#8 Kobe>

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: #8 Kobe>

Yep, that's what is still so frustrating to me. He consistently finds ways to make the game more of a challenge on purpose... when he could use his supreme skill to make it easier for not only himself but for teammates.

He had a few years where he seemed to fully get it [the year he won MVP and then the following season], but last year and this year I think he regressed in that aspect. For the Lakers' sake, hopefully it was just Kobe being worn down from the past 4 years, but I'm not so sure.

And BTW, no excuses for that year they blew a 3-1 lead. Come on now. PHX didn't exactly have a star studded cast themselves.

Anyway I could seriously spend days just looking at his highlights as #8. It's just eye opening.

[ehh]

Re: #8 Kobe>

Not to sidetrack this thread with Jordan. But that is the biggest difference in Kobe career fg% 45 to Jordan's 50%. It is down right shocking that Kobe has never even shot more than 46% in a season. Kobe is just too good to have never shot more than that.

Pretty much because of his decision making and trying to do too much too often for much of his career, especially considering he was on championship-calibre teams so often.

MJ had plenty of off nights, even in the playoffs and Finals, where he'd shoot 12-30 or something along those lines but he was pretty much just off in those games - he wasn't forcing things too much or taking terrible shots. His shot-selection and decision making was markedly better than Kobe's.

That's always been my biggest issue with Kobe. Despite having a good IQ from so many perspectives he just never seemed to "get it" in terms of feel for the game in this regard. It's tough to knock a player who wants to win SO badly that he tries to do too much that it ultimately hurts his team but that's Kobe's story.

Yep, that's what is still so frustrating to me. He consistently finds ways to make the game more of a challenge on purpose... when he could use his supreme skill to make it easier for not only himself but for teammates.

Agreed. As I said above Kobe just didn't have a great feel for the game in this regard. I've always felt this way about Kobe - he will try some ridiculously difficult move just for the hell of it, not because the D dictates that he needs to make that crazy of a move. It's like he wasn't great at reading the D, a simple one-dribble pull up would suffice in many situations but Kobe would take it to another level without it being needed. He'll have a defender beat but then do a triple-pivot, spinning fadeaway from 20 feet when he could have easily gotten off a better shot with a simple move. LBJ does this too to a certain extent, he'll spin or go around the back when it's not needed at all and he doesn't gain any advantage from doing said move. I'm like, "really, why did you just do that?".

Anyway I could seriously spend days just looking at his highlights as #8. It's just eye opening.

Kobe's highlight tapes are just as impressive as MJ for the most part. His highs were as high as anyone who's played the game. 50 years from now if you give someone a ten minute highlight reel of Kobe and MJ they could easily feel that Kobe was the better player.

[StankonYa]

Re: #8 Kobe>

Nice thread...... The reason why i like Kobe so much is because he won me over. Yes I've always been a Lakers fan....but not too much of a Kobe fan. I blame that on the media and Kobe mimicking M.J. Plus dude was just straight up cocky about everything. Somewhere down the line this man had gotten me to root for him along with the team. I still can't stand half the shots he take....but damn.. thats Kobe. Some teams live and die by the three, Lakers live and die by Kobe.

[TMagic]

Re: #8 Kobe>

And BTW, no excuses for that year they blew a 3-1 lead. Come on now. PHX didn't exactly have a star studded cast themselves.

To be fair, that Phoenix Suns team ran like a well oiled machine. The chemistry on that team was phenomenal.

On top of that, that was arguably Nash's best year. Marion was in his prime, being Mr. Do-It-All. Boris Diaw had his best year ever looking like an all star. Tim Thomas all of a sudden couldn't miss. Leandro Barbosa being one of the NBA's best sixth men. And Raja in his prime knocking down three's and playing superb defense.

It wasn't as if they were a bunch of nobodies that year. They won 54 games that season with that team for a reason.

[TMagic]

Re: #8 Kobe>

I know that this may be somewhat off topic...

But I felt the need to post this mix as it's one of my favorites and I don't know when else I'd be able to share. lol

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4FpzQiERt8I?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

To be fair, that Phoenix Suns team ran like a well oiled machine. The chemistry on that team was phenomenal.

On top of that, that was arguably Nash's best year. Marion was in his prime, being Mr. Do-It-All. Boris Diaw had his best year ever looking like an all star. Tim Thomas all of a sudden couldn't miss. Leandro Barbosa being one of the NBA's best sixth men. And Raja in his prime knocking down three's and playing superb defense.

It wasn't as if they were a bunch of nobodies that year. They won 54 games that season with that team for a reason.

Haha my point still remains.

Nash didn't have a star studded cast by any means, I never said he had a bad team or anything. He just didn't have a team full of great players.

Kobe had Odom. Nash had Marion. I understand they had a well oiled machine and had great role players, but I never said they didn't.

[Las Vegas Ligers]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

Not to bring up the MJ comparison, but as great as a player that Kobe is, one of the things that will keep him from being compared to MJ is his playoff record. Game 6 in 08 in Boston, this past sweep against the Mavs, and the 3-1 collapse against the Suns are unfortunate dark marks on his résumé for GOAT. hes still a top 10 player but if youre ever up 3-1 on a team, it really doesn't matter who it is. You need to FINISH. They still managed to win 3 games and couldnt get it done.

But i dont think the game 4 in Dallas this past year is anywhere near as painful as the game 6 in Boston back in 08. But as someone who has disliked Kobe ever since he broke up probably one of the greatest laker teams in the past 20 years back in 04, I'm a little happy that hes proved all the haters wrong and won 2 rings without shaq even though i was one of them.


BTW im not sure if there's a petition, but i vote for Kobe to grow his fro out again. The dude looked sick in with it.

[tehova]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

ive never rated a thread 1 star so fast in my life

[24]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

If that team was good enough to go up 3-1 on the Suns, then they were good enough to win Game 7 as well. Sorry, no, your supporting cast is no excuse.

Carry on.

because Averaging 28 points 6 rebounds and 5 Assists while shooting close to 50 percent from the field counts as giving up. right?

Basketball is a team sport and Kobe couldn't do it all by himself that year. He got tired because he carried the Lakers the entire season and the playoffs. With a supporting cast of Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, chris mihm and brian cook I think Kobe did a fantastic Job

[Outcast]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

ive never rated a thread 1 star so fast in my life

lol I'm also a Kobe ***** and I also think he is very overrated (especially his D)
but you cannot not admire the ability he had when he wore 8... now that it is his team and that he's old I think his game has become really weak

[ybtherockstar]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

#8 kobe was amazing. that 05-06 season he put up was just mind blowing. I still can't believe some of the stuff he did.

[sportjames23]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

50 years from now if you give someone a ten minute highlight reel of Kobe and MJ they could easily feel that Kobe was the better player.

Oh, I don't know about that.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

Oh, I don't know about that.

A highlight reel? Maybe. That's just the point. Jordan and Kobe "look" like they can do the same things, so a highlight reel might give that type of effect. BUT once you dig deeper, and not even too deep, thats where you realize that they're not even close.

[jeebs9]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

Which number would they retire? In my opinion, two different people and players. Lets just say I like #24 more than I like #8.

[The15thunter]

Re: #8 Kobe&gt;

i think they could retire both, or maybe combine them into one jersey with split numbers. both are part of laker lore.