Los Angeles Lakers
Nov 21, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) shoots a jump shot during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Lakers 140-106. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Lakers Are Thankful For: Kobe Bryant and His Wild Shooting Nights
After missing out on all their high-profile free agent targets this offseason, the Lakers are enduring one of the worst seasons in franchise history, and don’t have much to celebrate or be thankful for.
But amidst the disaster that has been this season, the Lakers still have Kobe Bryant to look forward to, and be thankful for, on a night-to-night basis. Many have criticized Bryant for taking too many shots, given his career-worst 38.1 shooting percentage from the field, but that’s what makes Bryant so great for the Lakers. Kobe has turned himself into must-see TV this season; it’s like watching an old western film where the cowboy goes into the saloon, empties both pistols, and clears the place.
That’s the beauty of Bryant, he’s gunning regardless of the score (as evidenced by his 44-point performance against the Warriors, where the Lakers were down by more than 30) and who knows, sometimes he will even will his team back into contention some nights. Forget Mike Miller, Kobe is the real architect of letting it fly.
He’ll shoot from anywhere, at any time, and that type of entertainment and grandiose ambition is unmatched anywhere else in the NBA. But all jokes aside, Bryant is one of the few real warriors left in the NBA, and with a struggling franchise like the Lakers, that’s more than enough to be thankful for.