Los Angeles Times
Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times
May 12, 2008
BILL PLASCHKE
Bryant's overtime becomes sore spot
SALT LAKE CITY -- First, the back spasms.
Then, the blame spasms.
Only the Lakers, it seems, are incapable of walking away from one of the most inspirational playoff games in several seasons without somebody dissing somebody.
And only on the Lakers, it seems, could a newly crowned MVP once again find himself smack in the middle of the smack.
Playing through three hours worth of back pain that literally dropped him to his knees on a Sunday afternoon here, Kobe Bryant was splendidly, brilliantly tough in the Lakers' 123-115 overtime playoff loss to the Utah Jazz.
But he was also, like, weird.
Bryant valiantly carried the Lakers through regulation's final five minutes, using his head and his heart and the best Mother's Day passing that didn't involve a brunch plate.
But once he pulled his team into the overtime, he seemingly abandoned them there. He insisted on shooting even as his wracked body was betraying those shots. He forgot about passing even though that is what the Lakers had done best.
The Lakers survived regulation thanks to him, but lost in overtime seemingly because of him, and are now stuck in a frustrating two-games-apiece tie against a team that is fortunate to have lasted this long.
And afterward, the confusion became even more confusing.
Coach Phil Jackson blamed the overtime problems on Bryant's teammates for not working hard enough to get the ball.
"I was angry at his teammates for dropping the ball in his lap," Jackson said. "I felt guys just bailed out on him."
Later, Jackson said that "bailed out" was perhaps too strong of a phrase, but the message had been sent.
And most of Bryant's teammates received it with wonder.
They took exactly three of the team's 10 shots in overtime, and it was their fault?
The team had zero assists in the overtime, after Bryant had six assists in the fourth quarter alone, and that was on them?
"I wasn't hesitant," said Pau Gasol, who muscled back from his weak Game 3 to regain the paint. "I just tried to help out. The ball got stuck too much. We took too many jumpers."
Lamar Odom, who also showed up strong, shook his head and smiled.
"P.J. is the coach, he's watching from the sidelines, he sees things different than we do," he said. "And sometimes P.J. just says things to get us going."
