This is an interesting article on Kobe’s shooting statistics.
PE.com: With the Lakers coming off back-to-back losses in which Kobe Bryant attempted a combined 69 shots, I did a little digging to find out how important a balanced offense is to the team’s chances of success. How you interpret the following statistics likely determines whether you’re a Kobe fan or a Kobe hater:
** In games when Kobe takes 30 or more shots, the Lakers are 3-5
** In games when Kobe takes 20 or less shots, the Lakers are 27-1
** Kobe is averaging 20 shots per game in the Lakers’ 48 victories
** Kobe is averaging 27.3 shots per game in their 12 losses.
The easiest conclusion to draw from this data is that the Lakers are at their best when their complementary players are sharing the scoring load and Kobe doesn’t have to shoulder the burden himself.
Now does that mean Bryant is calling his own number too much when his shot total creeps into the upper 20s and low 30s? In my opinion, not necessarily.
It’s difficult to fault Bryant for his season-high 38 shots Sunday in Phoenix because his teammates were providing little offensive support. With Lamar Odom hampered by foul trouble, Pau Gasol deferring to teammates and the vaunted “Bench Mob” out of sync, Bryant felt the need to provide energy to his team with his scoring and he kept the Lakers in contention with 49 points.
On the other hand, even the staunchest Kobe supporter would probably admit there are a few times when he stops looking for his teammates too early and tries to carry the team himself when he feels the game getting away from the Lakers. These days it’s almost always out of competitiveness — not selfishness — but it still often comes at the expense of the efficiency of the offense.
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