The One Night Kobe Wouldn't Shoot

Kobe Bryant decided to not shoot in an NBA Playoff Game 7, but why? #nba “Kobe sucks, Kobe sucks” In a Game 7, Kobe isn’t even in frame?…**And this wasn’t the only time.** Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest scorers ever, He has made and missed the most shots ever, he told Shaq , heck he even took this…so how do we get here? You see Kobe was getting called #2, a guy who couldn’t win without the most dominant player in NBA history, Shaq. Sure Kobe was a star, he was a 3 time champion, averaged 30 points in the playoffs during a time where teams would score 80 points in a game, that’s so low but since Shaq left, the Lakers had done nothing. In the prime of Kobe’s career, they missed the playoffs in 2005, the first time in a decade, and well, the perception wasn’t so great. Allen Iverson said “There ain’t no No. 34 around here no more.” but here is Step #1, proving he could carry the Lakers by himself. You add Kobe who promised the Lakers would make the playoffs and came in averaging 35.6 points a game including a legendary 81 points in a game and maybe you have a chance. Nothing could stop Kobe hell bent on dragging this team to the playoffs and he did it. The Lakers were the #7 seed set to face the #2 seed Suns and the media seemed to be back on Kobe’s side. The Suns caught on and by Game 5, decided to double Kobe less and leave it to Raja Bell who couldn’t guard Kobe and clotheslined him… The Suns were frustrated no doubt, but they won Game 5 and kept the same strategy into Game 6, but here’s where it took a turn. Kobe was hitting shot after shot after shot. I lost track of how many midranges he was shooting over the Suns defenders just to keep the Lakers in the game and then this clutch 3, and layup to put the lakers up by 3, but the Suns hit a 3 to go to OT and despite 50 points from Kobe shooting 57% from the field, 63% from 3, the Lakers lose, the series is tied 3-3. The Suns get off to a good start and Kobe is just making impossible shots. Fadeaway, 3s, you name it. The crowd starts chanting Kobe sucks and he just takes it in. He dropped 23 points in the first half, but the Lakers were down …ok so it’s time for Kobe to turn up even more right? Well… Kobe comes out passing into the post and backing up. Heck he’s watching Smush Parker try to hit a fadeaway? Phil Jackson wanted to change that in the second half of Game 7, wanting to run things through other guys. The idea was to get everyone else involved to have them be in it more defensively and hopefully string a few defensive stops. The way the Lakers offense was set up didn’t mean Kobe would get an assist. It was designed to swing the ball to the open man once Kobe got doubled. Kobe just had to make a read on who would have the next quickest pass to the open man. This would get everyone involved. But this? No this looks intentionally low effort. Kobe would only end up taking 3 shots in the second half and watch as the Suns won Game 7 and the series. And everyone started to roast Kobe. It was getting called The Night Kobe Quit On The Lakers And behind the scenes, he cursed out Charles Barkley for 3 hours… **But what if I told you that this could all be part of master plan set by Kobe to get him to the finals?** Kobe changed his number from 8 to 24 in the offseason saying he wanted to move on to something different. It was clear to the Lakers front office that Kobe was unhappy with this team. And by the end of the next season on May 30, 2007, Kobe requested a trade. And it wasn’t a bluff. Kobe was tired of an aimless rebuild with no hope and was looking at homes in Chicago during the offseason. What made the threat more real was the possibility that Kobe’s Game 7 performance could have all been to prove a point that his team is horrible, that they couldn’t just rely on Kobe to keep the Lakers franchise relevant. Kobe reported to training camp, but sat out practices in October 2007. It was becoming all real and the Lakers were scrambling. In February 2008, they would make a trade that would change the future of the NBA. The Lakers acquired Pau Gasol to pair with Kobe and immediately made the finals. Despite any quitter allegations, he continued to put his legacy on the line and thrive. Winning his first chip without Shaq, Game 7 of the NBA Finals against Boston, and perhaps the most important, his ability to inspire a never quit attitude in chasing your dreams, your goals, to work for what you want and not care of what anyone else has to say in your pursuit of greatness which is why most people forget about the night Kobe didn’t shoot. **Miss you Kobe.**