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Kobe Bryant
Usually, when Kobe Bryant drops 42 points on an opposing team, it results in a solid, decisive win. That's what happened on Monday night, except this time, the Thunder were the ones running away with it. The Lakers looked slow and and out of sorts throughout the series, with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum coming under fire more than once for lackluster play. Kobe still seems to have his killer instinct, but do the Lakers need a major overhaul if he's going to get another ring?
Gasol or Bynum?
The Lakers have big decisions to make regarding the dual futures of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
Is Bynum essential?
Andrew Bynum showed his stuff in several games this season, looking like the best player on the court for extended periods of time.
Kobe's mileage?
Kobe Bryant isn't getting any younger, and some additional minutes at the London Olympics may make him that much more tired next season.
Brown's future?
Mike Brown came under some criticism this season, but still led his team into the second round of the playoffs.
The Lakers are in dire straits against the Thunder, as they've fallen into an 0-2 hole after a 77-75 loss on Wednesday night. Los Angeles actually had a pretty good chance to win late -- if Steve Blake's open 3-pointer had been an inch or two shorter, we might be talking about how the Lakers' savvy veterans managed to bring some dignity to a series that looked like it was devolving into farce. Instead, the Thunder are in command, and things are getting desperate for the Lakers.
Did the Lakers lose it?
The Thunder were down by seven with two minutes remaining in Game 2, but the Lakers were unable to stop their comeback.
Wrong decision?
Kobe Bryant is clearly the Lakers' best player, but did you take issue with Metta World Peace deciding to give the last shot to the open man?
Game 3 winners?
If there's any place in which the Lakers can turn this series around, it's their home court, the Staples Center -- they're 26-7 at home this season.
The Lakers are an aging team, and aging teams don't deal very well with long playoff series. That was evident from the first few plays of a 119-90 loss to the Thunder in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series. Los Angeles looked listless and exhausted and never really seemed to be into the game. It's pretty clear that the Lakers need to change something fast if they're going to make a series out of it -- but what that change should be is anybody's guess.
Series winners?
The Thunder were already favored in this matchup, and a Game 1 blowout has done nothing to significantly change that perception.
Exhaustion a factor?
It's difficult to be taken to the brink in a first-round series without being affected by it in the remainder of the playoffs.
Kobe's role?
Kobe Bryant had a relatively low-scoring game by his standards, which seemed to work for the Lakers early in the playoffs but definitely did not on Monday night.
Kobe or Duncan?
Bryant and Tim Duncan are likely the two most significant veterans left in the playoffs, both taking on younger teams intent on dethroning the former champions.
On Friday, "First Take" debated Kobe Bryant calling out his teammates after a Game 6 loss. Skip Bayless found that his comments were a selfish shot at his teammates and wholly unnecessary, while Stephen A. Smith thinks Kobe's shots were a justified way of motivating his teammates to play better. What's your take?
Kobe Bryant's attempt to pull a Michael Jordan came up short Thursday night, as the Nuggets blew out the suddenly struggling Lakers in Game 6. Bryant put up an admirable effort, with 31 points on 13-of-23 shooting, but his teammates were largely absent, which Bryant pointed out in his postgame comments. Given what's at stake in Game 7, he might have been better served by getting some rest. One thing's for sure: Lakers fans can't be happy with the latest developments.
Panic mode?
The Nuggets are no pushovers, but it's fair to say that fans didn't see this lasting seven games after the Lakers took a 3-1 series lead.
Should Kobe have played?
Kobe Bryant can always be counted on to step up in big games, but his effort while running on fumes could be a detriment in Game 7.
Metta's impact?
Metta World Peace will return to the Lakers' lineup after serving a seven-game suspension for elbowing James Harden. How much of a help will he be?
Which team wins?
The Nuggets seem to have momentum on their side going into Saturday's Game 7, but the Lakers will have home-court advantage as the series returns to L.A
Kobe Bryant needs 38 points Thursday night to beat out Kevin Durant for the scoring title, and he'll be doing it with the Lakers' backups starting the game. Will this end up helping him?
- E_cox310: "Kobe is going to put on a show, especially since he'll be playing with bench players. he'll have to put on a show if they want to win"
- thegreatma3: "i guess in this scenario it would be ok for kobe to chuck up 60 shots. he'll make at least 13...and there you go...the scoring champ!"
- buffalo_soldier81: "Would it be classy if the kings put all 5 players on Kobe and let the rest of the Lakers score at will? What do they have to lose? "
- cwear11: "I think its pretty obvious that they're gonna try to get Kobe the scoring title. I think they said he needs 38 to do so, and if he's starting with the bench, you know that he'll come out taking 50% of the Lakers shots."
- swimbikeron: "If he can only shoot 43% with 2 dominant bigs on the floor, how much worse will it be with a bunch of scrubs?"
- thejennings3: "Kobe will shoot a minimum of 40 shots tonight, but considering how badly he shoots on most nights he still won't win the scoring title "
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Lost among the chaos that resulted from Metta World Peace's violent elbow of James Harden was the fact Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant are neck-and-neck for the scoring title -- they're within four hundredths of a point of one another with only three games left between the two of them. To put it lightly, this is pretty important to (at the very least) Kobe, and we can't imagine that he'll go at anything less than 100 percent in his last game against the Kings. That being said, Durant may be more concerned about Harden's availability, as he's day-to-day with a concussion from World Peace's strike.
Who ends up on top?
The difference between Bryant and Durant's scoring averages this season is so slim that it could come down to a thousandth of a point.
Last shot?
Bryant has been the go-to gunner at the end of games for a number of years, but the younger Durant could take that crown from him this year.
Championship threats?
The Lakers beat the Thunder in their latest matchup, but it's anyone's guess as to how a theoretical playoff series would play out.
Andrew Bynum's commitment to the Lakers has been questioned at times this season, but his past few games are putting those concerns to bed. Bynum had 23 points and 16 rebounds in a win over the Mavericks, and it looks like his massive potential is finally being fully realized. J.A. Adande is even making the point that Bynum has trumped Dwight Howard as a force at center, at least for the time being.
No baggage?
Andrew Bynum has been turning it on lately: 30 rebounds, 30 points, a dominant double-double against the Mavericks.
Bynum or Howard?
Both Bynum and Howard have had their share of drama this season, but has Bynum overcome his issues more than Howard has overcome his?
Lakers without Kobe?
Bynum stepped up in a big way with Kobe Bryant out for the game -- much like the Bulls' supporting cast has tended to do when Derrick Rose has missed games this season.
On Sunday, the "NBA Countdown" crew discussed what changes Kobe Bryant should make upon his return to the Lakers' lineup. Bryant missed his fifth consecutive game with inflammation in his left shin and there is no definite date for when he'll get back on the court. Will cutting down on the number of shots he takes per game be the key to a long playoff run for the Lakers?
Kobe Bryant doesn't spend much time on the bench, so when Mike Brown sat him near the end of Sunday's loss against the Grizzlies, Bryant was understandably miffed. Do you have a problem with the move?
- jamz3269: "What player isn't upset about being benched? Particularly a star player."
- drmcfunk: "Kobe attempts 23.4 FG a game the closest person (Kevin Durant) shoots 19 4 less and same with LeBron. And both those guys have a better FG percentage while getting more rebounds and assists. THAT IS WHY KOBE'S EFFICIENCY IS 15TH IN THE LEAGUE."
- soonerbuzzy: "If he was going to sit Kobe he should have done it earlier in the 4th. If your going to make some kind of run and get the team back within striking distance you need your best player on the court. "
- D8841: "Kobe does need to play less minutes in the regular season, but have to think about letting him rest, earlier"
- TitanG545: "If you bench your star player you better make sure you win the game. Otherwise it looks like you don't know what you are doing as a coach."
- nbakerld: "Kobe has had a lot of horrible games this season. I can't figure out why Brown decided to bench him yesterday when he was playing decently."
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