Kobe's short memory serves him well
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Thursday, April 15
Kobe Bryant didn't win the Lakers' final regular-season game against the Portland Trail Blazers with 1.1 seconds left in regulation when he triple-pumped that leaning 3-pointer in from beyond the top of the key.
He didn't win the game with one second left in double-overtime on a turnaround, fall away 3-pointer with Ruben Patterson tapping him on the wrist.
He won it seven years ago when, as an 18-year-old rookie, he stood all alone at the top of the key in a second-round elimination game against the Utah Jazz and airballed two potential game-winning shots and the Lakers lost.
Let's not forget that with 1:40 left in regulation of Wednesday night's game, Bryant missed a jumper that would have put the Lakers ahead by a point. With 1:15 left on the clock, he was whistled for traveling after forcing his way between two defenders in the paint. With 0:55 left, he missed two free throws with the Blazers up by three. At the 0:14 mark, he missed a 3-point shot with that same Ruben Patterson crowding him into the far corner.
With the game on the line, the Lakers are comfortable with the ball in Kobe Bryant's hands.
But with one second left, the rest became history.
"It was a great shot by the young fellow, Kobe," Shaquille O'Neal said in the Los Angeles Times. "He told us, 'Set me a good pick and we're going home.' This is how a great player, a great confident guy makes a shot."
In other words, Bryant doesn't simply make game-winning shots at the buzzer. He makes two or three or strings together runs all by himself while shutting down the league's leading scorer for an entire half.
Or he airballs a forced jumper while an unnamed teammate stands wide open on the periphery and thousands pseudo-psychologists in throwback jerseys that match their sneakers scream PASS THE BALL.
And then calls for the rock the very next time down the court.
So with the playoffs upon us and the league's top six teams divided by only six teams (the sixth being the one with the best record not one month ago), this more than any of his numerous attributes is what makes Bryant the best clutch player in what figures to be a playoff season that will come down to the final second.
We've listed these clutch players below, one representative from each playoff team, from best to worst with the clock winding down and the season hinging on the flick of a wrist.
1. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
See above.
2. Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers
He is 39-years-old and playing fewer minutes and taking fewer shots with those minutes than ever before. But 115 playoff games is 115 playoff games, especially when your career mark from 3-point range during the postseason is 39.9 percent. Still comes off screens with abandon, still gets bug-eyed with the shot clock shrinking, still would love to end his storied career with his right arm outstretched and left leg kicked forward for the foul. Against the Knicks would be just fine. In Madison Square Garden would be sublime.
3. Robert Horry, San Antonio Spurs
Career could be summed up in about 10 seconds of actual game time with the closing shot of him and five championship rings. Or will it be six with three different teams and three different MVPs in the post?
4. Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
Playoff demigod who has single-handedly carried unworthy teams to unimagined heights. Just finished the toughest season of his career and hasn't played since April 10 as his team lost five of its last six. That should make Indiana very confident. Or very, very afraid.
The Kings have plenty of weapons, but Mike Bibby is the player opponents fear the most.
5. Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings
His stroke only seems to get better as the game wears on. So good, in fact, that he's turned his team's centers into statistical point guards and the point guard, himself, into the shooter. Teammate Peja Stojakovic can win all the 3-point shooting contest he wants. Bibby after one rhythm dribble is still the guy opponents fear most on the Kings with the game on the line and I have yet to see him visibly sweat.
6. Sam Cassell, Minnesota Timberwolves
Kevin Garnett can have the first three quarters, but Sam gets the last one. That's the deal. Funny how all these years, critics keep claiming that KG doesn't have a go-to shot or the willingness the take the last shot or shots. Then Cassell comes along and all of a sudden KG is the MVP when, in fact, it's the same KG with a guy willing to take the last shot as a sidekick.
7. Stephon Marbury, New York Knicks
Last year, he hit a bank shot against the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs that proved to be the best shot that anyone had to beat Tim Duncan in the postseason and made it looked like he called it. Arguably quicker dribbling the ball than in track shoes, can get his shot off against anyone, anywhere which, when you think about, is just as important as a willingness or ability to shoot it.
8. Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
Very similar to Cassell in this respect, just 67 playoff games and two NBA titles his junior. But don't think he isn't using that as motivation after playing for five different teams in seven seasons after being the No. 3 overall pick in 1997.
9. Baron Davis, New Orleans Hornets
Prior to this season, Baron Davis averaged 13.3 points per game over his career during the regular season and 18.1 points per game in the playoffs. Not only is he getting better. He's getter better at the right times. One month into this season, we were calling him the MVP. And, now, after this regular season, we can only hope he's healthy enough to see how good he's really gotten.
10. Steve Nash, Dallas Mavericks
Over the head, fall away leaners, I swear I've seen a hook. There are instances I don't think he even knows what he's going to do when he leaves his feet in the key. But the only time his coach complains is when he doesn't shoot it. This uncanny ability to just get the shot off coupled with his skills as a shooter and passer make him very dangerous at the top of the key with the ball going from his right to left hand and his head tilted forward.
11. Cuttino Mobley, Houston Rockets
With Yao Ming in center and Steve Francis running the point, this guy may never get the credit he deserves for scoring 18 a game over the last five years while shooting 37 percent from long range, which is just fine with him so long as he doesn't get the defensive attention, either.
12. James Posey, Memphis Grizzlies
He is big for a shooting guard. He is strong for a swingman. He has somehow found a way to shine in a 10-man rotation in which no one scores more than 18 a game but eight of them average 8.5 points or more. Hubie Brown calls him his most valuable player. And we're not going to argue with 20.6 points per game in April on 50 percent shooting. But we are going to wait and see.
13. Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks
Once made eight 3-pointers in a single fourth quarter against the Rockets a couple years ago and has earned every bit of the praise put upon him and his southpaw stroke since. But this is his first playoff run in charge and almost winning last year's Sixthman of the Year award doesn't count when you've gone 3-for-14 in the last three games from distance as your team falls from fourth to sixth in the seedings.
14. Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
Getting here is one thing. Getting higher on this list will take a lot more of that one thing.
15. Rafer Alston, Miami Heat
This made-for-video point guard is the wildest card on a team of wild cards. He will take the last shot. He will even make the last shot. And he will audibly wonder why the only people who appreciate his game are those in baggy pants.
16. Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
The reason that a guy with a career scoring average of 14.8 at 40 percent shooting is always open for the last-second shot is because the other team wants him to shoot it. Duh. May very well be one of the finest point guards to ever play the game, but that has everything to do with his 6,738 assists in the regular season and nothing to do with his 27 percent 3-point shooting in the playoffs.
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Thursday, April 15
Kobe Bryant didn't win the Lakers' final regular-season game against the Portland Trail Blazers with 1.1 seconds left in regulation when he triple-pumped that leaning 3-pointer in from beyond the top of the key.
He didn't win the game with one second left in double-overtime on a turnaround, fall away 3-pointer with Ruben Patterson tapping him on the wrist.
He won it seven years ago when, as an 18-year-old rookie, he stood all alone at the top of the key in a second-round elimination game against the Utah Jazz and airballed two potential game-winning shots and the Lakers lost.
Let's not forget that with 1:40 left in regulation of Wednesday night's game, Bryant missed a jumper that would have put the Lakers ahead by a point. With 1:15 left on the clock, he was whistled for traveling after forcing his way between two defenders in the paint. With 0:55 left, he missed two free throws with the Blazers up by three. At the 0:14 mark, he missed a 3-point shot with that same Ruben Patterson crowding him into the far corner.
With the game on the line, the Lakers are comfortable with the ball in Kobe Bryant's hands.
But with one second left, the rest became history.
"It was a great shot by the young fellow, Kobe," Shaquille O'Neal said in the Los Angeles Times. "He told us, 'Set me a good pick and we're going home.' This is how a great player, a great confident guy makes a shot."
In other words, Bryant doesn't simply make game-winning shots at the buzzer. He makes two or three or strings together runs all by himself while shutting down the league's leading scorer for an entire half.
Or he airballs a forced jumper while an unnamed teammate stands wide open on the periphery and thousands pseudo-psychologists in throwback jerseys that match their sneakers scream PASS THE BALL.
And then calls for the rock the very next time down the court.
So with the playoffs upon us and the league's top six teams divided by only six teams (the sixth being the one with the best record not one month ago), this more than any of his numerous attributes is what makes Bryant the best clutch player in what figures to be a playoff season that will come down to the final second.
We've listed these clutch players below, one representative from each playoff team, from best to worst with the clock winding down and the season hinging on the flick of a wrist.
1. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
See above.
2. Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers
He is 39-years-old and playing fewer minutes and taking fewer shots with those minutes than ever before. But 115 playoff games is 115 playoff games, especially when your career mark from 3-point range during the postseason is 39.9 percent. Still comes off screens with abandon, still gets bug-eyed with the shot clock shrinking, still would love to end his storied career with his right arm outstretched and left leg kicked forward for the foul. Against the Knicks would be just fine. In Madison Square Garden would be sublime.
3. Robert Horry, San Antonio Spurs
Career could be summed up in about 10 seconds of actual game time with the closing shot of him and five championship rings. Or will it be six with three different teams and three different MVPs in the post?
4. Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
Playoff demigod who has single-handedly carried unworthy teams to unimagined heights. Just finished the toughest season of his career and hasn't played since April 10 as his team lost five of its last six. That should make Indiana very confident. Or very, very afraid.
The Kings have plenty of weapons, but Mike Bibby is the player opponents fear the most.
5. Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings
His stroke only seems to get better as the game wears on. So good, in fact, that he's turned his team's centers into statistical point guards and the point guard, himself, into the shooter. Teammate Peja Stojakovic can win all the 3-point shooting contest he wants. Bibby after one rhythm dribble is still the guy opponents fear most on the Kings with the game on the line and I have yet to see him visibly sweat.
6. Sam Cassell, Minnesota Timberwolves
Kevin Garnett can have the first three quarters, but Sam gets the last one. That's the deal. Funny how all these years, critics keep claiming that KG doesn't have a go-to shot or the willingness the take the last shot or shots. Then Cassell comes along and all of a sudden KG is the MVP when, in fact, it's the same KG with a guy willing to take the last shot as a sidekick.
7. Stephon Marbury, New York Knicks
Last year, he hit a bank shot against the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs that proved to be the best shot that anyone had to beat Tim Duncan in the postseason and made it looked like he called it. Arguably quicker dribbling the ball than in track shoes, can get his shot off against anyone, anywhere which, when you think about, is just as important as a willingness or ability to shoot it.
8. Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
Very similar to Cassell in this respect, just 67 playoff games and two NBA titles his junior. But don't think he isn't using that as motivation after playing for five different teams in seven seasons after being the No. 3 overall pick in 1997.
9. Baron Davis, New Orleans Hornets
Prior to this season, Baron Davis averaged 13.3 points per game over his career during the regular season and 18.1 points per game in the playoffs. Not only is he getting better. He's getter better at the right times. One month into this season, we were calling him the MVP. And, now, after this regular season, we can only hope he's healthy enough to see how good he's really gotten.
10. Steve Nash, Dallas Mavericks
Over the head, fall away leaners, I swear I've seen a hook. There are instances I don't think he even knows what he's going to do when he leaves his feet in the key. But the only time his coach complains is when he doesn't shoot it. This uncanny ability to just get the shot off coupled with his skills as a shooter and passer make him very dangerous at the top of the key with the ball going from his right to left hand and his head tilted forward.
11. Cuttino Mobley, Houston Rockets
With Yao Ming in center and Steve Francis running the point, this guy may never get the credit he deserves for scoring 18 a game over the last five years while shooting 37 percent from long range, which is just fine with him so long as he doesn't get the defensive attention, either.
12. James Posey, Memphis Grizzlies
He is big for a shooting guard. He is strong for a swingman. He has somehow found a way to shine in a 10-man rotation in which no one scores more than 18 a game but eight of them average 8.5 points or more. Hubie Brown calls him his most valuable player. And we're not going to argue with 20.6 points per game in April on 50 percent shooting. But we are going to wait and see.
13. Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks
Once made eight 3-pointers in a single fourth quarter against the Rockets a couple years ago and has earned every bit of the praise put upon him and his southpaw stroke since. But this is his first playoff run in charge and almost winning last year's Sixthman of the Year award doesn't count when you've gone 3-for-14 in the last three games from distance as your team falls from fourth to sixth in the seedings.
14. Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
Getting here is one thing. Getting higher on this list will take a lot more of that one thing.
15. Rafer Alston, Miami Heat
This made-for-video point guard is the wildest card on a team of wild cards. He will take the last shot. He will even make the last shot. And he will audibly wonder why the only people who appreciate his game are those in baggy pants.
16. Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
The reason that a guy with a career scoring average of 14.8 at 40 percent shooting is always open for the last-second shot is because the other team wants him to shoot it. Duh. May very well be one of the finest point guards to ever play the game, but that has everything to do with his 6,738 assists in the regular season and nothing to do with his 27 percent 3-point shooting in the playoffs.
