http://www.82games.com/gamewinningshots.htm

One thing I've been trying to tell my friends about Kobe is despite his reputation as a "the best clutch player in the game"...just how many last minute winning playoff shots has he actually hit? I can't remember any. On LA's sports talk radio station, they have been talking about how loud Staples Center was after Artest hit his shot and comparing it to Fisher's last second dagger against the Spurs, Horry's big shots, etc. Nobody remembers any of Kobe's. Can you do an analysis on this and find out who really is the best at hitting last second winners in playoff games?

I'm actually a Team Hakeem guy too, so let's not go there I guess.

Amazing game tonight for sure, I've been convulsing for the last hour.

Jordan: 42.3min 32.2pts 6.2rbs 5.4asts 1.8stls .8blks 3.1tos 46%fg 35%fg3 84%ft
Kobe: 41.5min 25.2pts 5.3rbs 4.9asts 1.4stls .8blks 2.7tos 43%fg 34%fg3 80%ft

Now the sample size for Jordan is very select. '91 to '98 is almost entirely championship years. However, it also includes his uneven '95 playoffs after baseball and his '98 season where he was 35. Kobe's entire career is in here. They are both shooting about 2-3% lower than their playoff averages from the field with very close to their playoff averages in production (though I doubt Jordan's total playoff averages would be that low if we included the 1985-1990 seasons as well, so his drop off in "crucial" games may or may not be more pronounced than that).

My point being, that when we include all of Kobe's seasons this way, we see that his drop off during these crucial games is almost non-existent. So if he's as good as ever in big games... that's not bad, right? Coming out basically even in big pressure situations is sort of a win as regards rising to the occasion (when we're assuming lesser players shrink). It's all MJ could manage.

For what it's worth, Kobe is having a great crucial game tonight, and would move up on this list if I ran it again tomorrow. And I'd like to investigate the quality of playoff defenses he's faced vs. that of other stars -- I might actually write that tomorrow. I guess I was upset because many people don't seem to understand that I only have a finite amount of time to write these posts, I've cranked out one a day since the playoffs started, and I do many other things for Sports-Reference beyond this blog (it's actually a small % of my total job).

But it's OK, no hard feelings on my part. I'll try to take less of a "take him down a peg" approach to players like Bryant and Hakeem Olajuwon (guys whose reputations are slightly better than their stats) in the future.

Btw - heckuva game, wouldn't you say? :)

Also, your last question seems to be suggesting that I have some delusional view of Kobe and that with your lists you're helping me see the error of my ways. Don't lump me and all Kobe/Laker fans into some "Kobe=GOAT, Kobe's never had a bad game" loony bin. Is context not a reason worth discussing for Kobe's position on this list and others? Take a look at the breakdown of playoff defenses (statistically by DRtg, EFG% defense etc ,and also qualitatively by All-D selections for perimeter defenders,All-D selections + DPOY for interior defenders) that Kobe has faced in his career vs the defenses faced by other elite perimeter scorers of this generation and the past. The difference is not insignificant.

I regret, and apologise for, taking a stab at the general quality of your analysis because I do enjoy reading your posts and have noticed that you are very good about taking on feedback and making adjustments to improve your methodology. This is an admirable quality which it seems few possess though many would benefit from.

FYI: 45 of Kobe's 50 "crucial" games came in the year 2000 or later.