It has been nearly eight-months, 241 days since Los Angeles Lakers’ shooting guard Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon. Even then he still showed a warrior’s mentality when he slowly stepped up to the free throw line and calmly knocked down two shots. Afterwards he walked off the court without help and went on to schedule surgery for the next day.
Bryant has missed 25 games so far. As he returns he will be a seamless fit into the Lakers’ offensive attack and return’s to a team that has exceeded expectations, competed hard, showed a lot of resiliency, is above .500 and has the best bench in the NBA. This guard’s career averages are 25.52 points per game, 4.75 assists per game and 5.31 rebounds per game.
Unlike last season, this Lakers team has an identity and athleticism. They have improved three-point shooting, their chemistry and have played better in the second year of head coach Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun system with nine different players averaging at least eight points per game. Several pundits stated recently that the Lakers would not win twenty games this season. Perhaps those were the same pundits that hilariously tried to sell us on the idea that Kobe Bryant was the 25th best player in the league.
These predictions could not be further from the truth. Actually, the doom and gloom has helped to motivate the team. At times it has appeared that the Lakers have not had a difficult time replacing Kobe’s 27.3 points per game. Unlike last season, D’Antoni will limit Kobe to 20-25 minutes tonight. An often asked question throughout the player’s rehab is: will his role change?
The answer is: yes.
Due to L.A. being thin at the point guard position, look for the “Black Mamba” to run the point and facilitate the offense. Kobe is a threat with the ball in his hands and is the fourth leading scorer in NBA history. He will draw double-teams and defenses must honor him scoring off the dribble. They’ll have to watch for him attacking the basket and be aware of isolation plays. Kobe’s scoring off of screens and handoffs, pulling up jumpers, presence in the post — and the pick-and-roll-play and the catch-and-shoot opportunities — are all nightmares for opponents. All the while, his mid-range game remains lethal.
Bryant will fulfill his role as the leader of this team and when the team needs a bucket he will be the first option to score or set up a teammate to knock down a wide open three. His presence on the court will elevate the rest of the team’s level of play. The biggest issue for D’Antoni and staff is to make sure the Lakers continue to have solid ball and player movement instead of having the rest of the team stand still and watch Kobe work.
Unlike last season, Bryant now has help from a productive group of bench players and several three-point shooters that a defense must honor. The Lakers are a banged up team dealing with several injuries. But a completely healthy Kobe Bryant return makes the purple and gold a very versatile team.
The addition of a first ballot Hall of Fame player will enhance any lineup to be sure. And for L.A., there is a long road ahead. But it might be easy enough for this Lakers team to continue to beat the odds… fight for… and then land… a spot in the playoffs.
L.A. media member and sports talk show host Jeff Little can be heard daily on “The Locker Room” on Sports Journey.com. Follow him on Twitter: @JeffLittle32