21 Year-Old Kobe Bryant Takes on J-Kidd and Penny Hardaway in 2000 Playoffs vs Suns

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Kobe Bryant Full Series Highlights
2000 NBA Playoffs
Western Conference Semi-Finals
LA Lakers vs Phoenix Suns

21.0 pts, 3.8 reb, 3.4 ast, 2.0 stl, 1.4 blk / 45% fg, 73% ft

The 1999-00 season saw Kobe’s statistical output across the board increase from the campaign prior. He concluded the regular season with career high averages of 22.5 pts, 6.3 reb, 4.9 ast, and 1.6 stl on 46.8% fg. The 21 year-old put together an impressive first round series vs Sacramento, posting 27.8 pts on 50-33-78 (%) in 5 games. This included 3 straight 30+ pt performances. Round 2 posed quite a different challenge. With All-Star backcourt Jason Kidd and Penny Hardaway, the Phoenix Suns looked to work Kobe on both sides of the ball. An All-NBA 1st Team defender, he responded by holding Kidd to an inefficient 36% from the field and often frustrating Hardaway.

Shaquille’s continued MVP superhuman-level dominance shouldn’t overshadow Kobe’s play offensively in this series. He poured in an efficient 25 in LA’s game 1 demolition. His last second pull up jumper over Kidd propelled the Lakers to a 2-0 series lead. And game 3 saw him drop another 25, helping his team take the commanding 3-0 advantage.

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“We have to hold down the fort for one another. He’s out, I hold it down for him. I’m out, he holds it down for me and that’s how we do it.” (G2, halftime)

Hearing the quote above compelled me to think about some numbers I put together a few months back. I was intent on determining Kobe’s basic statistical production (pts, reb, ast, %’s) in games that Shaquille didn’t suit up for during the Phil Jackson era. Using both basketballreference and statmuse, I was able to gather Kobe’s totals from Shaq-less games between 2000-04 and obtain the calculated averages.

Not only do these numbers add weight to the debunking of “Shaq carried Kobe”... but they give us a glimpse of what young Kobe was capable of doing statistically when counted on as the number one option.

During the Lakers’ 3 championship seasons (2000-02), Kobe played a total of 214 regular season games. Shaquille was absent from the lineup in 25 of them. The following comparison displays Kobe’s production in such occurrences:

2000-02

Total (w/ Shaq) (No Shaq)
214 G 189 G 25 G
39.1 MPG 38.9 MPG 40.8 MPG
25.4 PPG 24.9 PPG 29.7 PPG
5.9 RPG 5.7 RPG 7.0 RPG
5.1 APG 5.1 APG 5.4 APG
46.7% FG 47.2% FG 44.0% FG
83.5% FT 83.7% FT 82.8% FT

Widening the sample size, from 2000-04 (Kobe, Shaq, Jackson era - 5 seasons) Kobe played 361 regular season games. Shaquille was a DNP in 48 of them. The following comparison displays Kobe’s production in such occurrences:

2000-04

Total (w/ Shaq) (No Shaq)
361 G 313 G 48 G
39.4 MPG 39.3 MPG 40.1 MPG
26.2 PPG 25.7 PPG 29.5 PPG
6.0 RPG 5.9 RPG 7.1 RPG
5.3 APG 5.3 APG 5.3 APG
45.8% FG 46.2% FG 44.1% FG
84.0% FT 84.2% FT 82.9% FT

Thanks to ‪@nonplayerzealot4‬ for the Christmas intro.

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