"Michael Jordan shot the ball a lot when he was young. So why isn't it OK for Kobe Bryant?"
Heres a new article posted, pretty much saying the same things i do. You can disreguard it, or you can read it and consider this as a possible truth to kobe and his situation. I bolded all the significant parts.
Shooting down the double-standard on Kobe
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By Sam Smith
Special to ESPN.com
I remember talking to Michael Jordan about all those shots he took when he joined the Chicago Bulls -- 33 against the Cavaliers in his rookie season. It seems Michael was out to embarrass them from the beginning.
There were the 36 in 37 minutes against the then-Washington Bullets in his second season after returning from his broken foot. Two games later, he squeezed off 36 again to open the playoffs and then 41 shots in Game 2 when he scored a record 63 points as the Bulls were being swept by the Celtics. That's right: 95 shots in three games and not a single win.
Kobe Bryant ranks second in shots attempted behind Tracy McGrady. Now, Jordan was sure what he was doing. He opened his fourth season in the NBA taking at least 30 shots in each of his first three games. He hoisted up 43 shots against the Lakers less than a month later and was rolling. He had another 43-shot game and a couple of 39s before going to the playoffs and being swept again.
So I wondered why was Jordan taking all these shots, and he explained: "Who do you want shooting? Me or Brad Sellers?"
Jordan, of course, was celebrated. Who else should be taking the shots? This was a wonderful thing. And then Jordan went on to win his first of five MVP awards in 1987-88 when he engaged in some wonderful duels. Attempting 38 shots in a memorable battle with Isiah Thomas. Shooting 37 times against Dominique Wilkins and then 35 times against Larry Bird about a week later. There was a 34-shot effort against Clyde Drexler and 45 shots in 44 minutes against Cleveland in the playoffs. Jordan even got up 23 shots in 29 minutes in that season's All-Star Game.
This comes to mind with all the hand-wringing about Kobe Bryant.
My gosh, he took 47 shots against Boston a few weeks back and 40 against Golden State while averaging about 24 shots per game for the season. How dare he. He must be selfish. He must not be a team player.
What nonsense.
People often ask me whether Bryant is as good or better than Jordan. And in taking responsibility for his team and taking the majority of the shots, he's just like Jordan. With a better jumper, actually.
Shaquille O'Neal is due back from the after-effects of his toe surgery, and this should all change. But my view is Bryant has been playing great in O'Neal's absence.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson likes to tweak Bryant about his shooting, but even Jackson had to admit, "To be honest, Michael probably had a more talented team at that time than Kobe does at this time."
As Kobe could say but won't, "What, you want Slava Medvedenko or Samaki Walker shooting?"
Nor would you want Robert Horry or Rick Fox.
I have great respect for the role players, like Horry and Fox, or Steve Kerr, Luc Longley, Scott Williams and Jud Buechler. But if Horry were with Denver, he'd never have hit a big shot in his life -- because he never would have had a chance to take one.
I hope guys like Derek Fisher and Horry get lots of All-Star votes. They're the defending three-time champions and produced under pressure, which is the test of all-pro athletes. But let's not forget how they got the chance, because they're playing with O'Neal and Bryant. Just as Kerr and John Paxson and B.J. Armstrong were playing with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
However, the Bulls of the 1990s were far deeper than these Lakers teams. Sure, the Bulls, and no one since the 76ers with Wilt Chamberlain, wouldn't have had anyone to deal with O'Neal. But this Lakers team has 10 spare parts. At least the Bulls had All-Stars in Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman. After O'Neal and Bryant, there's no one on the Lakers who has even sniffed an All-Star team. Horry has scored in double figures in only three of his 10 seasons, Fox in four of his 11. And that bench? It could be the worst in the league.
So what's a guy to do? But jack it up.
Bryant has been splendid with O'Neal out. He has been playing with guys who don't draw a single-team. He has had to take over. Sure, the Lakers won just three games. But they've been in most of the 12 games without O'Neal, shockingly losing to the Wizards on a dunk at the buzzer and to the Celtics in overtime.
Yet, there's been this ridiculous notion that -- had Bryant got other players involved, had the Lakers run that triangle offense and stayed within the great system -- all would be solved. And liposuction would be banned in L.A.
Bryant is just like Jordan -- he's as good, really. Maybe he doesn't play with Jordan's ferocity and attack the basket as Jordan did when he was younger. But Bryant is more skilled, a better shooter and just as determined a competitor. Ask yourself, if Jordan was playing with a low-post center instead of Dave Corzine, would Jordan ever have become Jordan? Bryant has to defer to the greatest force in the game, and he has still averaged more than 25 points per game the last two seasons. If he had the complementary talent Jordan did, even without Shaq, Bryant could dominate the game from the two-guard spot, which only Jordan ever has done. Which is why many consider him the game's greatest player.
With O'Neal out, and with nowhere near the supporting talent Jordan had, Bryant had to take it upon himself to score. And shoot and shoot and shoot. His big mistake? He didn't shoot enough. Maybe the Lakers would have won some of those other games.
Bryant is a great talent merely determined to win the game. Perhaps when he started out, he was screaming for attention. But he didn't have the NCAA title and Olympic gold like Jordan did. But he's 24 now and he has three championships. Jordan got his first when he was 28. By the time Bryant is done, he might well have more championships than any two-guard ever.
Like Jordan 15 years ago, Bryant has been doing all he can to win games. Jordan was applauded for the effort, and Bryant should be as well.
Sam Smith, who covers the NBA for the Chicago Tribune, writes a weekly column for ESPN.com.
Heres a new article posted, pretty much saying the same things i do. You can disreguard it, or you can read it and consider this as a possible truth to kobe and his situation. I bolded all the significant parts.
Shooting down the double-standard on Kobe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Sam Smith
Special to ESPN.com
I remember talking to Michael Jordan about all those shots he took when he joined the Chicago Bulls -- 33 against the Cavaliers in his rookie season. It seems Michael was out to embarrass them from the beginning.
There were the 36 in 37 minutes against the then-Washington Bullets in his second season after returning from his broken foot. Two games later, he squeezed off 36 again to open the playoffs and then 41 shots in Game 2 when he scored a record 63 points as the Bulls were being swept by the Celtics. That's right: 95 shots in three games and not a single win.
Kobe Bryant ranks second in shots attempted behind Tracy McGrady. Now, Jordan was sure what he was doing. He opened his fourth season in the NBA taking at least 30 shots in each of his first three games. He hoisted up 43 shots against the Lakers less than a month later and was rolling. He had another 43-shot game and a couple of 39s before going to the playoffs and being swept again.
So I wondered why was Jordan taking all these shots, and he explained: "Who do you want shooting? Me or Brad Sellers?"
Jordan, of course, was celebrated. Who else should be taking the shots? This was a wonderful thing. And then Jordan went on to win his first of five MVP awards in 1987-88 when he engaged in some wonderful duels. Attempting 38 shots in a memorable battle with Isiah Thomas. Shooting 37 times against Dominique Wilkins and then 35 times against Larry Bird about a week later. There was a 34-shot effort against Clyde Drexler and 45 shots in 44 minutes against Cleveland in the playoffs. Jordan even got up 23 shots in 29 minutes in that season's All-Star Game.
This comes to mind with all the hand-wringing about Kobe Bryant.
My gosh, he took 47 shots against Boston a few weeks back and 40 against Golden State while averaging about 24 shots per game for the season. How dare he. He must be selfish. He must not be a team player.
What nonsense.
People often ask me whether Bryant is as good or better than Jordan. And in taking responsibility for his team and taking the majority of the shots, he's just like Jordan. With a better jumper, actually.
Shaquille O'Neal is due back from the after-effects of his toe surgery, and this should all change. But my view is Bryant has been playing great in O'Neal's absence.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson likes to tweak Bryant about his shooting, but even Jackson had to admit, "To be honest, Michael probably had a more talented team at that time than Kobe does at this time."
As Kobe could say but won't, "What, you want Slava Medvedenko or Samaki Walker shooting?"
Nor would you want Robert Horry or Rick Fox.
I have great respect for the role players, like Horry and Fox, or Steve Kerr, Luc Longley, Scott Williams and Jud Buechler. But if Horry were with Denver, he'd never have hit a big shot in his life -- because he never would have had a chance to take one.
I hope guys like Derek Fisher and Horry get lots of All-Star votes. They're the defending three-time champions and produced under pressure, which is the test of all-pro athletes. But let's not forget how they got the chance, because they're playing with O'Neal and Bryant. Just as Kerr and John Paxson and B.J. Armstrong were playing with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
However, the Bulls of the 1990s were far deeper than these Lakers teams. Sure, the Bulls, and no one since the 76ers with Wilt Chamberlain, wouldn't have had anyone to deal with O'Neal. But this Lakers team has 10 spare parts. At least the Bulls had All-Stars in Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman. After O'Neal and Bryant, there's no one on the Lakers who has even sniffed an All-Star team. Horry has scored in double figures in only three of his 10 seasons, Fox in four of his 11. And that bench? It could be the worst in the league.
So what's a guy to do? But jack it up.
Bryant has been splendid with O'Neal out. He has been playing with guys who don't draw a single-team. He has had to take over. Sure, the Lakers won just three games. But they've been in most of the 12 games without O'Neal, shockingly losing to the Wizards on a dunk at the buzzer and to the Celtics in overtime.
Yet, there's been this ridiculous notion that -- had Bryant got other players involved, had the Lakers run that triangle offense and stayed within the great system -- all would be solved. And liposuction would be banned in L.A.
Bryant is just like Jordan -- he's as good, really. Maybe he doesn't play with Jordan's ferocity and attack the basket as Jordan did when he was younger. But Bryant is more skilled, a better shooter and just as determined a competitor. Ask yourself, if Jordan was playing with a low-post center instead of Dave Corzine, would Jordan ever have become Jordan? Bryant has to defer to the greatest force in the game, and he has still averaged more than 25 points per game the last two seasons. If he had the complementary talent Jordan did, even without Shaq, Bryant could dominate the game from the two-guard spot, which only Jordan ever has done. Which is why many consider him the game's greatest player.
With O'Neal out, and with nowhere near the supporting talent Jordan had, Bryant had to take it upon himself to score. And shoot and shoot and shoot. His big mistake? He didn't shoot enough. Maybe the Lakers would have won some of those other games.
Bryant is a great talent merely determined to win the game. Perhaps when he started out, he was screaming for attention. But he didn't have the NCAA title and Olympic gold like Jordan did. But he's 24 now and he has three championships. Jordan got his first when he was 28. By the time Bryant is done, he might well have more championships than any two-guard ever.
Like Jordan 15 years ago, Bryant has been doing all he can to win games. Jordan was applauded for the effort, and Bryant should be as well.
Sam Smith, who covers the NBA for the Chicago Tribune, writes a weekly column for ESPN.com.
