Is Kobe Clutch?

The question is, while Kobe makes buzzer beaters, puts up massive point totals, is he really that clutch?

Sure, Kobe and the Lakettes won the title last year but over Denver? That’s like being proud of beating a bunch of first graders at dodgeball.

The Lakers have a smart game plan though, give the ball to Kobe. He’ll take 50 shots or more a night, make 50% of those shots and he’ll have around 50 pts giving the Lakers enough to win. Now, if that fails then so do the Lakers. So, to ensure that their plan works, Kobe  has been surrounded by some of the best rebounders from all over Europe. Why? Because nothing says give Kobe the ball more than pulling a guy out of a non-EU country and giving him twice his country’s GDP in a yearly salary.

Well, then there’s Luke Walton, Derek Fisher, Gasol, Bynum, and Artest to throw a wrench into that theory. Right? No, those guy are there to also give Kobe rebounds and to make games close when Kobe isn’t feeling it, aka when Kobe sits himself in the 3rd quarter against a good team like the Celtics so he can later claim a Vince Carter-esqe high ankle sprain.

So, last night Kobe makes another “clutch” three pointer. Off one foot, and off the glass. Now, where I come from you gotta call it when the bank is open on holidays. Kobe even admits that it was a “lucky” shot. Of course it was! Bottom line, it went in right? Game over, Heat lose. But, like all pro sports teams the Lakers should review the tape. Kobe has more than enough time to pass to either of the two open Lakers in the corner instead of going for a low percentage shot. Try looking at 1.20 in this video.

I guess I’m a fan of team sports and I hate on individualistic players. Maybe that makes me communist, or just a college basketball fan.

With 3.9 seconds left most good coaches will call a solid play to get the ball to an open man for a high percentage shot (see Mike D’Antoni). Let’s be serious, Phil Jackson just has courtside season tickets. Anyway, the Lakers, down by two, should have put something a little more scientific together, rather than…Give it to Kobe. It worked, I’m aware, but if you give Kobe the ball for every game winning shot then yes, of course the law of shot percentages says he will make a few, but how many has he missed? A whole bunch, and here is just a sampling:

And here is Kobe getting paid once again. I’m sure if you failed a business proposal this badly and fell on the ground laughing at work I’m confident your boss would have your nuts for lunch.