"Dot-dot-dot." -- Kobe Bryant after the Lakers' Game 2 blowout loss to the Mavs.
That was Mamba's way of telling J.A. Adande late Wednesday night that the Dallas-L.A. series isn't over, no matter how dire the Lakers' situation looks after two home losses.
We're taking Kobe's dots and giving them to five writers from Dallas and Los Angeles to get their views on where Kobe, Phil Jackson, Dirk Nowitzki, the Lakers and the Mavs stand now.
Here's 5-on-5:
1. Kobe Bryant is ...
J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: ... going to have to fill in the blanks. We've been waiting for him to take over, finish and deliver playoff victories this postseason. Hasn't happened the way we're used to it happening.
Tim MacMahon, ESPN Dallas: ... suddenly a one-dimensional offensive player. One of the best slashers in NBA history is settling for jumpers in this series. He's 2-of-7 on shots inside 10 feet this round and 21-of-42 on midrange and long jumpers. He's still getting his points, but the Lakers' offense gets stagnant when all Kobe does is crank up jumpers.
Dave McMenamin, ESPN Los Angeles: ... toying with his legacy. He already has two Finals losses offsetting those five rings of his, and a second-round flameout of this magnitude, with everything set up for the Lakers to three-peat, will always be remembered when you assess his career.
Ramona Shelburne, ESPN Los Angeles: ... trying this whole Zen thing out. The "Kobe face" thing is kinda old. If the Lakers are going out, he's playing this like Phil would.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/news/story?page=5-on-5-110506
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