Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has no issue with guarding opponents best players in late game situations, but can the guy get some help please?
Bryant surely feels the same way, as he reiterated after a losing 99-90 effort to the Miami Heat:
"If (guarding the opposing team's offensive threat) is going to be something that I'm going to have to do for a while, I'm going to need my teammates' help to free up offensively," Bryant said. "Like we did in the fourth quarter -- create some picks for me, create some easy shots. That's going to be tough for me to guard the top guy and come down the other end and have to go one-on-one every play. So, I'm going to need some help.
"I need some help offensively to save energy and not have to isolate and do things like that," Bryant said. "I'm going to need some picks. I'm going to need to catch-and-shoot like I did in the fourth quarter a little bit to make my job a little easier. I think the first three quarters of me just standing around the perimeter, the defense is praying for that. We have to do some things to free me up and get me in open spaces, this way I can be more active on the defensive end of the floor."
Bryant started the game with just nine points on 3-for-16 shooting through the first three quarters before getting 22 points on 8-for-25 shooting. Bryant's defensive assignment in Dwyane Wade finished the game with 27 points on 11-for-20 shooting.
Though he's asking for more help from his teammates, in the end Bryant rested the offensive blame on his shoulders.
"I take responsibility for that," Bryant said. "I allowed myself to be too big of a decoy tonight. ... I'll take the brunt of it because I should have been way more aggressive and not allowed myself to be on the perimeter. To have to take 25-footers all night long, that's just not going to happen again."
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