At 34 years old, Bryant is playing at an elite level. He is still the leader of the Los Angeles Lakers, he can still score on anybody in the league and he is still knocking down shots normal humans can only dream about.
His game remains iso-heavy and methodical, but that doesn’t mean he can’t light up the score board with awe-dropping highlights.
The problem for opposing defenses is that Bryant’s prime has lasted about as long as anybody’s in NBA history. His athleticism may not be what it once was, but he can still challenge defenders—his confidence grows as the difficulty of each shot increases.
In the Lakers’ season-opening matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, Bryant showed incredible efficiency as he shot 11-of-14 and finished with 22 points.
In case you’re thinking every shot was easy, check the highlight. Vince Carter may not be known for his defense, but he did an excellent job of disrupting the vision of the Lakers superstar.
But like the old adage goes: good defense, better offense.
Bryant’s never been known as the most physical player, but he has an uncanny ability to draw contact and know exactly where the ball needs to be when it leaves his hands.
Even with his athleticism supposedly disappearing, Bryant had the body control to twist, turn and throw the shot at the rim despite the 6’7”, 260-pound frame of Jason Maxiell obstructing his vision of the basket.
Now begins the part of the show where Bryant starts taking his aggressions out on the Houston Rockets.
In this clip, we once again get to see what Bryant can do with a hand in his face out on the perimeter. The 2-guard has never been known as a deadly thr...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
