Kobe Bryant's 2009- 2010 Game Winning Shots Saved a Season.
66Worth More Than Two Points
- Dec. 04, 2009: Lakers 108 - Heat 107 (buzzer-beater, 3-pointer over Dwyane Wade)
- Dec. 16, 2009: Lakers 107 - Bucks 106 (OT buzzer-beater, jumper over Charlie Bell)
- Jan. 01, 2010: Lakers 109 - Kings 108 (buzzer-beater, 3-pointer)
- Jan. 31, 2010: Lakers 90 - Celtics 89 (jumper over Ray Allen w/ 7.3 secs)
- Feb. 23, 2010: Lakers 99 - Grizzlies 98 (3-pointer over Rudy Gay w/ 4.3 secs)
- Mar. 09, 2010: Lakers 109 - Raptors 107 (fade-away jumper over Antoine Wright w/ 1.9 secs)
The 2009-2010 season may go down as the most clutch season ever for Kobe Bryant, It may go down as maybe the most clutch season in NBA history considering Kobe did it all with a severed index finger on his shooting hand.
For those who have never played the game a buzzer beater is just two points to them. They simply don't understand the level of pressure one has on him with the game in his hands. The essence of a game winning shot particularly a buzzer beater is lost in the many geek manufactured equations, such as PER for example.
PER doesn't give extra points for clutch buzzer beaters. PER does not differentiate value, meaningless points scored in the fourth when the game are equaled to game tying or winning field goals.
In this case Kobe Bryant's game winner meant more than many people failed to realize. These shots were the difference in the Laker's championship chances.
That year the Lakers went 57-25 winning the Pacific Division Championship, not to mention a number 1 seed in the playoffs. One must wonder how that scenario would have played out had Kobe missed those game winning shots.
Had Kobe not beat the odds the L.A Lakers would have finished with 51 wins and 31 losses placing them at a 5 seed in the Western Conference. Yes they still would of made the playoffs, however they way they were playing in the early stages of the post-season its quite possible they would of been a early first round out at worst. A hard second round out at best.
Lets not forget the Laker's were nearly eliminated twice in the playoffs that year and that was with home court advantage. These are the many situations where PER fails to evaluate a player for what they are really worth.
