Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant Heating Up Before All-Star Break
In response to chatter about him not deserving an All-Star selection, Kobe Bryant has taken his play to another level in recent games.
Following a disastrous 10-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Lakers have been on a recent upswing, winning two games in a row over the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans in the past week.
This success is fully, or at least in large part, due to the play of the legendary Kobe Bryant.
With the All-Star team selections coming out a few weeks ago, there have been gripes about Bryant being statistically unworthy of a spot based upon the season he’s having (16.7 PPG on shooting splits of .357/.276/.739, all well below his career averages). This stat line has been a result of Bryant’s play fluctuating due to all the miles he’s put in over his career weighing on him at times during the season.
More from Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
- A surprise LeBron ranking should raise alarm bells for the Lakers
- Surprising Austin Reaves contract detail confirms Lakers got him for a steal
- Instant Grades for the Lakers’ unprecedented Anthony Davis extension
- Report: Lakers have big plans for recent top-10 pick amid roster shakeup
However, as of recently, Bryant seems to have his legs under him — and it’s leading to some outstanding performances for him and wins for the team.
Bryant started the week in a duel against upstart sophomore guard Andrew Wiggins and the Minnesota Timberwolves. After going for 15 points in the first half, Bryant ramped it like only he can in the second, going for 23 points on 47 percent shooting from the field and 80 percent shooting from three while trading buckets with Wiggins, who had 30 points of his own, down the stretch.
To put the icing on the cake, Bryant hit two of those threes late in the game and then nailed the go-ahead jumper with 26 seconds left in the contest.
Bryant finished the game with numbers representative of the Mamba in his prime, ending with 38 points on 10-of-21 shooting from the field, 7-of-11 shooting from downtown and 11-of-12 shooting from the foul line.
But he wasn’t done.
Related Story: NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Landing Spots For Blake Griffin
Two nights later on the road in New Orleans, Bryant turned back the clock and summoned up some Mamba Magic late in the fourth in a 99-96 win over the Pelicans. Although he didn’t shoot as well as he did the previous game, Bryant was still very effective on the offensive end, going for 27 points and adding 12 boards to lead the team to victory.
Once again, Bryant came up big in the clutch, nailing a trio of threes in the last six minutes of the game. That included the game clincher with a minute left, which was followed by a Dikembe Mutombo-like finger wag:
Seems like chatter from the haters is still enough to awake the sleeping giant in a 37-year-old Bryant.
Bryant has been very vocal throughout his career about using the slightest things, especially fan hatred, as motivation and even told TNT’s Rosalyn Gold-Onwude how much he relishes the role of being the “silencer” in away games.
It’s invigorating to fans to know that even in his farewell season, when it seems the once lethal guard has become docile, he can still turn it on when provoked or needed. It’s also great news for fans, as they could be in for a show from one of the greatest scorers and clutch players of all time at any given moment.
More hoops habit: NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Landing Spots For Greg Monroe
Even 20 years later, the Black Mamba is still silencing the haters and being one of the most fun players to watch in the NBA when he gets hot.