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Kobe Bryant, Joe Johnson
SUPER-DUEL Full Highlights (Rare)
LA Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks
February 5, 2007
Philips Arena

KB - 27 pts, 6r, 4a, 3s / 10-18 fg, 2-5 3pt, 5-6 ft
JJ - 27 pts, 5r, 5a, 1s / 10-26 fg, 2-7 3pt, 5-9 ft

Entering the night, Kobe’s numbers stood at 28.8p, 5.5r and 5.5a on 47-36-86 (%) through 44 games. This matchup with the Hawks came on the heels of Bryant’s Part 2 Duel with Gilbert Arenas. For the Lakers, Atlanta was their 5th stop of an 8-game road stretch. Suspended for the trip’s first game, Kobe averaged 30.0p, 6.6r, 5.4a and 2.3s on 46-42-91 in the remaining 7 contests. Despite his efforts, LA managed to win only 3 of them.

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With all statistics I provide in the descriptions, their value is relative to time period. Comparing stats from different seasons/eras can result in misleading conclusions. The basketball landscape is always changing. Factors such as style of play, pace, rules, level of competition, etc. affect numbers, and consequently how we perceive them.

In 2006-07, the league average for pace (estimate of team possessions per 48 min) was 91.9. Teams took an average of 79.7 fga (16.9 threes), totaling 98.7 ppg. 20 players logged 20.0+ points, 9 of those at 25.0+. In 2020-21, the league average for pace was 99.2. Teams attempted 88.4 shots (34.6 threes), and averaged 112.1 ppg. 31 players posted 20.0+, 15 of which at 25.0+. Aside from pure observation, statistics like these are amongst many analytics that indicate the NBA’s on-court evolution over recent seasons. Basketball is being played at a faster pace. This has led to offensive numbers increasing.

10-15 years ago, players like Dirk Nowitzki, Rashard Lewis, Andrea Bargnani, Al Harrington, Ryan Anderson, were rarities; 6’10+ guys who could space the floor and consistently hit long distance shots. In today’s league, bigs without these skills struggle to find playing time. Gradual disappearance of the forceful, inside presence has contributed to the rise in “position-less” players’ all-around production. Russell Westbrook, James Harden, LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, and others have previously and are currently putting up monster rebound-assist numbers while still maintaining high scoring outputs. As the demand for three-point shooting playmakers escalated, bigs moved further and further away from the basket. Their passing opportunities went up, and so did backcourt players’ chances at rebounding. When 7-footers are out on the perimeter setting countless screens and flaring endlessly for jumpers, whose left to grab boards? Somebody has to.

The absurd spike in triple doubles represents this. Using statmuse.com, I determined that only 5 times in NBA history has the total number of triple doubles for a single season surpassed 100. Those 5 instances are 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Even with the shortened 72 game schedule, a league record 142 triple doubles were posted this season. The value of this single game achievement is diminishing. Think of the baseball card boom in the 1980’s. The demand was high, the values were high, but the massive over-production of cards resulted in supply far exceeding demand. The cards people wanted, now everyone had 3 of them. As fetching a triple double line becomes easier and more achievable, the significance of the stat lessens.

Here’s an example:
Player A in 2019 had (34) triple doubles and Player B in 2007 had (12) triple doubles. By this specific measure (statistical grouping of points, rebounds, assists), is Player A better than Player B? It’s then revealed that in 2019, the league total for triple doubles was (127), and in 2007 it was (32). Amidst their respective season/environment, Player A held 26.8% of all triple doubles while Player B was good for 37.5%. Who is better now?

The point of all this, statistics are affected by environment, and the environment is always changing. For this reason, it is difficult and more often than not ineffective to lean on raw numbers when comparing individual players from contrasting eras. ‘07 Kobe averaged 32, 6 and 5 in a league that saw 98.7 ppg and had only one player reach double digit triple doubles on the season. There is no telling what that man at his peak-level would be averaging in today’s offense-saturated, numbers-inflated Association.

If you disagree with or see flaws in anything written above, let me know in the comments.

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Rare - few or no known highlights of player/game on YouTube at time of publishing.

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