This season, the Lakers (12-14) are just 4-11 when Bryant takes 20 or more shots in a game. Yet, they are 8-3 when he shoots less than 20 times. And it's not necessarily because of the opposition.
With Bryant attempting fewer than 20 shots, the Lakers have beaten the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets, all of whom have better records than the Lakers. The four teams Los Angeles has beaten with Kobe shooting 20 or more times? The bottom-dwelling Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Bobcats, who have a combined record of 32-64 (.333). The eight teams the Lakers have beaten with Bryant taking less than 20 shots have a slightly better combined record of 87-112 (.437).
Last season, the Lakers were 26-19 when Bryant took 20 or more shots. That's a .578 winning percentage. Not bad. But they were 10-3 in the other games, a winning percentage of .769. In 2010-11, Phil Jackson's last season, the Lakers were 24-17 (.585) when Bryant shot 20 or more times and 33-8 (.805) when he took fewer shots.
So over the past three seasons, including 2012-13, the Lakers are 54-47 when Bryant shoots 20 times or more. To put it in perspective, that .535 winning percentage equates to a 44-38 record over 82 games. Over that same span, when Bryant takes less than 20 shots, the Lakers are 51-14 (.785), which would be a 64-18 mark in an 82-game season.
It seems pretty clear cut: the Lakers are better, and would be better this season, if Bryant shot less. At least that's what the statistics say.