by ignatu on Fri Nov 22, 2002 8:32 am
In 8 minute quarters, with MJ on the Lakers. Since Kobe doesn't score, and Shaq only when I pass it to him in the post, and since nobody will pass to me when I control a player, I have to either make my one pass or score.
I have found now that by running different plays, I can get Kobe to score. But when it was mainly MJ score, dish to Shaq in the post or Kobe on the fast break, 8 min quarters, from the PG position, with OLD Mj, not classic MJ:
Minutes 24
Points 47
Rebounds 12
Blocks 9
Assists 17
FT 5/9
FG 21/26
Game Score: Lakers 103 - Magic 93
It was a pretty good game, given the Magic scored 35 points in the first quarter, and went ahead by 20 mid-second quarter. I was making a concerted effort to get Kobe the ball, given he was scoring about 12 points a game. He was rewarding my efforts with turnovers, running out of bounds, getting his shots blocked etc.
The bench (default Lakers bench) brought the game to within 10 before MJ returned late in the 2nd quarter. I led the Lakers to pull within 1, before dropping to 6 behind just before half.
In the 3rd quarter, Lakers took the lead by 1, but when MJ sat with just over 2 minutes to go, the Magic made a run to again lead by 13. MJ returned with 6 minutes remaining in the game, dished to Shaw (Kobe was out with foul trouble) on the fast break a couple of times, and then to Shaq in the post.
Controlling MJ, I scored only 6 of my 47 points in the 4th Q, but had 10 of my 17 assists. We took the lead by 10, only to suffer a flurry of 3's and steals by the Magic to get back to within 3. Kobe returned, made some fast break dunks with MJ assists, and we ended the game winning by 10 points.
Lakers are now 4-3, mainly because I've had a hard time trying to incorporate Kobe and Shaq into the offense. With MJ I can score 50+ points every game, if he gets near the paint he's about 100% shooting, but I often foul out of games because of playing very aggressively.
I'm a bit disappointed with the game and may adjust MJ's ratings down. Probably if his legs were fine, he'd still be playing like this in real life. I've now discovered plays that have Kobe cutting inside more and being aggressive. Inside Triangles often see Kobe getting the ball in the paint and making spectacular fading jumers. It's terrific.
My goal is to lead the league in assists and have Shaq or Kobe lead in points per game.