Byron Scott wants the Lakers to shoot a ridiculously low number of 3-pointers.
Byron Scott wants Carlos Boozer to play better defense.
Byron Scott wants Game 7 intensity during the fifth regular-season game.
On this edition of “Byron Scott wants,” the Lakers coach would appreciate Kobe Bryant’s teammates shooting occasionally, too.
Scott, via Baxter Holmes of ESPN:“I think there was a timeout last game where I pointed at Kobe and I said, ‘I know how great this guy is, but you guys have got to play basketball,’” Scott said after the team’s practice Thursday. “‘You can’t look at him every single time and try to give him the ball. You’ve got to take shots that are there. You can’t pass up shots.’
“They can’t be afraid to fail,” Scott said of Bryant’s teammates. “That’s the biggest thing. You’ve just got to be able to go out there and play.”
But Bryant also has to play a role in helping his teammates.
“I think he’s done his share in trying to play that role and trying to get those guys an opportunity to play,” Scott said, “but they’ve got to take advantage of it as well.”
Good luck.
Even relative to other teams’ leaders in shots, Kobe – who’s attempting 24 field goals per game – is far and away carrying the largest load:
The Lakers have enabled Kobe. They gave him a huge contract extension without even negotiating. They’re giving him a lot of minutes and planning on him to score a lot. They’ve surrounded him with substandard teammates.
Even if Kobe, on some level, wants to share the ball more, everything is set up for him to hog it.
This isn’t an issue Scott can easily fix. It will take a structured offense – that Kobe buys into – to move the ball and create good shots for his teammates.
That, or waiting until next summer for the Lakers to sign another star worthy of taking shots from Kobe.