Post by FLCeltsFan on Jan 7, 2010 9:12:59 GMT -5
Same old Kobe
It's not age that has changed Kobe Bryant's game; it's the personnel surrounding him
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By Tom Haberstroh
Special to ESPN Insider
Archive
BryantChristian Petersen/Getty ImagesExpect Kobe to have his back to the basket a bit more with Gasol nursing a hamstring injury.
No one knows for sure how long Pau Gasol will be out with a hamstring injury, but if it lingers like the one he suffered at the start of the season, it looks as though the Lakers power forward will be sitting for some time. For Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum, the injury means more responsibility on both ends of the floor. For Kobe Bryant however, it means something different. Get ready for Kobe to morph into that mid-50s, sweaty YMCA guy who overpowers the younger, nimbler foe on the block.
All the open gym regulars out there know that guy. Earlier this season, we saw an evolved Kobe, one who incorporated an "old man" game, mercilessly backing his opponents down on the block, using instincts that one can absorb only after logging more than 40,000 minutes of NBA experience, and attacking the rim for hard-earned buckets. Some NBA analysts were quick to opine that at age 31, Bryant had developed this new part of his game to compensate for declining physical gifts, a school of thought that has continued throughout the season. But is that really true? Did Bryant permanently change as a player? Or was there another factor at work -- the short-term absence of Gasol on the block?
Let's take a look at the shot selection numbers at Hoopdata.com. Gasol missed the Lakers' first 12 games and, for analytical purposes, Sunday night's contest will be counted as well (he left after only seven minutes). So we have 13 games without Gasol and 20 others in which he suited up. Hoopdata.com divides the area of the floor into five categories: at the rim; less than 10 feet; 10-15 feet; 16-23 feet; and 3-point. For each area, Hoopdata.com tracks the field goals made and attempted in those areas as well as effective field goal percentage and the percentage of those shots which were assisted. First, let's pull up Bryant's at-the-rim numbers.
Kobe Bryant at the rim per 40 minutes
FGM FGA eFG% %Ast
without Gasol 4.4 7.4 59.3 55.6
with Gasol 3.1 5.0 61.2 48.3
That's a pretty big difference. Bryant takes about 50 percent more shots at the rim when Gasol is shelved compared with when he's suited up. His effective field goal percentage suffers a tad, but not enough to suggest he finds more success in converting these shots with Gasol. Clearly though, Kobe takes it to the rack more often.
So if Kobe is taking more shots at the rim when Gasol is out, then which areas of the floor is he sacrificing? Let's see if his 3-point shot selection differs with and without Pau.
Kobe Bryant from 3-point (per 40 minutes)
FGM FGA eFG% %Ast
without Gasol 0.5 2.4 30.0 100.0
with Gasol 1.7 4.8 53.2 60.6
Evidently, Bryant took 2.4 more shots at the rim with Pau out and 2.4 fewer from beyond the arc every 40 minutes. It's a coincidence that the difference is precisely 2.4, but the general tradeoff is undeniable -- Kobe is much more perimeter-oriented when Gasol is in the lineup. Interestingly, teammates set up Kobe on all of his buckets from downtown in the 13 games Gasol missed, but less than two-thirds of them when Gasol was active, as evidenced by the assisted percentage. It looks as though Kobe generates more baskets off the dribble from 3-point land when Pau is on the floor, possibly off the perimeter pick-and-roll. Clearly though, Kobe picks his spots differently depending on the active status of his All-Star counterpart.
With at-rim and 3-point shots covered, let's take a look at the rest of the floor.
Kobe Bryant from mid- to long range (per 40 minutes)
less than 10 feet 10-15 feet 16-23 feet
FGM FGA eFG% %Ast FGM FGA eFG% %Ast FGM FGA eFG% %Ast
without Gasol 1.3 2.4 53.3 50.0 2.8 5.5 50.7 35.3 2.5 6.4 39.2 41.9
with Gasol 1.4 2.6 54.0 29.6 2.1 4.4 47.7 17.1 3.4 6.7 50.0 43.9
No noticeable differences here, other than the slight increase in shot attempts from midrange in the 10-15 feet area. The portions of shots from long jumpers are similar, but Kobe is more successful when Pau's around. Ultimately though, the midrange game doesn't seem to be affected greatly by Pau's status. It's the high-efficiency areas, at the rim and beyond the arc, where Kobe alters his game the most.
Now that we've seen a considerable difference in Bryant's shot selection with and without Gasol, it would be worth a look at last season's shot selection. If Bryant has truly evolved into the YMCA bruiser we keep hearing about, then we would expect his shot selection with Gasol this season to be different from last. But that's not the case.
Kobe Bryant shot selection with Pau Gasol (past two seasons)
At rim < 10 feet 10-15 feet 16-23 feet 3-pointers
FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA
2008-09 3.1 5.0 1.4 2.6 2.1 4.4 3.4 6.7 1.7 4.8
2009-10 3.2 4.8 1.1 2.4 1.6 3.5 3.2 7.7 1.6 4.5
Judging by his shot selection, there really isn't any evidence to suggest that Kobe Bryant is a different player this season; he's a different player only when Pau Gasol is out of action. As long as Gasol's hamstring continues to hamper him, look forward to some more post moves from Bryant, but don't expect it to last long-term. When it comes down to it, Kobe is the same player who won the championship last year -- when the championship pieces are in place.
It's not age that has changed Kobe Bryant's game; it's the personnel surrounding him
Comment Email Print Share
By Tom Haberstroh
Special to ESPN Insider
Archive
BryantChristian Petersen/Getty ImagesExpect Kobe to have his back to the basket a bit more with Gasol nursing a hamstring injury.
No one knows for sure how long Pau Gasol will be out with a hamstring injury, but if it lingers like the one he suffered at the start of the season, it looks as though the Lakers power forward will be sitting for some time. For Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum, the injury means more responsibility on both ends of the floor. For Kobe Bryant however, it means something different. Get ready for Kobe to morph into that mid-50s, sweaty YMCA guy who overpowers the younger, nimbler foe on the block.
All the open gym regulars out there know that guy. Earlier this season, we saw an evolved Kobe, one who incorporated an "old man" game, mercilessly backing his opponents down on the block, using instincts that one can absorb only after logging more than 40,000 minutes of NBA experience, and attacking the rim for hard-earned buckets. Some NBA analysts were quick to opine that at age 31, Bryant had developed this new part of his game to compensate for declining physical gifts, a school of thought that has continued throughout the season. But is that really true? Did Bryant permanently change as a player? Or was there another factor at work -- the short-term absence of Gasol on the block?
Let's take a look at the shot selection numbers at Hoopdata.com. Gasol missed the Lakers' first 12 games and, for analytical purposes, Sunday night's contest will be counted as well (he left after only seven minutes). So we have 13 games without Gasol and 20 others in which he suited up. Hoopdata.com divides the area of the floor into five categories: at the rim; less than 10 feet; 10-15 feet; 16-23 feet; and 3-point. For each area, Hoopdata.com tracks the field goals made and attempted in those areas as well as effective field goal percentage and the percentage of those shots which were assisted. First, let's pull up Bryant's at-the-rim numbers.
Kobe Bryant at the rim per 40 minutes
FGM FGA eFG% %Ast
without Gasol 4.4 7.4 59.3 55.6
with Gasol 3.1 5.0 61.2 48.3
That's a pretty big difference. Bryant takes about 50 percent more shots at the rim when Gasol is shelved compared with when he's suited up. His effective field goal percentage suffers a tad, but not enough to suggest he finds more success in converting these shots with Gasol. Clearly though, Kobe takes it to the rack more often.
So if Kobe is taking more shots at the rim when Gasol is out, then which areas of the floor is he sacrificing? Let's see if his 3-point shot selection differs with and without Pau.
Kobe Bryant from 3-point (per 40 minutes)
FGM FGA eFG% %Ast
without Gasol 0.5 2.4 30.0 100.0
with Gasol 1.7 4.8 53.2 60.6
Evidently, Bryant took 2.4 more shots at the rim with Pau out and 2.4 fewer from beyond the arc every 40 minutes. It's a coincidence that the difference is precisely 2.4, but the general tradeoff is undeniable -- Kobe is much more perimeter-oriented when Gasol is in the lineup. Interestingly, teammates set up Kobe on all of his buckets from downtown in the 13 games Gasol missed, but less than two-thirds of them when Gasol was active, as evidenced by the assisted percentage. It looks as though Kobe generates more baskets off the dribble from 3-point land when Pau is on the floor, possibly off the perimeter pick-and-roll. Clearly though, Kobe picks his spots differently depending on the active status of his All-Star counterpart.
With at-rim and 3-point shots covered, let's take a look at the rest of the floor.
Kobe Bryant from mid- to long range (per 40 minutes)
less than 10 feet 10-15 feet 16-23 feet
FGM FGA eFG% %Ast FGM FGA eFG% %Ast FGM FGA eFG% %Ast
without Gasol 1.3 2.4 53.3 50.0 2.8 5.5 50.7 35.3 2.5 6.4 39.2 41.9
with Gasol 1.4 2.6 54.0 29.6 2.1 4.4 47.7 17.1 3.4 6.7 50.0 43.9
No noticeable differences here, other than the slight increase in shot attempts from midrange in the 10-15 feet area. The portions of shots from long jumpers are similar, but Kobe is more successful when Pau's around. Ultimately though, the midrange game doesn't seem to be affected greatly by Pau's status. It's the high-efficiency areas, at the rim and beyond the arc, where Kobe alters his game the most.
Now that we've seen a considerable difference in Bryant's shot selection with and without Gasol, it would be worth a look at last season's shot selection. If Bryant has truly evolved into the YMCA bruiser we keep hearing about, then we would expect his shot selection with Gasol this season to be different from last. But that's not the case.
Kobe Bryant shot selection with Pau Gasol (past two seasons)
At rim < 10 feet 10-15 feet 16-23 feet 3-pointers
FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA
2008-09 3.1 5.0 1.4 2.6 2.1 4.4 3.4 6.7 1.7 4.8
2009-10 3.2 4.8 1.1 2.4 1.6 3.5 3.2 7.7 1.6 4.5
Judging by his shot selection, there really isn't any evidence to suggest that Kobe Bryant is a different player this season; he's a different player only when Pau Gasol is out of action. As long as Gasol's hamstring continues to hamper him, look forward to some more post moves from Bryant, but don't expect it to last long-term. When it comes down to it, Kobe is the same player who won the championship last year -- when the championship pieces are in place.
