The important thing is Kobe got 51

[Reality]

From the Suns point of view. :rofl:
Also Phil Jacksons. B)

Also POOR Kobe got only 10 FTAs.  Nevermind the Phoenix got 5 as a team.  Thats because <insert> Kobe takes it to the rack (as if Phx/Nash doesn't) <blah blah the usual>

Anywho back to Phxs and Raja Bells stance on The Kobes 51:

PHOENIX (AP) -- Kobe Bryant can score all the points he wants as far as the Phoenix Suns are concerned, as long as they come away with the victory.

"You feel like if he's taking all those shots, the other guys aren't really scoring," Nash said. "We don't feel like if he has a huge night, that we can't win, that's for sure."

Raja Bell, the Suns' best perimeter defender, is obviously no friend of Bryant. The two didn't shake hands before the game and never acknowledge each other, let alone speak.

"If I can keep him preoccupied with trying to beat me 1-on-1, then there are four other guys out there who aren't getting shots," Bell said. "That plays into our hands because we're going to get points. So if he gets 50 and the rest of the guys don't get enough to beat us, I did my job."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Bryant was motivated after a lackluster game against Bell the last time in Phoenix.

"At some level, it's remarkable," Jackson said of Bryant's 93 points on consecutive nights. "At another level, it limits us, it hackles us a little bit because other players don't get in the flow, and they didn't get in the flow tonight."

Bryant, though, refused to say anything about Bell.

"I've got bigger fish to fry than Raja Bell," he said. "Are you kidding?"

Right Kobme.  Bell has bigger fish to fry also.  Like the 2nd round of the playoffs.

[Guest_Randy]

From the Suns point of view. :rofl:
Also Phil Jacksons. B)

Also POOR Kobe got only 10 FTAs.  Nevermind the Phoenix got 5 as a team.  Thats because <insert> Kobe takes it to the rack (as if Phx/Nash doesn't) <blah blah the usual>

Anywho back to Phxs and Raja Bells stance on The Kobes 51:

PHOENIX (AP) -- Kobe Bryant can score all the points he wants as far as the Phoenix Suns are concerned, as long as they come away with the victory.

"You feel like if he's taking all those shots, the other guys aren't really scoring," Nash said. "We don't feel like if he has a huge night, that we can't win, that's for sure."

Raja Bell, the Suns' best perimeter defender, is obviously no friend of Bryant. The two didn't shake hands before the game and never acknowledge each other, let alone speak.

"If I can keep him preoccupied with trying to beat me 1-on-1, then there are four other guys out there who aren't getting shots," Bell said. "That plays into our hands because we're going to get points. So if he gets 50 and the rest of the guys don't get enough to beat us, I did my job."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Bryant was motivated after a lackluster game against Bell the last time in Phoenix.

"At some level, it's remarkable," Jackson said of Bryant's 93 points on consecutive nights. "At another level, it limits us, it hackles us a little bit because other players don't get in the flow, and they didn't get in the flow tonight."

Bryant, though, refused to say anything about Bell.

"I've got bigger fish to fry than Raja Bell," he said. "Are you kidding?"

Right Kobme.  Bell has bigger fish to fry also.  Like the 2nd round of the playoffs.

See, this kind of post proves that you didn't even watch the game!  You just read a box score and are hungry to use it to prove your already biased opinions.

The rest of the Lakers couldn't do ANYTHING -- you know how many passes and dunks that Kwame couldn't connect on?  Even standing wide open under the rim?  The rest of the Lakers couldn't make anything -- Kobe would take it into the middle, draw traffic and pass the ball to ___________ who was standing wide open (insert Parker, Walton, George, etc. in the blank) -- and several of the shots were wide open air balls.  Kobe was the only one doing anything.  Does that encourage a stand around offense -- sure but Kobe was actually keeping the Lakers in the game.  Odom came alive for a brief portion of the 3rd quarter but the guy HAS to be consistent in his aggressiveness to the rim.

[Reality]

Randolph,

I never claimed to watch this game.  Should i take Phil Jacksons word for it?

"At some level, it's remarkable," Jackson said of Bryant's 93 points on consecutive nights. "At another level, it limits us, it hackles us a little bit because other players don't get in the flow, and they didn't get in the flow tonight."

Or yours?

Of course all the Phx comments like Nash and Raja Bells were just those of Kobe Haters, right?

I also merely read the boxscore for Kobes 17 4th qtr points last night vs Clippers.  Sounds like he was very good.  But since i didnt see it, must not have been.


 

[Guest_Randy]

Randolph,

I never claimed to watch this game.  Should i take Phil Jacksons word for it?

"At some level, it's remarkable," Jackson said of Bryant's 93 points on consecutive nights. "At another level, it limits us, it hackles us a little bit because other players don't get in the flow, and they didn't get in the flow tonight."

Or yours?

Of course all the Phx comments like Nash and Raja Bells were just those of Kobe Haters, right?

I also merely read the boxscore for Kobes 17 4th qtr points last night vs Clippers.  Sounds like he was very good.  But since i didnt see it, must not have been.

The problem is that you take a few comments and blow them out of proportion -- and the fact that you didn't watch the game allows you to twist PJ's comments.  He IS right -- when Bryant takes the offense upon himself, it's bad for the team -- PJ IS right in that comment -- but since this is an EXCERPT of a press conference (rather than ALL of PJ's comments) it tends to make it out that Kobe was doing a horrible thing by becoming the Lakers offense.  IF you had watched the game, you would realize that Kobe didn't have much choice in the game if the Lakers were to even have a chance against the Suns.  Magic used to do the same thing -- why don't you rag on him?  Magic used to try and get his teammates involved but when they weren't getting anything done -- he would take over the game.  That's what great players do!

As for the comments by the Suns -- they were asked specific questions and just responded.  But against the Lakers, I think they played them exactly the way they should have -- don't allow any of the other players to get involved -- simply try and make it where Kobe has to beat you by himself.  And even as good as Kobe is, he isn't going to beat many teams by himself.

But the real problem wasn't Kobe's scoring or the lack of even getting other Laker players involved, it was the Lakers non-existent defense.  You know how many lay-ups and dunks the Suns got in that game?  Oh, that's right -- you don't, you simply read a boxscore and some comments and you don't really care about the game!

[JoMal]

See, this kind of post proves that you didn't even watch the game!  You just read a box score and are hungry to use it to prove your already biased opinions.

The rest of the Lakers couldn't do ANYTHING -- you know how many passes and dunks that Kwame couldn't connect on?  Even standing wide open under the rim?  The rest of the Lakers couldn't make anything -- Kobe would take it into the middle, draw traffic and pass the ball to ___________ who was standing wide open (insert Parker, Walton, George, etc. in the blank) -- and several of the shots were wide open air balls.  Kobe was the only one doing anything.  Does that encourage a stand around offense -- sure but Kobe was actually keeping the Lakers in the game.  Odom came alive for a brief portion of the 3rd quarter but the guy HAS to be consistent in his aggressiveness to the rim.

Too bad these POOR Kobe/Laker issues can't be resolve in the simple "Randy" fashion by whether or not Reality or I had watched the game, but if you watch ANY Laker game, the theme does not greatly change.

It is completely understandable why Kobe goes off like he did in the Phoenix game, where his team is fighting for a playoff seeding and there is little support from his teammates trying to do anything to help him out.

But when Phil Jackson comes out and says something like: "At some level, it's remarkable. At another level, it limits us, it hackles us a little bit because other players don't get in the flow, and they didn't get in the flow tonight.", you have to wonder whether in the interests of player development, Kobe scoring 51 of his team's points in a loss can ever allow that to happen.

I can also see how this puts some pressure on Kobe, who in the past has talked about involving his teammates more and has even bragged about it after games where he GOT the help and the Lakers have won.

But when the help is not there and Kobe takes it upon himself to keep his team in the game? Even Jackson apparently thinks that in the long haul, it might be better for the Lakers to absorb the loss while curbing Kobe's ball-hogged if it means the other Lakers get to feel part of the effort at least.

This topic is the same one we argued about a few months ago. Having Phil Jackson as an ally on the subject is pretty weird to me. I'm going to stop now.  

[WayOutWest]

It's an extreemly difficult balance.  The Lakers always make money, it's not about that for the Lakers organization.  Lakers are judged by their playoff success, specifically championships.  Even the most dellusional Laker fan cannot expect to contend for a title with this group of players.  Right now with the current personnel the measure of success is making the playoffs.  

Other than Sasha there really isn't any player development being done on the court.  Turiaf and Bynum aren't getting any PT so player development is not on the table this year.  Despite what PJ or anyone else is saying the goal for this season is to make the playoffs ONLY and Kobe dominating the ball and scoring is the only way to do it this year.  Parker and Odom are painfully inconsistent, Kwame sucks but is pretty good on defense and eveyone else on the squad is pretty much non-existant.  

Unless someone else steps up or gets added to the mix the Lakers have no choice but to live through these type of games where Kobe goes off and the Lakers lose ala the Suns as well as going through games where Kobe single handedly wins a game with his scoring ala Dallas.  Every now and then the Lakers as a team step up and win as a team but that only happened for a month this season.  It's quite possible the Lakers are in a catch 22 where Kobe's domination causes the Lakers to not function as a team and they lose therefore prompting Kobe to be even more selfish.  IMO it's not worth the effort to try and live through losses as a team because the current talent will not yeild the desired "team" results, i.e. a title contendor.  Let Kobe do his things and make the average ticket buying fan happy and then start making roster moves to get a contendor on the floor.