Conventional wisdom states that Kobe Bryant is the Lakers most fearsome weapon in the final minutes of a close game. Even Kobe's peers in the league voted him the overwhelming "most clutch" player in the league in a recent Sports Illustrated poll.
But the stats in 2012 tell a very different story.
In close games (within five points) with less than 3:00 left, Kobe is shooting just 33.3%. Andrew Bynum? He's shooting an other-worldly 85.2% when the game is on the line.
Without a doubt, Andrew Bynum has been the Lakers most clutch performer toward the end of close games this season. And the statistical results between Bynum and Bryant are not even close.
With data taken from pro-basketball-reference.com, through April 3rd, 2012 Andrew Bynum is dominating offensively in games that are within five points with three minutes of less remaining as seen below:
Andrew Bynum - Game Within 5 Points With 3:00 or Less Remaining
4th Quarter: 17-21 FG's (80.9%) (data here)
Overtime: 6-6 FG's (100%) (data here)
Bynum Total: 23-27 FG's (85.2%)
Kobe Bryant - Game Within 5 Points With 3:00 or Less Remaining
4th Quarter: 23-60 FG's (38.3%) (data here)
Overtime: 1-12 FG's (8.3%) (data here)
Bryant Total: 24-72 FG's (33.3%)
Sure, Andrew Bynum benefits from Kobe's presence because the Black Mamba draws so many double teams down the stretch in close games. Kobe has also assisted on five of Bynum's 23 clutch baskets so far this year.
Kobe Bryant, on the other hand, has seen his shooting percentage plummet to 33.3% in the final three minutes of tight games. Much of this is due to the fact that Kobe feels the need to put the team on his back and almost single-handedly bring home a victory. As I have written before, the more Kobe Bryant shoots, the more the Lakers lose, and Kobe's shooting percentage when the game is on the line illustrates why.
Fortunately for Lakers fans like me, Kobe has seemed to realize Bynum's value toward the end of close games. On March 11th Kobe drew up the final play for Andrew Bynum with the game on the line against the Boston Celtics, and Bynum delivered with a clutch bucket as the Lakers won 97-94.
If the Lakers are going to put together another push for the title in 2012, Lakers fans should be hoping Kobe keeps drawing up plays for Bynum when the game is on the line. ---- By Andrew Sweat
