Is Kobe Bryant the Lakers' Best Scorer of All-Time?

Kobe Bryant's reputation as a scorer will never be doubted but is the the best scorer the Los Angeles Lakers franchise has ever seen?

To wit, here are some of the franchise milestones Kobe Bryant is in the Top Five of (as of this blog post):

• #4 in Field Goals made
• #3 in Field Goal attempts
  
• #1 in 3-point Field Goals made
• #1 in 3-point Field Goal attempts
  
• #2 in Free Throws made
• #3 in Free Throw attempts
• #3 in career points
• #4 in career scoring average
  

The list is pretty impressive but there are three other players who are in the top five of the categories I mentioned (except 3-point shooting, which was instituted in the 1984 season): Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, and Jerry West.

Kareem accumulated his numbers with a lengthy playing career with the Lakers. Jerry West is currently on top of the franchise scoring list with more than 25,000 points and Elgin Baylor has the highest career scoring average of anyone who wore the Lakers jersey.

But Kobe Bryant edges the Hall of Famers on some aspects: He's the youngest player to 24,000 career points and at pace to overcome Jerry West. On a Per 36 minutes perspective on averages, Kobe Bryant outscores all of them. And one more thing: Kobe is one of two players to score more than 80 points in a game.

At this point, a lot of these numbers can be argued and some intangibles should be taken into account, like West's clutch performance, the playing era of the 1960's of Baylor, and some "unfair" advantages like Kareem's unstoppable sky hook.

So where do you think Kobe Bryant stands as the Best Scorer in Lakers history?


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Lakers Frontline Out

Now the Los Angeles Lakers know what 90% of the other NBA teams feel like-- A smallish frontline with no good combo of 7-footers.

Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum will see extended absences due to their respective injuries and both still have no definite return dates as of this writing. Gasol has yet to play this season with a hamstring injury (feared to be torn) and Bynum has a strained elbow he sustained two games ago.

The absence of the two Lakers frontline stalwarts means that Lamar Odom will be seeing time at the center and power forward positions, and Ron Artest will be moonlighting in the 4 position. Of course, Josh Powell and DJ Mbenga will have to say goodbye to the pine for the meantime. While the bench frontline combined for 18 points (8 for 18 shooting), 17 rebounds, and 4 blocks against the Memphis Grizzlies, I'd still prefer to see less of them on a regular basis.

But despite the loss of the talented Gasol and Bynum, the Lakers are 2-0 on games with the two out. The reason? Kobe Bryant.

Kobe has been scoring like a monster and he is shooting a career best 48% from the field in the season so far. His 34.5 points per game is tops in the NBA and his points have come off being the primary offensive option for the Lakers.

The champs will be hard pressed in the next few games without Gasol anf Bynum, but I think they will still keep their winning ways with one weapon the rest of the league doesn't have-- Kobe.


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Did the Lakers Make a Mistake on Letting Trevor Ariza Go?

Hindsight is 20-20 and what my hindsight is telling me is that the Los Angeles Lakers missed out on Trevor Ariza.

As of writing, Ariza has been flourishing with the Houston Rockets. His numbers? Oh, he's been averaging over 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, hitting 3 three-balls and getting almost 2 steals a game. By getting 14 extra minutes per game, Ariza as triples his scoring output and the three pointers he's hitting (and taking). At the rate he's going he could be an All-Star in a couple of years.

The Lakers on the other hand have found little success with Ron Artest.His numbers suggest he has yet to fins his stroke on the field (32% shooting) and on the stripe (a dismal 36%!). I think Artest is still surprised he's wearing purple and gold.

By looking at the numbers objectively, the virtual swap between the Artest and Ariza looks like a lemon for the Los Angeles Lakers.


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So Much for 82-0

So much for going 82-0.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Dallas Mavericks at home, 94-80, no thanks to a stagnant third quarter and a weak performance from the starters.

In the last game against the Clippers, Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum combined for 59 points. But in the Mavs game, the duo came up with only 34. This slip-off in the offense also affected the rest of the starters (Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, and Derek Fisher) shot 8 for 26 (30%). Artest was the worst offender as he only made one field goal for the game. If you're a starter for any team, that totally unacceptable.

Apart from the offensive failures, the Lakers' defense was bad. The team committed 29 fouls and did not protect the perimeter and low blocks effectively, as evidenced by the paltry blocks and steals of the team. The only saving grace was this beauty of  a putback from Shannon Brown:



Perhaps the Lakers were still high from their ring ceremonies that a better opponent than the Clippers brought them back to earth? The Lakers should definitely step-up against the rising Atlanta Hawks in the next game.


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Andrew Bynum: An All-Star This Season?

Andrew Bynum is averaging 26 points and 13 rebounds this season.

Well, the Los Angeles Lakers have only played one game this season so far, Andrew Bynum is showing us glimpses that he may be good enough to be an All-Star this season.

Bynum's numbers may be a bit inflated because resident starter Pau Gasol was out with an injury and the Lakers were playing the hapless Los Angeles Clippers. But Andrew is leaner (and perhaps meaner) and he faced a decent center in Chris Kaman. So that has to count for something right?

If you ask me, the main roadblock to Bynum's ascent into the All-Star stratosphere is not the front court of the tough Western Conference, but his health. He's showing us that he's getting comfortable running the floor and playing with a knee brace.

If he's able to play 90% of his games by February 2010 with an average of 18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, I think Bynum is a shoo-in to the West Team in Dallas.


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Lakers Look Good In Season Opener

The Los Angeles Lakers opened the 2009-2010 NBA season with two important things: their championship rings from last season and a win.

The Los Angeles Clippers provided little fight as the Lakers beat them 99-92 at the Staples Center. This cross-town match-up featured a fast start by Lakers, scoring 32 points in the first quarter and forcing the Clippers to 9 turnovers. But like bully toying with little kid, the Lakers let their opponents inch closer in the third quarter only to smother them in the fourth.

Kobe Bryant led the way with 33 points but the focus was on new Laker Ron Artest.Artest had a decent line (10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) but shot poorly at 30%. His game reminds me of a stronger, more aggressive version of Rick Fox as Ron-Ron hounded the Clippers front and back-courts well. His elaborate hairdo also reminds me of another former Laker-- Dennis Rodman.

The Lakers looked really sharp even with Pau Gasol out with an injury. Andrew Bynum (26 points, 13 rebounds) and Lamar Odom (16 points, 13 rebounds) stepped up big time. Take away DJ Mbenga's jump shots and the team's dismal third quarter, the Lakers proved their championship mettle.

Ah, it feels good to be a Laker fan this season opener. :D


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Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade

I've followed Ball Don't Lie's series on the Top 10 players in the different positions in the NBA of the last decade and I was inspired to come up with my own list of the Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade:

#1: Kobe Bryant - I guess there will be few arguments for this selection. Kobe was part of all the Lakers' 4 championships in the first decade of the 2000's and has won individual accolades as well. He scored 81 points in a game once and held the scoring title for a couple of years. His best season? Personally, I think it was the 2008-2009, when he led the Lakers to the championship.

#2: Shaquille O'Neal - The Big Aristotle was a monster even before the decade started but he won his lone MVP award as a Laker in 2000. He butted heads with almost everyone in the Lakers organization, but maintained his clown-like demeanor in public. But I still think Shaq's reached his peak wearing purple and gold, winning all the Finals MVP's in the Lakers' Dynasty run early in the decade.

#3: Derek Fisher - Derek Fisher's stats won't wow anyone, but he was the Lakers' locker room leader and silent #3 option in the Dynasty years.  Fish also provided some of the most clutch performances in the last decade. Who can forget the ".04" shot he made against the San Antonio Spurs in 2004 and the clutch three's he made against the Orlando Magic last year?

#4: Pau Gasol - Pau Gasol's career Laker is still young but he has been a great #2 option for the last couple of years. After getting slammed by the critics for his weak performance against the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, Gasol toughened up and stood his ground against the towering Dwight Howard. Gasol's skill in the post and basketball IQ also supports his case as #4 in this list.

#5: Lamar Odom - Lamar Odom has made fans crazy with his inconsistency-- in one moment he's a versatile forward who can score, rebound, and facilitate the Triangle Offense with ease, in another, he's a lackadaisical player who disappears in the game. Whatever mode he's in, Odom is good for the top half of this list by his talent and solid numbers. Remember, he was one of the players who was traded for Shaquille O'Neal.

#6: Robert Horry - Like our #3 guy, "Big Shot Rob" gets in because of his intangibles. He lost a great deal of athleticism when the decade set it, so he relied on his wile and shooting to earn his place in the roster. Sacramento Kings fans will never forgive Horry for draining the 3 that sealed the Kings' fate in 2002.

#7: Andrew Bynum - Shaq's replacement? Hardly. But Andrew Bynum is still brimming with potential, despite his early injuries. He has shown flashes of becoming a dominant big man, but he's still enamored with scoring in the low blocks instead of patrolling the middle and letting the offense come to him. Thanks to his mentor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bynum is slowly getting more polished by the day as he is just about to turn 22.

#8: Rick Fox - Rick Fox may be plying his trade in Hollywood right now, but his role during his Lakers days was the team's resident enforcer. His best statline of the decade was during the 2000-2001where he averaged 9.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, but his tough play and defense were things that never showed in the scoreboard.

#9: Luke Walton - "Luuuuuuke" chants will always be a fan favorite but fans seems to have forgotten Walton was a solid #3 option when the Lakers' starting lineup consisted of Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and Walton. If you ask me, if Luke Walton played in a different system, his lack of athleticism would make him an NBDL candidate. But thanks to his crafty passing and mastery of the Triangle, Walton's career is still going strong.

#10: Caron Butler - Butler only wore the Lakers jersey for only one season but he came up with above average stats that season (15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals). The only problem then was that the Lakers missed the playoffs and the Bryant-Butler combo was deemed a failure. Butler was shipped to Washington for Kwame Brown, who was in turn, traded to Memphis for Pau Gasol.

So that's my list, the Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade. Did I miss anyone? Feel free to chime in.


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