be worried about is our bench. Hopefully everyone takes the playoffs as personal as KB does.

These guys don't have to carry even half the weight Kobe does. If they lose, it will always be his fault. You'd think they'd play a little better when all of the blame always falls on somebody else. Someone needs to slap the @!%% out of Pau Gasol.

He was beasting after all the criticism he recieved in 2008, now he just looks complacent since they got it done last year. Not sure if these guys on the Lakers realize last year is in the past now.
  

 

[three6mafia2007]

as an avid Kobe fan, watching him play lately has been

Hopefully he just shut it down until the first playoff game. Odom and Pau could use some rest too

 

[holdenmichael]

http://sports.yahoo.com/n...-can-t-do?urn=nba,233572

I thought that was a little funny.


Kobe's obviously in physical decline, but I'm not going to state that he's in overall decline unless it happens next year too. I just hope he makes the necessary adjustments in the playoffs.

 

[freddypee]

Honestly I love how flaky a lot of sports fans are its funny to me. Yes kobe has been off his game but NO ONE in the last 3 years has played more basketball than Kobe with especially with the physical ailments he has. Lets be serious now. If kobe was healthy and rested he would still be making this look easy.

 

[frenchblue23]

I was gonna stay away from this thread and still will with all the bickering going back and forth, but just wanted to post this for you Laker fans...

http://



[h3]http://my.lakers.com/blogs/2010/04/12/bryant-out-for-final-two-games/[/h3]

[h3]Bryant Out for Final Two Games[/h3]
Published
by Mike Trudell

on April 12, 2010

in Injury News and Kobe Bryant
.

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will not play in L.A.’s final two games of the regular season due to the avulsion fracture on his right index finger.

L.A. plays the Kings on Tuesday and Clippers on Wednesday, which will be the eighth and ninth games missed this season by No. 24.

After Monday afternoon’s practice, Lamar Odom was asked if he thought Kobe’s absence would affect his rhythm in the playoffs.

“We know how good Kobe is,

 

[CP1708]

So he has a full week til his next game.  Bynum will have had a full month. 

Odom and Gasol will certainly be in game shape, as will Fisher. 

And actually, Sasha and Shannon should get some reps to be ready for the postseason. 

We're not going to be smooth in the first round, but at least no more back to backs, travel is same for both teams, etc etc.  So now it comes down to coaching and execution.  Oh, and Homecourt for any possible game 7's. 

 

 

[frenchblue23]

I would assume playing 8 of your last 12 games on the road takes a toll on you eventually.

I would like to assume that is the case, or else, it can be dooms day really fast next week.

 

[xsalvioutlawx]

Hopefully Bynum gets back early on in the playoffs. That way he can get in shape as the games go on.

 

[thachosen123]

Even with all the questions surrounding this squad, I still don't think there's a team in the west that can beat us 4 games out of 7




: shrugs:

 

[2g00d4u]

6-7-8 spot is all tied

I think its gonna be OKC or SA in the 1st round. POR has two winnable games, but the Roy injury may be a big problem for them...

Damn this is crazy. I want the Thunder though.

 

[djoker33]

I believe Kobe played last night because of Nike.

Nike had a competition where you create a NIKEID Kobe V shoe and the winner would be flown out to LA to watch the Portland/LA game and have Kobe wear their creation...

 

[noblekane]

Originally Posted by 2g00d4u

6-7-8 spot is all tied

I think its gonna be OKC or SA in the 1st round. POR has two winnable games, but the Roy injury may be a big problem for them...

Damn this is crazy. I want the Thunder though.

i rather have the blazers

Jackson suggested that some of Bryant’s struggles of late are due to his choice of shots, which the head coach suggested have been tougher than usual and contributed to his poor shooting. 

  
well no +*#@ phil. this has always been the case whenever kobe has shot horribly. simple. he holds on to the ball too long he will take a terrible shot. if he doesnt, he gets better looks. 

 

[MVP]

The Blazers/Thunder game will decide who we play in the 1st round. OKC has maybe the most talent and ultimate superstar out of those 3 teams, but they by far have the most youth so I don't think they will be able to handle the playoff pressure when the games get close.

The Blazers would probably be the "easiest" matchup, although you couldn't tell by the way we played Sunday. If LA just uses their brains they should be able to handle POR rather easily especially with Roy being hobbled now.

But like I said before our chances at repeating hinge entirely on Kobe's health, if he's anywhere close to 100% or just able to play like he normally does and at least get the lift back in his legs we'll be fine. I don't see anyone that can beat us 4 outta 7 games in the West playoffs. Now if they get to the Finals then thats a different story cause CLE and ORL are fully equipped to beat us and we'll have to be at our absolute best to take them out.

And FYI, Bynum should be resuming practicing tomorrow

 

[guttagetsbusy]

I'd hate to be Obvious Oswald right now but it looks like Orlando is getting that 2nd best record

At this point though I just want these boys to make it outta the first round let alone try and be in contention for the Championship.

I really hope Kobe can heal well enough and quick enough in this week before the playoffs start, I don't know what he can do for that finger