LeClutch did it again

[IllmaticDelta]

 

[IllmaticDelta]

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Kobe and the Clutch Playoff Performance Myth (2011)

In my 25 plus years of following the NBA, one of the more fascinating phenomena to me has been the plight of those that I refer to as “Kobe Nation”. Now, I’m not referring to Kobe “fans” - Many of those are a dime a dozen, stuffing the All-Star ballot box, displaying their #24 jerseys during road games, and riding the Kobe-train as long as the Lakers remain on top. No, I’m talking about Kobe Nation – those who have repeatedly extolled the virtues of Kobe Bryant while partaking on a daily quest to defend his basketball legacy, game performances, and polarizing personality. They are his apostles, and their fervor rivals that of even the most religious of zealots. They respond to criticism, deserved or undeserved, with an inverse defiance that embodies the personality of their hero; the more you critique them, the more combative they will become, the less they will listen, and the more likely you will be called a “hater”. For every action, there is a reaction.

Earlier in the season, ESPN’s Henry Abbott questioned Bryant’s status as the most “clutch” player in the NBA, and as you can imagine, Kobe Nation responded with a fury. Specifically, Abbott defended his stance by citing the Game Winning/Game Tying Shot metric traditionally used by coaches and GMs when scouting opposing teams – shot attempts in the final 24 seconds of a game during which a player’s team is either tied or trails by three or fewer points. And during Kobe’s 15-year career (regular season and playoffs), the results showed that he made only 36 game winning/game tying shots while missing a stellar 79, or 36/115.

So why then is Kobe Bryant considered to be the unanimous first choice among GMs, coaches, and players for taking the game winning/game tying shot for all the marbles? Abbott cites the media’s propensity to exhaust the highlight reel, limitations of human memory, and our attraction to flashiness rather than substance as the primary reasons for why fans, coaches, players, and GMs are misguided]. In sum, people usually remember Bryant’s makes, which are undoubtedly spectacular in nature, but not his misses.

So where do I stand?

First a plea to Kobe Nation…. Allow me to go on record by stating that Kobe Bryant is one of the 10 greatest players to ever play the game. By the time he retires, he will likely be top 5. He is a phenomenal all-around player in every aspect of the game, and possesses a unique combination of talent and skill, that in my opinion, can only be rivaled by Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Hakeem Olaujuwon. He also has a basketball IQ that is simply off the charts – a unique feel for the game that despite his numerous injuries, has allowed him to remain physically effective in a manner that is traditionally reserved for 20-somethings. Other than Michael Jordan, I have yet to see a player who displays the same level of ferocity, stubbornness, and will to win that Kobe Bryant does.

However, Henry Abbott is right. Kobe Bryant IS overrated in the clutch, and even more so when it comes to game winning/game tying shots. That’s right Kobe Nation, you heard me. In which universe does missing 79 out of 115 game winning/game tying shots constitute clutchness? Clutchness to me has always been defined basically and inherently. You either succeed and come through for your team, when your team needs you the most, or you don’t. And in 115 instances, during the time in which Bryant’s teams have needed him the most, he has succeeded only 36 times while failing 79 times. That’s a 31% success rate folks. It’s that simple.

We are not talking about a complex John Hollinger formula or algorithm. We are talking about a fairly straight forward metric – less than 24 seconds, time winding down, ball in Kobe’s hands, chance to win or tie, miss or make. All other variables are irrelevant:

- “Kobe is the most fearless”

- “Kobe wants the ball in his hands at the end of the game”

- “Kobe has the ability to make the most spectacular shots”

None of this matters. The only thing that matters is the result.

So that got me thinking – if the 36/115 stat includes both playoffs and regular season, how has Bryant performed in game winning and game tying shot situations during the playoffs alone? After all, playoff games are the ones that count the most, right? The pinnacle of pressure? The most important of time of the year when everything is at stake? Is there really a more clutch opportunity than a game winning/game tying shot in a playoff game?

The answer: Bryant is 7/25 or 28% -slightly worse during the playoffs than the regular season.

Keep in mind that the game winning/game tying shot is only ONE metric of clutch, and in a future article we will post additional data reviewing Kobe’s performance during the last 2 minutes, last 5 minutes, and the entire 4Q, which further substantiates my point. However, for now, we will focus on the game winning/game tying shot metric, which in my mind, represents the MOST pressure packed situations in a game.

Below is a breakdown of game winning/game tying shot attempt throughout Kobe Bryant’s 15 year career:

http://chasing23.com/the-myth-of-playoff-kobe/

 

[OG_StankBrefs]

@ da levels of ether fumes in dis thread. Good Lord.


See, dis is what happens when you got folks hangin on err last word of an agenda driven troll like Skip Bayless. Dat fukkin loser been da main one leadin mufukkas towards da cliff's end for years wit dat retarded "No clutch gene" nonsense. And folks' irrational hatred for Bron made it so easy to fall for dat bullshyt rhetoric.

fukkin morons.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

It doesn't surprise me that Kobe stans could see all of this and still keep their narrative going.

I mean, what's their choice? Admit that Lebron has done better than Kobe in the clutch? They could never, ever do that. So what choice do they have than to deny every bit of evidence that's thrown in front of their face over and over and over?

 

[IllmaticDelta]

LeBron James, Heat great in the 'clutch'

As it pertains to the NBA, "clutch time" is defined as less than five minutes to go in the fourth quarter or overtime and the score within five points.


And right now no team is more clutch than the Miami Heat, and no player is more clutch than LeBron James.

And after Monday’s comeback against the Boston Celtics, it’s worth noting in recent history just how great this Heat team has been in clutch situations.

In the past 17 seasons, the Heat are one of two teams that have outscored their opponents by more than 30 points per 100 possessions in "clutch time". The only team better than this year’s Heat? The 2008-09 Cleveland Cavaliers, who just happened to be led by LeBron.

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Not a Kobe fan either. Ray Allen and Pierce >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> All

not really

 

[UpAndComing]

not really

What's the stats for the most 4th quarter points in the final 5 seconds in the Conf. Finals and Finals? You know, the stats that really matter

Or did the geek analytics not up to par in that regard?

I bet Lebron thanks Ray everyday for his 2nd title huh

 

[Amphibious]

Kobe Bryant is far better than Lebron James.

But let's not call Lebron James a slouch.

He's still top 50 dead or alive

 

[IllmaticDelta]

What's the stats for the most 4th quarter points in the final 5 seconds in the Conf. Finals and Finals? You know, the stats that really matter

Or did the geek analytics not up to par in that regard?

I bet Lebron thanks Ray everyday for his 2nd title huh

Those are real stats/facts, not geek analytics. Lebron should thank himself

 

[UpAndComing]

Those are real stats/facts, not geek analytics. Lebron should thank himself

Why you showing Game 7 highlights when you brought up his final 5 second record in games?

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Why you showing Game 7 highlights when you brought up his final 5 second record in games?

My post was abut clutch in general...if you mean all time in the last 5 secs of a playoff game, I already posted about it. lebron is much better than Allen and Pierce

 

[UpAndComing]

My post was abut clutch in general...if you mean all time in the last 5 secs of a playoff game, I already posted about it. lebron is much better than Allen and Pierce

How bout stats on his record of clutch shots in the final 5 seconds in the Conf Final and Finals? You still didn't answer it. I'll wait

 

[IllmaticDelta]

How bout stats on his record of clutch shots in the final 5 seconds in the Conf Final and Finals? You still didn't answer it. I'll wait

stats speak for themselves

 

[UpAndComing]

stats speak for themselves

How bout stats on his record of clutch shots in the final 5 seconds in the Conf Final and Finals? You still didn't answer it. I'll wait

You still DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION