And all eyes are on Kobe Bryant.
That's because Kobe had his worst statistical season in 2010-11 since 2004, when Shaquille O'Neal was a Laker and George Bush was campaigning against John Kerry.
That's a long while, and though Kobe didn't have a terrible season, it's not the standard that we expect from the Lakers' franchise player.
Let me first say this: I am not a "Kobe Bryant hater." I address this directly because, well, damn near half of you will slam me in the comments—bring it on!—claiming that I can't stand Kobe. Let's not subscribe to that, here, OK?
We got that out of the way? Good. Phew.
Kobe Bryant isn't the franchise player he was in 2008. Unfortunately, 14 long years of exploding to the rim, making ridiculously-contested jump shots and playing some of the best defense we've ever seen has taken a toll on his knees and has robbed him of athleticism.
With the hiring of coach Mike Brown, the Lakers have scrapped the triangle offense that brought five titles to Southern California. While no one is sure the kind of offense Brown will implement, one of the obvious frameworks would include running isolation-heavy sets with Kobe Bryant starting the possession at the top of the key.
Big mistake.
Last season, Kobe Bryant strayed from the triple post offense, something that is a no-no for the triangle to succeed; the offensive structure thrives off of constant ball movement.
And to the demise of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant was eating up possessions at a dangerous rate—he used up 35.1 percent of the Lakers' possessions, his highest percentage since the 2005-06 season. And while that wouldn't be a problem if this were 2007, it's a ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
