What has transpired in the last two NBA Finals games has made it clear: Kobe Bryant is not the best closer in the league.
Not right now, anyway.
For the second consecutive game, the Los Angeles Lakers put the ball in Bryant's hands with a chance to beat the Orlando Magic and he failed to deliver.
On Sunday, Hedo Turkoglu stripped him of the ball with 0.6 seconds in regulation, and only the "Alley-Oops!" from Courtney Lee prevented the Magic from evening the series at one game apiece.
Tuesday night, it was Dwight Howard's turn to make Kobe look mortal. Superman saved Orlando by tapping the ball away from Kobe with 30 seconds left and Orlando ahead 104-102. Pau Gasol valiantly dove on the floor to save the ball but couldn't get the ball to Bryant as Mickael Pietrus stole the ball and preserved the Magic's first-ever Finals win.
I blog to bury Kobe as Laker closer, not praise him. It's obvious he's fatigued. Since the start of the 2007-08 season, he's played more basketball than anyone else on the planet.
He has logged 206 NBA games and spent his '08 summer vacation leading Team USA to Gold in the Olympics. Plus, he's closing in on his 31st birthday. The Black Mamba is no spring chicken anymore.
Maybe that's why he changed his number from 8 to 24. He's played about three times as much basketball as he had the final couple of years before the switch.
I understand the theory behind throwing the ball in to Kobe and letting him try to make a play. I just don't believe in that theory. If Kobe were fresh, by all means, let him do what he does.
But he's not fresh. Otherwise, he wouldn't have missed a fastbreak layup with 3:33 left that would have tied the game at 99 on Tuesday night. A fresh Kobe would've dunked that ball.
With the game on the line, what's wrong with just running the normal Laker offense? It's not like L.A. is struggling to score points.
Get the ball to Gasol in the high post and let him dictate. If the Magic come with the double-team, he'll find the open man. If Orlando tries to scramble in defensive rotation, Kobe has a good chance of getting open in one of his favorite spots. In any event, somebody's going to have an open look at the basket.
If the Magic play Gasol one-on-one, I like Pau's chances, don't you?
I don't like seeing Kobe heaving 3's or having to dribble the length of the court on weary legs.
Don't count on him coming up with unbelievable shot after unbelievable shot. He just doesn't have that many bullets left right now.
Let Kobe close in the context of the offense -- through Gasol. Otherwise, this series with the Magic will be closer than the Lakers or their fans want.
Keywords: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Pau Gasol
