If Lebron James can make the last shot, why doesn't Kobe have the ball in his hands at the end of Game 2?

First off, congratulations to LeBron James and the Cavaliers. As I sat at Islands in Marina Del Rey (where I often watch games while chowing on cheddar fries slathered with ranch dressing), I said, "This game is over. Can't be done," after Hedo Turkoglu made a clutch runner from 12 feet for the Magic, giving Orlando a 95-93 lead.

The Cavs were :01 away from losing the first 2 games of the Eastern Conference Finals at home after losing only twice there during the 82-game regular season. It would have been devastating. I would argue that the hole would be insurmountable and Cleveland's NBA title chances would have drowned in the Cuyahoga River (along with the region's economy which drowned some time ago).

Let's flash back to 24 hours ago. Nuggets clutch point guard Chauncey Billups missed a free throw, leaving the door open just a crack for the Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets led 106-103 with about :04 left on the clock. The Lakers inbounded to Derek Fisher in the corner for a circus trey and he got nothin' but air. No net. No rim. No backboard. Air ball.

I would say I was surprised that DFish missed the game-tyer, but I wasn't. After all, he was 1-8 in the game and 1-4 from beyond the arc through 47:56. He's shooting south of 30% from the field in the postseason, and he's the guy who Phil wants taking the last shot? Seriously?

After the game last night and after practice today (before the team boarded its charter to Denver), Coach Phil Jackson explained that he knew that if the play was to Kobe, he would have been fouled and Derek had the best shot of getting the game into overtime.

I wasn't buying it before, and now, after seeing LeBron make history, I'm more certain than ever. Why would anybody not named Kobe take the final shot of a critical game? Why is one of the greatest clutch players in the history of basketball being relegated to "decoy" while the reigning MVP is actually making history.

It didn't feel right then, and now I know for sure. If somebody were to ask Kobe, heart-to-heart, "Who do you think should've taken the last shot of Game 2?" I know, in his heart, his answer would be, "Me." And he's right.

In my humble opinion, and, I don't have 9 rings or anything approaching Coach Jackson's basketball IQ, Phil needs to be a bit more flexible with his rotation tomorrow - more Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown and Andrew Bynum. It's now safe to say, and I'd like nothing better than for him to prove me wrong, that Derek Fisher's skills have declined to the point where he is a liability. He's a great guy and has been a clutch performer (just ask San Antonio), but it will take younger, faster guards to corral Billups tomorrow and beyond.

And, in the name of all that is Holy in Los Angeles, if there is a last shot to tie or to win anytime during the rest of the playoffs, Kobe Bean Bryant must take it. You might say, "Yeah, but that's exactly what the defense will be looking for." Or you could say, "Yeah, but they're going to triple or quadruple team him (quintuple teaming is unlikely because somebody will be on the inbound passer)." But those same things could have been said about the Cavs tonight.

Great players find a way to do the impossible. I will always put my money on Kobe.

Comments

Steve,
Couldn't agree with you more. There's a great letter running in the LA Times tomorrow. It's below:

Phil, how do you continue
to give Derek Fisher the major
ity of the minutes when Shan
non Brown consistently out
performs him?
How do you sit Andrew
Bynum on the bench for the
fourth quarter when size is our
greatest advantage against the
Nuggets and Pau Gasol is less
effective playing center?
How do you not synchro
nize Trevor Ariza’s playing
time with Carmelo Anthony’s
so you don’t have to guard him
with Luke Walton?
How do you not call a time
out at the beginning of Den
ver’s comeback when your
team is notorious for blowing
leads?
How is it that a guy making
$10 million a year needs me to
point this stuff out?
Matthew Bilinsky
Beverly Hills

Posted by: JB | May 22, 2009 at 10:35 PM

HEy man I have been listening to the radio and noone ever mentioned this. This has been going on since the last series.

pau gasol was giving kobe a pick at the top of the paint, every time, nene let gasol open and he and billups crowded kobe and forced him to pass the ball. kobe could not get a shot in the fourth quarter.

gasol need to leave kobe alone and stop giving him a pick at the 3 pt line because they are leaving the second defender on kobe and he is being forced to pass the ball.

Posted by: elie maloif | May 23, 2009 at 12:29 AM