My (sort of) Kobe mea culpa
by mikey p on Jun 3, 2009 9:53 AM PDT
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An update.
Following up on my completely frivolous and irrelevant Kobe Bryant post from a few weeks ago, which was really only wrtitten as a diversion to provide content and get a few hits (and a touch of boredom), I would like to partially revise my position.
I still maintain that the Kobe's reputation as the de facto "best player in the NBA", who at worst is #1 to any other hopeful's 1-A, according to some, is unfounded. In fact, I think LeBron James may have futhered the gap with his performance in the Conference Finals. His game 5 performance in particular was legendary. He was simply out-gunned in the series.
But Kobe Bryant put together perhaps his best playoff series since the Lakers sweep of the Spurs in 2001, and certainly the best of his veteran years. He did everything he is always accused of not doing in the Nuggets series. Very remarkable. And of the two, Kobe is the one in the Finals, while LeBron is chillin on the couch.
So while I still hold to the larger points, and still think LeBron is currently the more dominant player, Kobe is right there, maybe even 1-A.
An aside. I view the stuggles of both Kobe last year and LeBron this year as a reminder that the only player to win when it mattered EVERYTIME was Michael Jordan. The only one. Compared to MJ, everyone else is mortal.
The one certainty is that Michael Jordan is the greatest to have ever played. I don't see that changing.
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Kobe versus Denver
I never got around to posting it, but when Kobe opened the series on Billups my jaw dropped. That decision, likely taken by Phil and Kobe together, set the tone for the series. Kobe spent time on Billups, JR Smith and Carmelo and worked his butt off on defense. My biggest complaint about his various defensive honors has always been that the reality is that they (by design) don’t give him the tough defensive assignments and encourage him to rest on D.
Throughout the series, the team with the greater defensive intensity won each game. Kobe was a big part of that.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd
I love Bill Russell
but he played in a league with like 8 teams and NO free agency, so they had the same team every year.
(Though he did have to overcome racism even on his home court, so there is something to be said for that.)
Love how he started fast breaks with a blocked shot. Didn’t go much with the ball on offense, though.
Great player and champ, but Jordan is a no-brainer.
F-Elton!
true true
and I am pretty sure MJ probably took and made more game winning shots.
In Gordon we trust
Right
Bill Russell once grabbed 40 rebounds in a game 7. FORTY! Truly amazing.
But, 6 appearances, Jordan never even saw a Finals game 7.
F-Elton!
well for one thing back then the lane was only 6 feet wide, not 10 or whatever it is. that is why some of those bigs scored tons of points, there was never any 3 in the key.
that and teams routinely scored like 125 pts.
I still don’t think a lot of bill russells accomplishements shoudl be held in such high regard. He was on a completely stacked team year in and year out. It would be like if team usa played against all the rest of the nba , except that team usa would practice together all year and there was no free agency.
From what i’ve read he was not a great offensive player. Sure you can say he had tons of firepower on his team, but seriously what would he be in this day and age? Marcus camby on a team with 10 allstar offensive stars and a hall of fame coach?
Russell always gets overlooked. I'm not sure why. Two championships in college, a
gold medal, 11 NBA titles, one as a player coach. It takes more than luck to make those kind of numbers.
You are right, both guys are amazing...
Theres no denying it…Lebron dominates games with his size speed and agility, Kobe’s jump shooting is unmatched. Both guys are great defenders, they are both incredible to watch…
And you are absolutely right about MJ. People try measure success/greatness by comparing players to Jordan, which is really silly if you think about it…. I think the obvious comparisons between Jordan and Kobe as players cause people to look at Kobe in this light more than any other player…with Kobe and MJ its apples to apples, which leads to a lot more scrutiny than any other current player, in my opinion…
I think right now its a tossup between the two, but Lebron clearly has the potential to surpass Kobe, and maybe everyone else too.
The scary thing about LeBron
is that he has such a long way to go. He has barely scratched the surface. He has NO post up game at all. His outside shot is very good, but not yet deadly like Kobe. And he is only 24!!! He has already done things I have never seen. As has Kobe (81 points).
But…if the true measure of greatness is winning, nobody did it like Mike, and I don’t think anybody will.
F-Elton!
lebron
but he aint clutch like kobe….. n hes always tryin to b like kobe… like hes tryin to put that serious/focus/mean face like kobe… ok sure lebron had a great season… but kobes had that longevity n still going strong can lbj maintain?
aint clutch
did you see game 2. Kobe is a little more clutch but Lebron is very close. And Kobe’s serious face looks like he is taking a dump, and he has plenty of long gevity he almost single handedly beat the Magic.
In Gordon we trust
LeBron took over Game 5 vs. Orlando in a way Kobe never has
He also hit the clutch three in Game 2, hit two clutch FTs in Game 4, and an amazing falling-out-of-bounds three in OT. Remember Game 5 vs. the Pistons in 07? James is clutch enough.
Each can do things the other can’t. If I had to choose one, I would pick LBJ, because he is younger, faster, stronger, better passer, etc. But if I had to “settle” for Kobe, I surely wouldn’t be disappointed.
F-Elton!
lebron hsa one thing going for him that kobe never had, or ever will...
people love him. his teammates love him. have you seen that cavs commercial he actually did with the entire team and staff.
the difference between lebron and kobe is you can see lebron loves playing, he loves his teammates and they would do what it takes for him.
If kobe got in a fight with ron artest do you think pau gasol is going to punch anyone in the face. Jermaine oneal would even do that for ron artest. and stephen jackson would do it too.
Now ron artest isn’t my ideal player . but from what i’ve read his teammates will back him up. Can you even imagine that on the lakers?
I could see it happening for the cavs. If lebron got punched by say dwight howard, i could see varajao and mo williams jumping into it. I would not be shocked at all.
To finish up your point
I am not sure Jordan EVER was blocked trying to take a game winning shot, like Kobe was at the end of regulation in game 2 on Sunday night. I was at a bar watching the game, and everyone was screaming “FOUL” when it happened. But when the replay came up and showed a clean block, the place went quiet, and I laughed out loud. Too bad Lee missed that shot at the end of the game though. If he would have made it and Orlando would have stolen that game, I am sure we would have seen and heard about that block for days.
Do or do not. There is no try.
You're right
EVERYONE knew Kobe was taking that shot. The Magic collapsed all five guys on him. Ariza, Odom and Fish were WIDE open…and Kobe forced it anyway. Block.
25 year old Jordan would have forced that shot. 30 year old Jordan would have found a shooter…as he did with Paxson and Kerr.
F-Elton!
Exactly..
I think that is the main difference between Kobe and LeBron. James makes a pass in that situation 90% of the time. And since the defense knows that, it’s harder for the opposing team to double team him. It’s the best of both worlds really. Double team comes, LeBron passes to a wide open teammate. Double team comes too late, and LeBron takes it to the basket.
Kobe, on the other hand, has this gunslingers mentality and 90% of the time does NOT pass the ball to a wide open teammate. And like you said, Jordan figured it out pretty quickly that in order to win, he needed to trust his teammates and give them the ball when the situation called for it. It may boil down to a trust issue or worse yet an attitude problem with Kobe….he either doesn’t trust his teammates or doesn’t want to trust them. Almost as if Kobe can’t stand it if the spotlight is on anyone else but him.
Do or do not. There is no try.
Great find...
my favorite part is this
Kobe….is one of the best NBA players (note however, I didn’t say the best) but he certainly has an overblown reputation when it comes to the clutch shot: people remember the ones he hits, but not the ones he misses, and heck you think a 56 FGA to 1 assist ratio might be part of the problem?
Pass much Kobe?…uh..I don’t think so.
And when they compare the stats from the playoffs, Lebron and Kobe are almost identical, except LBJ has one assist to boot. I’d take LBJ over Kobe any day of the week now.
Do or do not. There is no try.
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