So I just finished watching the Spurs/Bucks game, and the only thing on is Mavs/Lakers. Between the two, I hadn't been that entertained watching an NBA double-header like that in awhile, and one of them was a blowout. Occasionally, a player like Tony Delk or Cliff Robinson will score 50. But it takes supreme all-star status to reach the 60's. Not only did Kobe Bryant score 62 last night versus Dallas, he did it playing only 3 quarters. He could've gotten more and should've gotten more. But lame-ass sportsmanship got in the way of greatness.
First off, it must be noted that Dallas displayed perhaps the worst defense I've ever seen. How many points does one man have to score before you double-team? Yet the Mavs were just fine with single-coverage on Kobe. At one point, when Kobe was in the low-50's, he was able to get a wide-open 3 during a fast break. I mean Dallas practically ran out of towels to throw with this defense.
The NBA record is 100 points by Wilt Chamberlain, which will forever be out of reach for every basketball player. The main reason is that the games in which these performances occur in are normally blowouts. So when guys get anywhere close to scoring nirvana, they're almost always forced to sit out the 4th. Sportsmanship. We've all been critical of the high number of shots Kobe takes. But if I'm not mistaken, you play to win the game, and they did win by 22. Who cares if he had 0 assists if his team wins. We watch sports games for entertainment like that, not to be engulfed with mercy. Besides, the Mavs were asking for it. Dallas got so caught up in watching, that their final shot of the 3rd quarter was like throwing a crumbled piece of paper into a wastebasket- they knew they were wasting their time.
The stop-rubbing-it-in-our-faces complaints began in college, where teams like Duke basketball or USC football will frequently beat teams by 60. But this is the pros, these guys are making millions of dollars! They should be able to put up with 40-pt losses. And when you look at those old games where Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and David Robinson scored between 70-100, we notice that they all played into the 4th quarter and their games where blowouts. Kobe should've gotten the same privilege.
One player isn't above the team, and that goes for everyone. However, there are games where teams should let the guy with the hot-hand continue. It was a ton of fun watching him steamroll through Dallas. Had Kobe played, he could've honestly scored about 90 points (the D was that weak). No one has finished the game in the 80 or 90-point total area. Bryant only needed 14 more for 2nd most points scored ever in a game. It's a shame he didn't get the chance. |
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