Ehh. Kobe Bryant wins his fourth in a row. You know what? He deserves it, but I kinda don't care.
I look around and think no one else has been playing their role better in this past month. Yet, team results have been mixed. This should not be the case. I mean, Kobe is playing some of his best basketball in the past couple of seasons. That's saying a lot for a player as great as Kobe. Why then, is this team still looking for that click?
Because now, more than ever, it'll take more than the greatness of Kobe to push this team back over the hump. Every off-season move and adjustment other contenders have made have been aimed at matching up with, and (hopefully) beating the Lakers. So far, so good. It's led to a series of disappointments in big games, while there's not one player (outside of Ron Artest, and probably Steve Blake) that hasn't had some stretch of great play. It's frustrating. With Kobe playing so well, and teammates having moments, it feels like this team in on the verge of giving us a reason to exhale.
So next week, I hope I'm typing someone else's name in the title. I expect Kobe to keep this pace up, thus making another winner a lovely sight. It's about time for the great play we've seen from each Laker at one point or another this season to happen at the same time against the top teams. Especially with the Grammy road trip taking course, and Boston and Orlando looming. Offensive cohesion and precision, tough defense, then clutch crunch time play need to happen in every game - not take turns.
Speaking of the Celtics, Pau's play against them automatically eliminated him from consideration. I could care less what he does against Houston or New Orleans. The C's though? Let's just say I'm really hoping to type his name after the rematch Thursday, but I'll take anyone else if it means finally notching a real signature win.
Please, please, please...pretty please, with a cherry on top, make me choose someone other than Kobe.
Here are Kobe's stats for the week:
30.25 points, 6.5 assists, 6.75 rebounds per game in 40.25 minutes per game. He shot 44-of-94 for 46.8% FG and 7-of-16 for 43.8% from three.