Column: A league of his own
March 4, 2008
For the third time in the last four seasons, Kobe Bryant is making a legitimate case to win the Most Valuable Player award in the NBA. But unlike years past, when Bryant would scorch and overpower his opponents with a barrage of points, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is now staking his campaign in a new way.
Through 60 games of the 2007-2008 season, Bryant has averaged more than 28 points, six rebounds and five assists. While showcasing less points per game than in recent seasons, Bryant has finally developed and harnessed the intangibles he once lacked but needed: teamwork, leadership and victories.
Since Shaquille O’Neal’s dramatic, highly publicized departure from L.A. prior to the 2004-2005 season, Bryant had been the Lakers’ lone source of output. Consequently, the team has never advanced past the first round in the NBA playoffs, a testament to the importance of team play instead of one-man shows.
In his three previous seasons, Bryant had averaged 27.9 percent, 35.6 percent and 30.5 percent of his team’s scoring per season. That percentage has dropped to 25.7 percent this year, as Bryant has discovered that sharing the workload can be beneficial.
One explanation is that after playing three seasons without one legitimate wingman, Batman has now surrounded himself with several Robins. Give credit to general manager Mitch Kupchak, who in spite of critics at every turn and calls for his resignation has formulated a roster with championship hopes.
Twenty-year-old Andrew Bynum, the target of Bryant’s off-season tirades, has made significant contributions and improvements. Until his most recent injury, he had been averaging 13 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per game. The mid-season acquisition of Pau Gasol has also improved the Lakers’ fortunes. Since his arrival, the team’s record is a staggering 13-2.
The addition of Gasol has only enhanced an already stellar run by the team. Since the beginning of December, the Lakers have won 33 of 44 games, are 18-5 against Western Conference foes and are 10-5 against teams with winning records. During that span, Bryant has averaged less than 29 points and only a quarter of the team’s points.
Most impressive, despite relatively low numbers, Bryant has maintained his killer-instinct and ability to succeed in the clutch. In the Lakers’ 11 wins by seven points or fewer since December, Bryant has averaged 36.5 points, eight more than his season average, including 52 this past weekend in a 108-104 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Bryant has won two scoring titles, has become the youngest player to score 20,000 points and owns the second-highest scoring effort in league history. But despite being the best, Bryant has never been the most valuable. Yet this year, with a new mentality and better supporting cast, Bryant looks to win the elusive award while taking his team to the Promised Land.
Note: There are two clarifications to last week’s column “Memphis shows true stripes.” Both Marquette and Louisville, now in the Big East, went to the Final Four while part of Conference USA. Additionally, Memphis, then Memphis State, was the most recent team in the conference to make the Final Four in 1985.
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