Kobe comparison
If you think Kobe Bryant is shooting a lot of free throws, you're right.
Bryant is averaging about 33 percent more free throws in the ongoing Western Conference semifinals against the Jazz than Michael Jordan attempted against Utah during the 1997 of 1998 NBA Finals.
Here are the numbers:
Michael Jordan's Free Throws
1997 NBA Finals
Game 1 ..... 5-7
Game 2 .... 15-21
Game 3 ..... 4-5
Game 4 ..... 0-0
Game 5 .....10-12
Game 6 ..... 8-10
Total ......... 42-55 (.764)
1998 NBA Finals
Game 1 ....... 6-8
Game 2 ....... 9-10
Game 3 ...... 10-11
Game 4 ...... 10-15
Game 5 ...... 10-11
Game 6 ...... 12-15
Total ........... 57-70 (.814)
Kobe Bryant's Free Throws
2008 Western Conference semifinals
Game 1 .... 21-23
Game 2 .... 11-12
Game 3 .... 14-17
Game 4 .... 6-10
Totals ....... 52-62 (.839)
Now, before Jazz fans start nodding their heads knowingly and take this as a sure sign Bryant is being protected by the officials, understand that the rules have changed in the past decade, as far as what a defender can and can't do.
Today, it is much harder to guard a player like Jordan or Bryant without committing a foul, so I don't think it's overly surprising that Michael averaged 10.4 free throws in 12 games in the Finals against Utah and Bryant is averaging 15.5 in this series.
Another thing: I thought the Jazz were physically tired and emotionally flat in Game 1, which was played 38 hours after Utah closed out Houston in the first round.
In the opener of this series, Bryant shot a Laker-record 23 free throws against the Jazz who, in my opinion, did a lot of reaching and grabbing because they weren't sharp defensively.
That helps explain some of those 23 free throws -- two more than Jordan ever shot against Utah in the Finals.
A final word on Bryant: His performance in Game 4, when he played 46:32 with an obviously sore back, was admirable.
He reminded me of the many nights when I watched John Stockton and Karl Malone play through sprained wrists and ankles, hyperextended elbows, bruised shoulders and aching knees because they wanted one thing -- to help their team win a basketball game.
In Game 4, Bryant missed 20 of his 33 field-goal attempts, including six of seven in overtime. But he finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists despite being unable to explode around his defender and get to the rim.
With Bryant, the Lakers pushed the Jazz to overtime. If Bryant had not kept trying, I doubt it would have taken Utah nearly that long to secure its victory.
-- Steve Luhm
Bryant is averaging about 33 percent more free throws in the ongoing Western Conference semifinals against the Jazz than Michael Jordan attempted against Utah during the 1997 of 1998 NBA Finals.
Here are the numbers:
Michael Jordan's Free Throws
1997 NBA Finals
Game 1 ..... 5-7
Game 2 .... 15-21
Game 3 ..... 4-5
Game 4 ..... 0-0
Game 5 .....10-12
Game 6 ..... 8-10
Total ......... 42-55 (.764)
1998 NBA Finals
Game 1 ....... 6-8
Game 2 ....... 9-10
Game 3 ...... 10-11
Game 4 ...... 10-15
Game 5 ...... 10-11
Game 6 ...... 12-15
Total ........... 57-70 (.814)
Kobe Bryant's Free Throws
2008 Western Conference semifinals
Game 1 .... 21-23
Game 2 .... 11-12
Game 3 .... 14-17
Game 4 .... 6-10
Totals ....... 52-62 (.839)
Now, before Jazz fans start nodding their heads knowingly and take this as a sure sign Bryant is being protected by the officials, understand that the rules have changed in the past decade, as far as what a defender can and can't do.
Today, it is much harder to guard a player like Jordan or Bryant without committing a foul, so I don't think it's overly surprising that Michael averaged 10.4 free throws in 12 games in the Finals against Utah and Bryant is averaging 15.5 in this series.
Another thing: I thought the Jazz were physically tired and emotionally flat in Game 1, which was played 38 hours after Utah closed out Houston in the first round.
In the opener of this series, Bryant shot a Laker-record 23 free throws against the Jazz who, in my opinion, did a lot of reaching and grabbing because they weren't sharp defensively.
That helps explain some of those 23 free throws -- two more than Jordan ever shot against Utah in the Finals.
A final word on Bryant: His performance in Game 4, when he played 46:32 with an obviously sore back, was admirable.
He reminded me of the many nights when I watched John Stockton and Karl Malone play through sprained wrists and ankles, hyperextended elbows, bruised shoulders and aching knees because they wanted one thing -- to help their team win a basketball game.
In Game 4, Bryant missed 20 of his 33 field-goal attempts, including six of seven in overtime. But he finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists despite being unable to explode around his defender and get to the rim.
With Bryant, the Lakers pushed the Jazz to overtime. If Bryant had not kept trying, I doubt it would have taken Utah nearly that long to secure its victory.
-- Steve Luhm
9:01 AM
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4 Comments:
His performance was not admirable. It seemed more like half-injuryc, half act. He can make a turnround jumpshot at the end of the half, and strike that goofy pose.....but then gets blocked and can't get off the floor?
Comparing what Kobe did with Stock and Malone is off based as well. We didn't know about their injuries; they made sure of that. And wow, no mention during the game about Deron's wrist...and has his butt healed yet?
Why do you stick up for how great Kobe played when his back hurt? What about Deron Williams wrist, or Ronnie Price's cut above his eye? They both played amazingly well and were injured too. STOP sticking up for the Lakers, it is now officially obvious you come from L.A.
So you see any other player in the league milking it like he does? Is he hoping this gets included in the SI hardbound edition?
first, i'm a die hard laker fan. been hating kobe since he let detroit get a ring and won't forgive him until we get at least back to back rings again. on his back injury, CREATED BY VEGAS!!! kobe knows how to make money without going to work. i knew it was fake when he was in slow motion the whole game and then the last two plays of regulation, my god, he was faster than cp3. i knew then that he was setting up vegas for a killing. think about the odds of winning if your star is injured AND they play in utah. sounds lame? check the vegas odds against kobes acting. easy money baby. he's done it before with detroit. he was fighting that rape case and lost all his sponsers. lakers were heavily favored to win the ring that year with 7-1 vegas odds. we all remember that outcome.
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