Game 5

I suppose we should quickly revisit the narrative post from a couple days ago now that OKC handily beat the Lakers in Game 5.  Kobe didn't get a chance to choke in the clutch, since his team was down by too many points.  He did manage to score 42 points and collect 0 assists.  And in the first half when he "went off," his plus minus was -7 points, meaning the Lakers were doing better with him out of the game than when he was in the game.  Gasol played well in the first half with 10 points and 10 boards, but then faded down the stretch.  Gasol didn't play soft - certainly not softer than Andrew Bynum and Ramon Sessions, who both had terrible games.  Bynum for getting into early foul trouble and not doing much and Sessions for just being an absolute disaster.  That guy may have worked himself out of a job.

But let's give credit where credit is due.  In the second half, it was Westbrook who crushed the Lakers.  They had no answer for him and he extended the lead in the 3rd and then they went on that little run at the beginning of the 4th to put the game away.  Westbrook made Blake and Sessions look like boys playing against men.

**side bar:  of course, I'm sure the thought never crossed Kobe's mind to guard Westbrook and shut him down, like Jordan or LeBron would have done.  Because it would not help to reinforce the "hero" narrative Kobe is trying to construct with the consent of the media and his cult followers.  And if you were watching the game, Kobe didn't play much defense at all because he was trying to save himself to be the hero instead of trying to win the game, as per usual.  

I used to be suspicious of Westbrook's weird attitude and propensity to turn the ball over, but he's gotten a lot better.  He seems to have calmed down after signing that big contract.  He lost his cool once in the game, when he practically tackled Kobe in the 3rd quarter, but I liked that play.  Kobe trip fouled him running down the court (for the 3rd foul against Kobe that went uncalled as the NBA officials had been alerted not to allow Kobe to get into foul trouble) and Westbrook did a hard foul on him back.  Right there, he told Kobe he wasn't afraid of him and if the refs wouldn't protect him, he would protect himself.  Great play.

Also gotta give a bunch of credit to Scott Brooks coaching decision to go for the kill at the beginning of the 4th, leaving in Harden, Durant, and Westbrook.  He could smell blood.  They were up 7 or something and knew if his guys had a burst in them, they could extend the lead to 14-16, before the Lakers main rotation got back in, and by then, would be demoralized.  It worked exactly as planned and probably saved OKC legs in the long run by not having to play the last 4 minutes.

The last thing I'll say to Kobe-defenders...to believe their narrative...that Kobe is one of the all time greats...you would have to believe Kobe has been cursed with some terrible luck in the teammates he's drawn.  A Kobe defender takes Kobe's side in his battle to oust Shaq from LA.  They argue this was necessary because Shaq was lazy.  Okay.  Say that is correct.  Then for the 3 years before Gasol, Kobe must have had terrible teammates considering they usually went out in the first round or didn't even make the playoffs (in contrast, LeBron took a lousy Cavs team to the Finals and Conference Finals 2 times).  Now, we are asked to believe that Gasol is "soft" and not aggressive enough.  Bynum is weird and immature, the bench is terrible, etc.  In short, any success is due to Kobe and any failure is due to his teammates.  Why do no other "great" players seem to have this problem?  Would Magic have won more with better teammates?  Would Bird have won more with better teammates?  Would Hakeen?  Would Jordan?  People don't even seem to ask this question about the other great players, and yet it is a problem that has plagued Kobe his entire career.

It is a puzzling thing to consider how Kobe, of all the greats, was seemingly blessed with such terrible teammates.  The one exception is Derek Fisher, who may, if the ball breaks the right way the next couple weeks, surpass Kobe in rings.