Rest, Baby, Rest: An Open Memo to Kobe Bryant

by DexterFishmore on Feb 7, 2010 9:30 AM PST in Editorial Comment 45 comments

See, Kobe? That wasn't so hard, was it? You're entitled to a night off every now and then, especially when you've enough injuries to qualify for disability in several states. Those teammates you've got? They're good. Most of them are, I mean. They can be counted on not to load their pants on the rare occasion you're not around to rescue them.

I know your heart's been in the right place. You get paid to play basketball, and that's what you want to do. Totes laudable. If all the world had your professionalism and tenacity, it would run a hell of a lot better than it does. It goes without saying that you live for the approval of Silver Screen and Roll authors, so please rest assured that you have it from now until the Rapture.

(Or until you retire and start making commercials for San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino.)

It's now time for you to do it again. Keep resting. Keep healing. Kick your dogs up and sip on Frescas until after the All-Star break. I say this not because the Lakers don't need you, but because they do. They need you, healthy, when the playoffs come calling. Gutting it out at 70% for a few weeks in winter is one thing. Pulling the same trick in May or June is another, far riskier maneuver. To get you to ring numero five, the Lakers will require that you be operating at or near full capacity.

That's been true all along, of course. What's changed in recent days is the importance of the Lakers' regular-season games, the ones you've been painfully forcing yourself through. That's to say, they've become relatively less consequential, and not anywhere close to important enough to risk your playoff health over.

On January 14th, the Lakers led the Cleveland Cavaliers by a game in the standings. Home-court advantage throughout the playoffs was in play between the two teams. Killing yourself to maintain that edge I can understand. The Cavs are your likely Finals opponents, and when Game One tips off on a certain Sunday in June, you'll want to be in your own building. It's a tangible objective that justifies certain risks.

I hate to say it, but that carrot is no longer realistically within reach. Since the night of January 14th, the Cavaliers have won all 11 of their games, while the Lakers have gone a very good but relatively quotidian 9-4. The Cavs lead the Lakers by two games plus a tiebreaker. To secure home-court advantage, L.A. would have to outperform Cleveland by three games over the last 30. That's technically feasible but not likely. Keep in mind that there are no head-to-head games left between the teams, and that so far the Cavs have played more road games than home.

Likewise in the key of What would be the point?, nobody's in a good position to challenge the Lakers for HCA in the Western Conference. Denver is 4½ games back, Utah 6½. Even if you, Kobe Bryant, missed the entire rest of the regular season, the Lakers would still likely finish with home court. Just taking the next two off - which plus the ASB would give you 10 full days of restage - doesn't even more the probability needle.

And think of the salutary effects it could have. Lamar Odom and Ron Artest get a bigger role in the offense and a chance to keep their flow going. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol would have to step up, shorn as they'd be of their Kobe is shooting too much excuses. And Sasha Vujacic would get more shots and time to rediscover his.... you know what, maybe forget that last one.

The point is, there's a straightforward risk-reward calculus up in here. In terms of anything that matters, taking the next week or so off is basically costless. You'll feel better, we'll feel better, and your teammates might find their swag a bit. You know it's the right thing to do.

Turn in your badge and gun, and we'll have them polished and ready for you on February 16th.

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This turns out well in the movies

The captain takes the badge and gun, but somehow the hero redeems himself, solves the case on his own and shows everyone they were wrong about him.

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

by Gil Meriken on Feb 7, 2010 9:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Well said.

I agree. I think we’re good enough without Kobe to be able to win the next two games. Especially if faith in the system continues.

I still want to see him in the All-Star game though. I look forward to the All-Star Game.

http://twitter.com/wondahbap

by wondahbap on Feb 7, 2010 9:48 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Regarding Sasha...

I want to see Phil just let him play while Kobe’s out. Good minutes. Let him work his way out. I don;t think he’ll ever get any real consistency getting a few minutes here or there. Granted, he does make some dumb decisions, but so does Farmar and Shannon at times. Good Sasha can bring a lot to the team. Let him get comfortable already. He’s been humbled. Let him play. I’m not ready to completely give up on him yet. Not until our PG and back up SG situation is settled, and that’s far from being the case.

http://twitter.com/wondahbap

by wondahbap on Feb 7, 2010 9:52 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

agree. that is the only way the kid will ever regain his confidence. he had a nice shot going for him in 2008. it’s there. he just has to rediscover his confidence.

by chaucer on Feb 7, 2010 5:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well put.

I’ve been wanting Kobe to take a break since after the Boston game through the all-star break. I wanted homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs as well, but like you said, it’s not as likely anymore. So let Kobe rest.

Btw, any word on Bynum’s injury?

Another btw, big ups to Lamar. 22 boards reeks of manliness.

Well let me welcome everybody to the wild wild west. A state that's untouchable like Elliot Ness.

by pharoah on Feb 7, 2010 10:28 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

There is still hope for Sasha

Hi guys, I live in Paris, and I have been following this blog for a few years so finally i decided to start blogging….I have to agree that Sasha is just going through a confidence issue and Phil should just let him play about 15 minutes a game so he can find his rythmn…
And this Artest deal is paying because Artest can carry a team. He did it with Houston so he has done it for us the past few games because he has been able to find a rythmn in the triangle..

by didoucet on Feb 7, 2010 10:32 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Welcome dude! Yeah Sasha seemed to play well Phil should start him to give him a confidence boost.

But still i’m open for trading him…cuz once Kobe comes back he wont see the floor and he’ll regress again.

The RaiderLaker

by Raider9 on Feb 7, 2010 11:33 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I've said it before

and I’ll say it again..

The Lakers depend too much on the Black Mamba, and it’s only taking away from what the rest of the Purple and Gold can do. They think that when things go wrong, Kobe is always gonna be there to back them up. It’s true, but it shouldn’t always be like that.

I like how Ron has been playing lately. He needs to play like this while Kobe takes his turn on the bench. Odom had 22 rebounds, that’s boss! I know they are capable of beating teams on their own without Kobe.

They should test themselves against San Antonio tomorrow without Kobe, but that’s highly unlikely because the Spurs have always been Conference rivals to LA. It would be nice, though, to see how they put up with San Antonio.

by Hensi24 on Feb 7, 2010 10:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

lol..i thought that was a real pic

by chaucer on Feb 7, 2010 11:22 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Kolbe

Let him rest before you ruin him for the playoffs. I still think it will be the Celtics and Lakers, and we want everyone healthy, to settle who is best once and for all.

by angloamer on Feb 7, 2010 11:32 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

i still think the lakers can end up with home court advantage even against the cavs. they are only 2 games back. cleveland is likely to have a bad stretch (at least i hope they do); i think they are playing their best ball right now. i don’t think they have the personnel to play any better—unless they make a significant trade. however, assuming kobe does decide to rest from here to the all-star game, then we might fall a few more games in the standings, making it more difficult. i think one other factor u forgot to mention with regards to records and home court advantage, is the fact the cavs play in the weak eastern conference. teams 6-8 in the east have losing records. conversely, the west’s number 10th ranked team in the standings has a winning record.

by chaucer on Feb 7, 2010 11:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

that said, the cavs have the better odds to end up with home court advantage; but, i do think it’s still early.

by chaucer on Feb 7, 2010 11:34 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Bynum really doesnt look good

even before he had the hip injury, i saw him hobbling up and down the court alot. I dunno if his knee swelling is really bothering him but maybe we should rest him through the All Star break too.

by desecrator09 on Feb 7, 2010 11:40 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

i read something about his knee injury from 2008 was bothering him…that’s not good. i hope he isn’t damaged goods.

by chaucer on Feb 7, 2010 11:45 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah it was swelling after he collided with Jackson on Wednesday

he said rest will make it go away, which is why maybe we should sit him out too through the break.

by desecrator09 on Feb 7, 2010 11:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

perkinds vs howard great defenders

by chaucer on Feb 7, 2010 11:46 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Shannon's Top 10 dunks of career

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/allstar/2010/02/05/20100205_brown_top10_dunks.nba/

by desecrator09 on Feb 7, 2010 12:09 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

ok guys

who are you picking to win the superbowl???

"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."

by shaqfor3 on Feb 7, 2010 12:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Saints

WHO DAT!!! (yeah, I know thats getting lame by now)

by desecrator09 on Feb 7, 2010 12:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

hate to say it

but the colts… they are unstopabble offensively with manning and their D is weirdly great

by matthewmafa on Feb 7, 2010 12:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I've got the Colts winning. I think it'll be of the double digit variety.

The Colts are a complete with an very good, possible an elite defense with an elite offense. The Colts defense is underrated. Severely. They have two ends who can wreak havoc on the Saints. Plus their corners can cover too. I think the Colts will get more stops on D than the Saints D. The Saints D can only cheap shot their way off the field. The Colts offensive line is superior to the Cardinals and Vikings. Plus, they don’t tackle well.

by E-ROC on Feb 7, 2010 1:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

im pretty torn up on this

the colts i think have the edge here cause they have one of the top defenses in the league and have veteran leadership with manning and dallas clark who have been on the big stage before…
though im pulling for the saints…

"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."

by shaqfor3 on Feb 7, 2010 2:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I did the next-best thing, as far as many Lakers fans are concerned: I told Fisher you think he is slow and done and the problem with the Lakers.

It was no coincidence that Fisher was more assertive in Bryant’s absence.
"He and I are co-captains, and we work together to manage this team," Fisher said. "So when he’s out, I know guys are going to look to me more than usual, so I just try to be even more vocal, more aggressive, stronger out there on the floor. They need to see me not worried about the fact that Kobe’s not playing – and I don’t think they’ll worry much about it either."

Why Fisher is still good for the Lakers by Kevin Ding.
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/fisher-233013-good-lakers.html

by intuitive on Feb 7, 2010 12:45 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

Fisher

I think Fisher will still be important to PJ unless there is a point guard out there who can prove he is willing to learn and execute the triangle offense.. I really dont understand why Farmar does not want to really learn the triangle… Farmar is just a decent player but not a starter in PJ’s triangle offense…

by didoucet on Feb 7, 2010 12:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

farmar is young and wants to "show" more, i think

he has aspects of his game that are great (drive & dish) but doesn’t fit the triangle well. but to ask him to not “drive & dish” is also a waste of his talent. esp for a young guy who wants to prove himself, it’s important to want to use their full capacity. i mean, kobe was like that once upon a time. of course, it’s often a double edged sword since trying too much leads to bad decisions (just ask sasha). the less time he gets, the more he wants to prove himself.

still, while farmar’s skillset doesn’t fit the triangle perfectly, i think it’s good to have a guard that can drive & dish. afterall, we don’t run the triangle every single play anyways. it’s good to have some versatility.

by Nostance on Feb 7, 2010 1:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

farmar drive and dish?

farmar has some horrrible passing skills for a pg imo

by matthewmafa on Feb 7, 2010 2:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure what Farmar you're talking about

but the Farmar on the Lakers has some nice passing skills, he just rarely gets to use them in the open court because Kobe and co demand the ball.

On a fast break, I would take Farmar with the ball over anyone on the Lakers. He’ll act like he’s going up for the shot, flip a no look pass over his should to Lamar who flushes it with the left. That’s some good stuff.

Lamar = Laker for Life...Go Pads...Go Bolts

by mrbarneydangles on Feb 7, 2010 3:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

farmar in the half court offense

by matthewmafa on Feb 7, 2010 3:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBnXD2YqvUc

"The guy said NBA players are one in a million... I said, 'Man, look, I'm going to be that one in a million.'" - Kobe

by LakerUNLTD on Feb 7, 2010 3:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

REC'D DEX

Why every time I finish your article, I have a BIG smile on my face, you crack me up with line’s like:

“You’re entitled to a night off every now and then, especially when you’ve enough injuries to qualify for disability in several states.”

Cause ain’t that the truth, if I had any injury close to Kobe’s injuries, the bed would be my friend all day. Only basketball injuries I have endured were a sprain finger and wrist but Kobe is head to toe banged up so rest is needed. Lakers sure showed me they can do it one game without Kobe so lets see them prove it again, this may be needed so I say Kobe rest please dude.

There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be commited against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the LimeLight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

by BrittneyM on Feb 7, 2010 2:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

did someone post the Taco Bell commercial yet?

Charles Barkley, with a surprise appearance from Lamar at the end!

http://www.youtube.com/tacobell

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

by Gil Meriken on Feb 7, 2010 7:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

what Portland game proves

…is that when the Lakers play the way they’re supposed to they’ll beat most teams with a fair margin of victory. I don’t know if it’s injuries, Kobe, or resentment against Kobe that’s preventing the team from using the triangle to their advantage. Everyone’s complaining about being left out, but the whole point of the triangle is that nobody’s left out.

Kobe should try an experiment: just limit himself to taking 20 shots a game. His FGP would go up, the shot distribution would be better, and the Lakers would win the games they’re supposed to. And if they don’t, at least they won’t point fingers at each other like they’re doing now, and cut each other up with veiled remarks in the press.

by j-head on Feb 7, 2010 8:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Offseason 2010

You think Ray allen is going to hold a grudge if Boston trades him away?

and if so.. you think we could get him on the cheap when he needs to sign a deal in the summer?

by xclusuf on Feb 8, 2010 3:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Would Ray Allen want to be a bench player?

I doubt it. I don’t think the Lakers should get Ray Allen. Personally, I think the Lakers should get more athletic on the bench. Find players who fill a specific role and sign them for cheap. Players like Tony Gaffney, Othyus Jeffers, Malik Hairston, Dwayne Jones, Raja Bell, Anthony Morrow, Craig Smith, Rasual Butler, Quentin Richardson, Travis Outlaw, etc. The Lakers should dole out ton of money to sign players that will have a role off the bench unless their skills are undeniable like Lamar Odom. I would like for them to avoid giving out contracts like Walton and Vujacic.

Plus, Ray is getting old. If its a one year deal, I’d do it.

by E-ROC on Feb 8, 2010 8:10 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs