Kobe Bryant has suffered injury after injury. He's logged a high odometer rating. And nearly all the other NBA teams have loaded their rosters to bring him down.
Oh it's worked at times. The Lakers' sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals during the 2011 NBA playoffs illustrated that. It may continue as the Lakers (10-8) now struggle to remain on top with a coaching change and new personnel. Heck, when the Lakers host the Clippers on Wednesday, some will view the latter as the better team when in previous years they've often been nothing more than a punch line.
But Bryant has adapted. In his new Kobe System Nike ad, he explains to a confused Serena Williams how his adaptation somehow compares to why dinosaurs became extinct.
"Adaptation is not about reaction," Bryant said. "The dinosaurs reacted. The meteor adapted. The meteor won."
Of course, some could throw the punch line back at Bryant that he's a dinosaur too, and that it's only a matter of time before everyone else adapts too. Fair enough, but give credit to Bryant for continuing the fight. He sought out innovative procedures on his surgically repaired right knee and sprained left ankle. Bryant receives pregame injections for the torn ligament in his right wrist. And he's carried the Lakers with a league-leading 30.5 points per game.
Lakers Coach Mike Brown should adopt the adaptation part of the Kobe System too. That involves Brown playing Bryant fewer minutes than the 38.2 minutes per game he's averaging at this point. Simply put, that strategy has proven to be reactive toward the Lakers' current struggles instead of being adaptive toward the big picture. The consequences appear obvious. Just like the dinosaurs soon became extinct, so too could Bryant's current dominance once the postseason starts.
Assuming the Lakers get there, of course.
â€" Mark Medina
Email the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com
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