# Reported Missing: Kobe Bryant's Shot



## Ron (May 8, 2002)

Kobe is now 4 for 28 in the preseason, and counting last season's championship game 7, he is 10 for 52 from the field, for a shooting percentage of 19.23%.

Actually, I am speechless. I have no idea what to make of his lost shooting touch...I am not sure he has ever gone through such a dry spell in his entire career.

Granted, these are exhibition games, but he is not even close to what he was last year. Is it the knee surgery, which is taking longer to heal? Is it that he can't get the lift? Is the finger bothering him too much?

As the season approaches, he is going to need to get it back. Perhaps taking shorter-range jumpers to get the accuracy back. The Laker coaching staff can't keep putting a smile on this, they need to address it at some point.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

10 of 52? sure he has - considering his current state of health and his hand injuries? hell you're talking about a guy who probably takes over a thousand shots a day - 52 attempts is a teensy-weensy sampling


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

I'm not even close to being worried about his shot.


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

His legs look _just_ tired. Bet he sits out last few preseason games.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

His shot will be there when his legs come back. 

Its Kobe, how can anyone be worried?


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## sylaw (Nov 7, 2002)

Lynx said:


> His legs look _just_ tired. Bet he sits out last few preseason games.


I agree that he should sit out some preseason games. His knee isn't ready so there's really no reason to have him out there until he's better.


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

elcap15 said:


> His shot will be there when his legs come back.
> 
> Its Kobe, how can anyone be worried?


Age takes it toll on everyone.

I don't know how many of you remember James Worthy (as a player I mean, because obviously everyone knows him from his excellent analysis of Laker games on KCAL-9).

Big-Game James' game disappeared overnight, fellas. I will never forget it. And what I am seeing so far in the pre-season is alarming to me.


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## Wilmatic2 (Oct 30, 2005)

I'm not worried.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Ron said:


> Age takes it toll on everyone.
> 
> I don't know how many of you remember James Worthy (as a player I mean, because obviously everyone knows him from his excellent analysis of Laker games on KCAL-9).
> 
> Big-Game James' game disappeared overnight, fellas. I will never forget it. And what I am seeing so far in the pre-season is alarming to me.


Big Game James had a high ankle injury in 91 (hurt the Laker's chances against the Bulls with him hobbbled) and a season ending knee injury in 92 - poof went his quicks and springs - wasnt a sudden disappearance - cause and provenance was pretty clear


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

e-monk said:


> Big Game James had a high ankle injury in 91 (hurt the Laker's chances against the Bulls with him hobbbled) and a season ending knee injury in 92 - poof went his quicks and springs - wasnt a sudden disappearance - cause and provenance was pretty clear


Oh, you mean his season-ending knee injury does not in any way equate to Kobe's knee surgery? Or how about Kobe's finger that can't get straight?

I sure hope Kobe can rebound...but 10 for 52 makes me think otherwise. He just isn't the same right now.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

He's only playing 16 minutes per night. That's why this isn't alarming. Phil says his ankle is coming on fine, but until it's doing "very well", Phil isn't going to give Kobe over 30 minutes.

Kobe's the kind of player that needs a few 30+ minute games before he starts feeling back to normal. Think about it - the guy has been playing 38mpg every year for the last 11 years of his career. He's not used to being used as a two-stint-per-game role player.

Once that knee gets alright, we'll see the energy back, we'll see the jumper back and we'll see Kobe back. He puts up 40 in one of the first 10 games, guaranteed.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

He started off slow after the surgery in 06 too. He'll be fine.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Ron said:


> Oh, you mean his season-ending knee injury does not in any way equate to Kobe's knee surgery? Or how about Kobe's finger that can't get straight?
> 
> I sure hope Kobe can rebound...but 10 for 52 makes me think otherwise. He just isn't the same right now.


hey it's never too early to panic - knock yourself out

but James Worthy was no Kobe (who is?) in terms of keeping himself in shape or developing his game - like Mike before him Kobe has been working on a game that relies less on his athleticism and more on skill and fundamentals - the finger? he's had that since when? most of last year? the knee? did that happen in the boston series or did it happen much earlier? if these were injuries that coincided with this tiny little slump maybe you worry but they didnt so I wont just yet


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

I'm not panicking.

I am being realistic.

He is 32 years old and has already been in the league 15 years. For anyone to believe he will perform at the high level he has been playing at is being delusional.

The Lakers are going to have to develop options...more shots for other players. If Kobe is going to jack up 20 shots a game and make only 5 the Lakers are going to be in trouble this season. Game 7 in the Finals was a total fluke that the Lakers even came away with a win.

That won't happen again, no way.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

its the preseason...it doesn't matter....his leg could be amputated right now and Id only be slightly concerned 

It doesnt matter


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

Ron said:


> I'm not panicking.
> 
> I am being realistic.
> 
> ...


It was all DEFENSE, WILL TO WIN AND HEART!


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

Ron said:


> I'm not panicking.
> 
> He is 32 years old and has already been in the league 15 years. For anyone to believe he will perform at the high level he has been playing at is being delusional.


Then I guess i am delusional. I think he will be as good if not better than he was last year


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> its the preseason...it doesn't matter....his leg could be amputated right now and Id only be slightly concerned
> 
> It doesnt matter


Not even worth commenting on.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Ron said:


> I'm not panicking.
> 
> I am being realistic.
> 
> ...


look, if you're saying that Kobe may begin to decline, well of course - he already has in some ways

but what you implied was something catastrophic and immediate like what happened to Worthy and I just dont think that's how it's going to work out 

I think Kobe will be fine this season


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

Lynx said:


> It was all DEFENSE, WILL TO WIN AND HEART!


Well of course it was, because without the defense, we would have lost by 39 points again.

Kobe 6/24 and free-throw shooting abysmal, let's just say that was one of the ugliest wins I have ever witnessed in 44 years of watching this game.


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

elcap15 said:


> Then I guess i am delusional. I think he will be as good if not better than he was last year


Totally disagree.

If he makes seven game winners this year, then I will be the first one to admit you are right and I was wrong.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Ron said:


> Well of course it was, because without the defense, we would have lost by 39 points again.
> 
> Kobe 6/24 and free-throw shooting abysmal, let's just say that was one of the ugliest wins I have ever witnessed in 44 years of watching this game.


well and dont forget that Pau went 6 of 16 and the lakers as a team shot a poorer overall fg% than Boston shot from behind the arc


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Ron...you will be wrong....prepare for a bump in May...no hard feelings


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Kobe's going to be great as always.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

I think this is the definition of panicking. lol

Kobe will be fine he doesn't have the strength in his knee yet and its apparent it takes away from his balance on his shot. 

I've learned not to worry about Kobe. He'll kill himself working to get the knee right. 

I was concerned about him having surgery in the 1st place but I think he'll get the knee right its just gonna take some time. 

Kobe is just getting the bad ones out of his system. No one rides the momentum and confidence of a good game like Kobe. have one good shooting game and it'll propel his game. 

I'll panic if its allstar break and he's shooting 28 %. lol


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## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

He will be fine. It's Kobe, there's no way he's going to have some complete dropoff, he won't let that happen.


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## King George (Jun 21, 2003)

Umm. That's just Kobe. Wasn't he shooting terrible to finish the season and early on against OKC and everyone was digging his grave? 

Didn't he go like 14-17 for like 45 points in the first half against washington and them finish like 17 for 35 for just 50 something points and then had another two horrid shooting performances back to back?


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

are we feeling a little better now that Kobe has put together a couple decent outings including doing some serious work in the 3rd quarter last night?


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

So what was Kobe's line in the 3rd...something like 17 points in 7 minutes or something? A week to go til the season and 8 months until it matters....yeah, he's gonna be just fine


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

I certainly hope so.


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## Kneejoh (Dec 21, 2004)

Do we really have to worry about Kobe? I honestly won't be worrying until the guy is 38.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

thug_immortal8 said:


> Do we really have to worry about Kobe? I honestly won't be worrying until the guy is 38.


I still wouldn't worry.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

thug_immortal8 said:


> Do we really have to worry about Kobe? I honestly won't be worrying until the guy is 38.


Welcome back!


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## Kneejoh (Dec 21, 2004)

King Sancho Fantastic said:


> Welcome back!


Thanks it's nice to be back, I see a lot of the same people are still here which is good. I should be back for the whole year now and I'm excited for the possible three peat.


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

Kobe needs to sit out these pre-season games.


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## ii9ce (Feb 1, 2005)

Lynx said:


> Kobe needs to sit out these pre-season games.


Agreed


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

Lynx said:


> Kobe needs to sit out these pre-season games.


His shot ain't gonna get any better by sitting.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

His shot will get better as his knee gets better. One and the same. Sounds like he wont be playing tonight against the GSW.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

But he'll be playing tomorrow.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

Why oh why do we have back to backs in the preseason? It makes no sense to me at all.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Ron...you will be wrong....prepare for a bump in May...no hard feelings


Laker fans are notorious chicken littles. Look at DaRizzle and his prediction of Laker doom pre-playoffs.

Ron wanted to rebuild the team mid 2001 season and then the Lakers went 15-1 and rattled off two straight titles.

I'm going to call it now, Lakers will win less than 60 and people will claim they have no shot against the Beasts in the East. 80% of those people will be Laker fans demanding a trade every week, role players to die, etc...


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

We're going to be just fine.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Jamel Irief said:


> Laker fans are notorious chicken littles. Look at DaRizzle and his prediction of Laker doom pre-playoffs.


Seriously? Still bringing that up all knowing one? You are just lying or dont know bball if you weren't very concerned at that point in time.

All my points were within the context of winning a 'ship, not just performing well in the playoffs. 

I guess when it comes down to it I was off by the last 16 minutes of the final game of the season. Get over yourself....Jesus Christ

Will this post be removed since Im disagreeing with you after you calling me out? I noticed one of my recent threads just vanished


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> Laker fans are notorious chicken littles. Look at DaRizzle and his prediction of Laker doom pre-playoffs.
> 
> Ron wanted to rebuild the team mid 2001 season and then the Lakers went 15-1 and rattled off two straight titles.
> 
> I'm going to call it now, Lakers will win less than 60 and people will claim they have no shot against the Beasts in the East. 80% of those people will be Laker fans demanding a trade every week, role players to die, etc...


**** but you have a long memory.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Seriously? Still bringing that up all knowing one? You are just lying or dont know bball if you weren't very concerned at that point in time.
> 
> All my points were within the context of winning a 'ship, not just performing well in the playoffs.
> 
> I guess when it comes down to it I was off by the last 16 minutes of the final game of the season. Get over yourself....Jesus Christ



Do you not see the irony here?

Kobe is shooting poorly and you say judging by his history you aren't worry.

The Lakers are slacking off in the regular season going thru the motions (like they've done during plenty of Phil Jax championships) and you ignored that history and predicted failure. 

So is everyone that isn't worried about Kobe's shot lying or bball ignorant?



> Will this post be removed since Im disagreeing with you after you calling me out? I noticed one of my recent threads just vanished


Yes. Not only that but you will be banned, arrested and sodomized.


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## Tragedy (Dec 9, 2002)

Knee surgery right?

Then no lift.

Dude is not even at 100%, and say he's 60%, he's probably not even giving that 60% a full 100%.


I wouldn't be concerned until January at the earliest.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Shaq + PJ equals slackers-ville - think of how that must have made Kobe feel? why isnt anyone working hard but me? where's the hunger? the only hunger I see is Fatty over there plowing down that animal style double double etc etc

win though they did I really didnt like that aspect of the Shaq era Lakers - then again look at the Spurs in their title years - they usually coasted early too


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

Jamel Irief said:


> Do you not see the irony here?
> 
> Kobe is shooting poorly and you say judging by his history you aren't worry.
> 
> ...


Or gee...hmmmm...every situation is unique

So worry about everything or worry about nothing is your motto?

How about you give the whole story instead of just skew it in your favor? Kobe was extremely injured, Odom's shoulder was jacked, Fisher was playing possibly the worst of his career, Bynum was MIA. I am very much aware of coasting thru the regular season is the norm. In this particular case we were trying to get HCA from the Cavs LATE in the season, when the Lakers always pick it up for positioning and to get in the right frame of mind for the playoffs. NONE OF THAT HAPPENED (like their usual history). Not only did they not catch the Cavs they fizzled out towards the end of the regular season...so badly that ORL had HCA against the Lakers too (if that had happened).

There was nothing normal to the last 3 weeks of that season:

*09-10: 5-7*
08-09: 9-3
07-08: 9-3

Wanna go back to early 2000?

00-01: 9-3
01-02: 8-4

Notice a theme except in one certain year? Arguably at the time thought to be the most important year for HCA

So dont give me this BS about chicken little or me not knowing my Lakers history. There was nothing normal to the end of last season for a Lakers Phil Jackson team with championship aspirations.

But you keep goin ahead and rip other people for their predictions while you dont make any and just bash others....good job moderator


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

Jamel Irief said:


> Laker fans are notorious chicken littles. Look at DaRizzle and his prediction of Laker doom pre-playoffs.
> 
> Ron wanted to rebuild the team mid 2001 season and then the Lakers went 15-1 and rattled off two straight titles.
> 
> I'm going to call it now, Lakers will win less than 60 and people will claim they have no shot against the Beasts in the East. 80% of those people will be Laker fans demanding a trade every week, role players to die, etc...


:laugh:

Thanks Jamel, and btw as for trade talk, I think that was a shot at Damien deliberately.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

DaRizzle said:


> Or gee...hmmmm...every situation is unique
> 
> So worry about everything or worry about nothing is your motto?
> 
> ...



You can make predictions all you want, hell I predicted the Lakers WOULD win the championship. It's just downright hypocritical to make a prediction and then boast "I'll bump this when I'm right" only to get outraged and through a fit when people make you eat crow when you're wrong.


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