Kobe Is Coming Soon

The time is near. You can stop looking at the clock, just know it won't be long now.

The Black Mamba is getting close to being game ready after completing his first full speed 5 on 5 drills Tuesday. Kobe went down with an Achilles injury on April 12 while playing against the Golden State Warriors. Before he went down with his season ending injury he had just brought the Lakers back in to playoff contention after the ugly way the team started the season (25-29 before All Star Break and 3 1/2 games behind Houston for the 8th seed). The Lakers would only lose 8 more games for the remainder of the season, thanks in large part to Kobe Bryant who guaranteed his team would make the playoffs. Kobe managed to average 38.6  minutes per game in his 16th NBA season, as well as 27.3 points per game (trailing only  Kevin Durant with 28.1 and Carmelo Anthony with 28.7).

I was lucky enough to attend his game on the 10th of April against the Portland Trailblazers where Kobe played all 48 minutes of the game, which was actually becoming a regular thing at this point of the season because LA honestly had no other choice if they wanted to make the playoffs. Everyone could tell that the minutes were wearing Kobe down and you had a feeling that something has got to give on this 36 year old man's body before too much longer and in his next game it did. The Lakers would hold onto the 8th seed in the Western Conference but would be swept out of the first round against the San Antonio Spurs along with the end of a Dwightmare when Howard was ejected out of his last game as a Laker.

(How could you not remember this?)

Well, it is now the 2013-14 season and the Lakers are 5-7 this season with their leading scorer being SG Jody Meeks who is averaging only 13.7 points per game, the lowest team scoring leader in the NBA. If there was ever a time to want Kobe back it would be now. When it comes to the end of a game the Lakers have not found a go-to-guy this season and have lost some close ones because of lack of a closer. Kobe should have some rust when he returns especially considering his injury and age, but it should only be a few weeks before the Black Mamba is again one of the most feared opponents in the NBA. Bryant has said that he has been working to modify his game and compensate for the things he can not yet do, and if you remember his injured finger to his shooting hand a couple years back you know that Kobe will make all the adjustments necessary to continue to be "Kobe" once he returns.

Bryant also said, "My responsibility is to make life easier for my teammates. That's my job and that's Pau Gasols job to command double-teams, command load defenses where we can get some guys some open looks and high percentage opportunities. If I can step out on the floor and do that, that's an accomplishment." which to me basically means he is OK with continuing his newly appreciated distributor role he became so familiar with last season.

Whenever Kobe does make his return it will be because he feels he is ready and can play without re-injuring himself and that is enough for any fan to trust that he will still be "The Black Mamba".


I hope you enjoyed my update on the Kobe situation. Feel free to leave a comment if there's anything you want to chat about. Check back often for more Sports New & Analysis as well as some Fantasy Football advice, which I will be posting tomorrow!
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