[...]

It's true, people do say Kobe Bryant shoots too much, but this is only because he shoots too much. Kobe Bryant shoots more than lingerie photographers.

He's always been an unrepentant gunner, but he's practically melting the barrel this season. He's taken 71 more shots than his next shootingest teammate, Pau Gasol. He's averaging almost 30 shots a game this month. Bryant believes in shot selection. He selects them all.

Unfortunately, he's making fewer of them. He went 6-for-28 the other night. For the season, he's hit only 41.7 percent. Entering Thursday, that tied him for 214th in the league.

And he doesn't care.

"Look, I've played 15 years. I've won world championships. I've done all these things. And people still want to talk about this stupid-a** [stuff]? I'm a scorer first ... I'll try to make the good play, the good pass, kick it out when my teammates are open, but I'm a scorer first. I may shoot 27 times. I may shoot 20 times. Nobody complains when I shoot 10 times. You don't hear ME complaining when I shoot 10 times. It just depends on the game, you know?"

Yes, but Kobe, with your right wrist swollen like a miniature Macy's float, wouldn't this be a good time to pass on a few--

--"I've shortened up my follow-through," he says.

Yes, but Kobe, according to ESPN research, you have the highest "usage rate" -- that's the number of possessions a player uses per 40 minutes -- in the NBA. In fact, your usage rate (38.9) would be the highest in the 3-point era of NBA--

--"Yeah," he says. "And I also have five rings."

Yes, but Kobe, stats show that the Lakers are 29-4 when rising star center Andrew Bynum scores 20 points. Shouldn't it be a high priority for you to--

--"That's great. How many of those shots come from me kicking it to him for good looks when I'm being doubled?"

[...]
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