As bizarro world reigns in Los Angeles, with the Lakers (2-9) stumbling and the Clippers (5-4) looking like one of the NBA's best teams, Kobe Bryant keeps putting up shots. Bryant, 36, is averaging 27.4 points per game, but is largely on an island forced to jack up tough shots in lieu of few other options on offense. Heading into Wednesday, Bryant was averaging 23.8 points per game, a full four shots clear of second-place Carmelo Anthony (19.6).
In a HuffPost Live interview, Lisa Leslie — two-time WNBA champ and three-time WNBA MVP — said Bryant looks like a creaky veteran trying to do everything.
"I say Kobe is like a disgruntled old man right now. 'This is what I do, this is what I've been doing, you guys better figure out what you're going to do,'" Leslie told host Marc Lamont Hill. "Is that necessarily the right way? Probably not. But Kobe is a guy where he builds trust based on your effort. If you're not making a great effort every time, he's not going to trust you."
Leslie also played in L.A., and knows a thing or two about being the star player on a basketball team. She said the Lakers' absence at the center position (they were tied for 22nd in league rebounding and were 19th in points per game in the paint heading into Wednesday night) creates havoc for Bryant.
"Now if you don't have a center like that ... right now Kobe doesn't have that type of center. What is he doing? He's bringing the ball up, now he's doing his pick and roll, now he's doing the fadeaway jumper. That's hard basketball. That's going to be tough on him," Leslie said. "He might not make it through the season, because that's a lot of wear and tear."
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