Quote:
Originally posted by pjstp20
Alright I know were starting to journey off topic here, but I must say, if I'm the Lakers coach I want Kobe to take most of the shots because no one else on that team was worth a shit shooting the ball.
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Have you heard of this O'Neal fellow?
Contrary to the misguided opinion above, Shaq is far more effective than Kobe. The Lakers scored 1.5 points every time Shaq shot the ball last season, 1.27 per Kobe shot. The Lakers are better off with Shaq shooting than Kobe.
An even larger point is that if Kobe were truly loyal to the team, rather than himself, there would not be a constant battle between he and his coach over who should be the focus of the offense. Jackson thinks it should be Shaq, as he is the most effective player in the league. Also, Jackson believes that when Shaq is double teamed, it gets everyone easier shots.
I read a great quote from an NBA scout when this blowup first became public - "take Shaq away from Kobe and you've got Jerry Stackhouse."