The decline of Kobe Bryant

[indiefan24]

Bryant has lost a step, as do most players who've logged as many minutes as he has. His shooting this season, however, is no worse than any of his previous seasons (except from 3-point range). In fact, it's slightly better this season (46%) than his career average (45.5%).

Even if his fingers heal completely by the start of next season, we cannot expect his shooting to improve by a significant margin. If anything, it's his weary legs that account for his dismal shooting from 3-point range. As Ray Allen has stated several times, success from that distance is largely determined by lift provided by the legs.

Bryant, whose legs have endured more NBA minutes than Allen, has begun to show the signs of age and wear. This season, he is averaging about two more minutes per game than his career average and his resultant fatigue has been reflected in his pathetic 32.5% shooting from downtown. Bryant has partially compensated for his shooting struggles from distance by developing a very solid mid-range, fadeaway jumper (similar to MJ) that will prolong his career somewhat, but this may not work over the longer term.

The problem, of course, is that many defenders have figured out that Bryant is no longer the long-range threat he once was. As a result, they play a step off him closer to the basket. This accounts, in part, for Bryant's seeming inability to get past his man and to the rim with the ease he showed in his youth. This problem will only be exacerbated as Bryant continues to slow down with age.

I don't believe Bryant will be able to enjoy the same level of success that Jordan did in the latter years of his career. For one thing, Jordan was a much better passer than Bryant and was able to pass out of double-teams in the post with a much higher degree of success than Bryant has ever shown. If Bryant becomes more of a post player, he will only make it easier for teams to double or triple team him. Will he be able to find the open man in such situations? I don't think so.

Secondly, Jordan never relied on his three-point shooting to the extent that Bryant has throughout his career. As a result, the shift to a mid-range game may be a bigger problem for Bryant. Bryant has used his range to draw defenders to the perimeter and create lanes to the basket in the past. Now, as defenders begin to lose respect for his 3-point shooting, the paint will be more clogged as they play a step closer to the basket.

Thirdly, Jordan was always a higher percentage shooter (roughly 50% over his career) than Bryant, so he and his teams were able to enjoy success with that shooting ability.

Bryant, as noted above, has never shot a high percentage (not even 47% during a single season), so I'm less certain that he and his teams can enjoy as much success if Bryant's perimeter game is deteriorating. You can only be successful shooting a lower percentage if many of your shots are worth three-points instead of two. But if you shoot a lower percentage than the opposition on two point shots, then you will struggle to keep pace with most teams.

Unless Bryant can raise his shooting percentage to 50% or above, the Lakers will increasingly have games where Bryant's inferior shooting hurts his team's chances for victory (as we have seen far too many times in the past). Personally, I agree that Buss gave Bryant too much money for what he'll be able to provide over the next 3-4 years.

[AJ2k8]

I fail to see the point of this thread.

[Freshprince619]

Yawn. Cant find nothing better to do with your day then write a long ass post of hate?

[Allstar24]

I'll bump this thread after the playoffs...

[dough]

He has more help now. He can take it easier. He's still one of the greatest players in the game.

[indiefan24]

Yawn. Cant find nothing better to do with your day then write a long ass post of hate?

hate? reality bud.

[indiefan24]

I fail to see the point of this thread.

Then you must fail to see the point of most things...

[Freshprince619]

hate? reality bud.

You just said he is shooting better then his career average. So where do you see the great decline?

[ZenMaster]

So basically what your'e saying is that Kobe is not as good as Jordan... Way to go.

[AJ2k8]

Then you must fail to see the point of most things...

Well so far you haven't provided a reasoning or a purpose for this thread, even when it was criticized...

[DukeDelonte13]

well if it makes you kobe fans feel better, apparently Lebron at the age of 24 is already in decline according to some posters here..

[AJ2k8]

well if it makes you kobe fans feel better, apparently Lebron at the age of 24 is already in decline according to some posters here..

Well all that hair he's lost since he's entered the league must take some sort of toll on his performance...

[RoseCity07]

6 billion people on earth. Always someone going to be on kobe's ass.

[indiefan24]

So basically what your'e saying is that Kobe is not as good as Jordan... Way to go.

read it again

[indiefan24]

You just said he is shooting better then his career average. So where do you see the great decline?

read