These examples, while anecdotal, can provide some insight on how great NBA guards can produce near the level of their pinnacle years at the age of 32. As you can see, all of the great guards mentioned showed very little decline in their play and in some cases were even able to take their team to championship contention levels. This information should relive some of the doubts that many Laker fans might have that a huge drop off in production should be expected in Kobe this year, which would inevitably cause the derailment of the Laker’s 3peat train.
Please, do not make the same mistake the Chuckster (Charles Barkley) did, who during this past season’s Lakers vs. Thunder first round series proclaimed Kobe as being “done”. He went on to add that Kobe’s days of having 30 to 40 point games on a consistent basis were “OVER”; with an emphasis on the word OVER. As if on queue, Kobe went on to string together fourteen 30 point games and quite possibly one of his best playoff performances of his career.
Yes, Kobe’s regular season numbers have gone done slightly these last few years, but much of that can be attributed to having more talent around him and his willingness to trust his teammates. If there is anything that we have learned from Kobe’s illustrious career, it’s to never doubt his abilities or desire to reach goals that seem improbable at the time.
