Kobe Bryant's potentially season-ending injury could have been averted if Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott properly treated his ageing star right from the start of the season, NBA writer Baxter Holmes of ESPN Los Angeles opined in his latest column.
Bryant, who already missed a large number of games due to torn ACL and knee injuries the past two seasons, could be back on the sideline likely for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn rotator cuff in Wednesday's loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The five-time NBA champion made a triumphant return from a lengthy rehabilitation, averaging 22.3 points, 5.6 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game and setting multiple milestones in the process, including passing Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan for third in NBA All-Time scoring list.
However, despite proving to everybody that his competitiveness hasn't worn out, Bryant actually dragged himself to the point of vulnerability. Sadly, Scott had been aware of the risk all along, but didn't step in right away because of his belief that Bryant could overcome any adversity along the way.
"The first issue is well known: Scott simply played the 36-year old Bryant way too many minutes earlier this season -- a team-high 35.4 per night during the team's first 27 games -- even though he said Bryant asked to play fewer minutes from the start," Holmes stressed.
In the end, Bryant's injury proved Scott wrong. Then again, Holmes stressed the Lakers head coach is not the only culprit for having the team's best player make another early exit. The entire Lakers, starting from the top management level to the medical team were also irresponsible in taking care of their most valuable employee both on basketball and financial aspect.
"So the blame truly falls on Scott, who hasn't been shy about admitting his fault in the issue. And, to a greater degree, the blame truly falls on the entire organization for not stepping in at some point earlier on when Bryant was playing all those minutes," Holmes added.
With Bryant sitting the last three months of the regular-season, the ball is now in the court of the Lakers front-office personnel to make sure Kobe's final season won't go to waste.
While there's no doubt the Black Mamba will once again push himself to the limit in his rehab and during training camp, Mitch Kupchack and Jim Buss have to pull off an offseason coup that would keep Bryant motivated for one final push towards another NBA title.
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