If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

[Flyboy]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

I think he lacks that instinct b\c of his injury...........if you watch early T-Mac hes driving to the basket every other possession

Not really. He even says himself in a recent Dan Patrick interview that he lacks the same type of "fire" that say.. a Kobe has. But, they are also two totally different types of players.

http://espnradio.espn.go.com/espnradio/show?showId=danpatrick

The interview is somewhere there. It's a really good one.

[Brankles]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Kobe has yet to get the Lakers out of the first round (without Shaq, mind you). Just sayin'.

I have a feeling that TMac and Kobe's careers might end up looking like opposite paths.

TMac starts off slow on bad teams and ends up winning some titles with the Rockets.
Kobe starts off on a great team and ends his career struggling to make the playoffs on bad teams.

It's pretty early to make such a statement, but I can't see Kobe winning a title the rest of his career with the teams he plays with. I can see TMac and Yao, with a great supporting cast, end up winning a title or two in the next three or four years.


This ain't a Kobe vs TMac topic, so I'll just leave it at that, for the people who think Kobe is the best in the L.

[ehh]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

I have a feeling that TMac and Kobe's careers might end up looking like opposite paths.

TMac starts off slow on bad teams and ends up winning some titles with the Rockets.
Kobe starts off on a great team and ends his career struggling to make the playoffs on bad teams.

It's pretty early to make such a statement, but I can't see Kobe winning a title the rest of his career with the teams he plays with. I can see TMac and Yao, with a great supporting cast, end up winning a title or two in the next three or four years.

I agree unless Kobe decides to take a paycut and a reduced role later in his career (similar to AI) and goes to a contender.

[NoSkillz50]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Kobe has yet to get the Lakers out of the first round (without Shaq, mind you). Just sayin'.

Yeah, but Kobe won 3 rings with Shaq. T-mac's got his big man in Yao and he still can't even make it out of the first round.

[Flyboy]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Can't really compare the two. That Laker team had two superstars AND great roleplayers. Up until probably this season (which has been yet to be seen), it's always just been T-Mac & Yao.

[702]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Yao isn't close to the level Shaq was, that's not a fair comparison at all. Yao might be, and for my money is, the best center in the league. Shaq though, was probably the most dominating big man most of us will see in our lifetime.

[ZB9]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

when healthy, TMac is behind at least Kobe, Duncan, and Lebron imo

[bateman11]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Wasn't T-Mac thinking about maybe retiring a couple years back?

I have always thought of him as a top 10 player, but never best in the league. He puts up good numbers, but he just lacks that 'mean streak' that guys like Kobe, LeBron, Garnett, and Dirk have.

T-Mac has admitted that he does not 'love' the game. Therefore, he should be considered in the second-tier of players.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Can't really compare the two. That Laker team had two superstars AND great roleplayers. Up until probably this season (which has been yet to be seen), it's always just been T-Mac & Yao.

Not even out of the first round though? Ever? Pff give me a holler when he does. He's got all the skills the others do healthy, but that doesn't mean he's on Kobe's or Lebron's level. I think the two I mentioned have something more than skill, but I agree with Brankles, Bryant had some good teams when he won titles, now he's surrounded by trash. Mac is headed in the opposite direction.. no reason he shouldn't get out of the first round this year.

[Shakedowncapo]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Wasn't T-Mac thinking about maybe retiring a couple years back?

I have always thought of him as a top 10 player, but never best in the league. He puts up good numbers, but he just lacks that 'mean streak' that guys like Kobe, LeBron, Garnett, and Dirk have.

T-Mac has admitted that he does not 'love' the game. Therefore, he should be considered in the second-tier of players.

2nd Tier players like?

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

TMac has no heart, so No.

[Kashanova]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Yeah, but Kobe won 3 rings with Shaq. T-mac's got his big man in Yao and he still can't even make it out of the first round.

yao is no where close to shaq in his prime

[NoSkillz50]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

Can't really compare the two. That Laker team had two superstars AND great roleplayers. Up until probably this season (which has been yet to be seen), it's always just been T-Mac & Yao.

I'm not saying T-Mac has to win 3 rings with Yao, but if he really is better than Kobe he should at least be able to get close to making a Finals appearance. We'll see what happens this year but I still don't think T-mac is at Kobe's level.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

I actually almost feel for Mac this year, because if he doesn't get out of the first round.. wow.

[AtlantaFalconFan]

Re: If T-Mac didnt have back problems, is he the best player in the league right now?

yeah i think he is watching the playoffs 2 years ago vs dallas still gives me chills on how good he was when healthy. For the people who say he has no heart are dumb