Never mind the fact that I specialize in basic research, not actual patient prognosis.
Still, the folks over in Laker land asked Dr. JRS to make a Medical determination as to whether or not Kobe Bryant would be able to recover in a timely fashion from his sprained ankle (sustained towards the end of game 4 of the Lakers/Hornets series).
Further, they were concerned whether this injury, which forced kobe to leave New Orleans on crutches, would take anything away from his game, limit his effectiveness, and ultimately impede another Laker championship run.
Understanding their concern and the urgency of the matter, I told them I would be as thorough as possible with my examination.
Materials and Methods:
One of the biggest things in scientific methodology, be it experimentation or analysis, is to have proper controls. Therefore, to make my assessment, I analyzed Kobe before the ankle injury, and then Kobe after the ankle injury.
Results:
Before the injury, Game 2:
Hmm.
Nice lift.
Great explosiveness.
Altogether very impressive.
Okay, now after the injury, Game 5:
Uhhh.
Yeah......
Well, not sure if my results are correct.
Let's take a look at an independent field.
After the injury, Game 5:
No, my initial results were right.
It seems as if the ankle injury has actually enhanced Kobe's game.
Discussion:
This is certainly a rarity.
Although, it should be noted adversity due to injury/sickness was shown to augment the performance of another supreme baller on a previous occasion (i.e, Michael Jordan dropping 38 in the Finals with Flu-like symptoms).
Dr. JRS prognosis for Kobe Bryant: Fit to Play
Fit to do anything he wants
The Black Mamba is a bad man......
Acknowledgements:
Dr. JRS wishes to thank Aaron Gray and Emeka Okafor for their gracious participation in before and after injury experiments, respectively. Without their kind contributions, this medical assessment would not have been possible.
Honestly, your blog is the first thing that went through my mind after I rewound Emeka Okafor gettin finished about 7 times. Im gonna piggy back on what Kenny Smith said at halftime; We must've forgotten the name on the back of this guys jersey. We must feel like that 24 is always gonna take the open jumper. An animal is at his most dangerous when wounded. Seems like the Black Mamba is poised and ready to uncoil on the rest of the league. An ankle sprain may have been the absolute WORST thing that could happen for any other team with championship aspirations. Kenny Smith also stated that guys arent afraid of Kobe anymore. They should be. Now, more than ever.
ReplyDeleteAs for the medical assessment, I concur Dr JRS.
I saw both of these monstrous dunks last night too, it's ill how this guy shits on dudes... still. I feel like nowadays Kobe tries to befriend everyone in the league now that he's an elder statesmen, nah eff that, I'mma need you to shit on cats more often.
ReplyDeleteYeah, It's crazy to think that he still has these sorts of plays in him - 15 years deep into the league.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people forget how feared this guy really was back when he was in his early 20's. I mean REALLY feared.
Remember when he threw it down over Ben Wallace during a preseason game in his 2nd or 3rd season in the league? That was essentially his coming out party.
Remember when he was throwing it on David Robinson AND Tim Duncan with two hands in the '01 western conference finals? The Spurs got blown out every game that series and got swept.
Not to mention what he did to Dwight Howard his rookie season, which in my opinion may be one of the best dunks on someone in a long time (reminiscent of Jordan over Ewing).
I mean, he threw it on LeBron in the all-star game this year.
And I can go on and on......
It's hard to believe how nasty this dude has been over the course of his career. And it's even harder to believe that we have seen someone this great so soon after Jordan.
And don't believe that friendship tip either.
Look at how him and Chris Paul have been going at it this series.
This dude is a killer, make no mistake.
I remember him blind siding Pau Gasol with a screen during the olympics. he hit him so hard he made him fall. And that was after they made their first finals run together.
Good luck to everyone else in the playoffs facing this guy.