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dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 07:53 AM
Since Luke Walton and Lamar Odom came back, the Lakers have won all 3 games. Kobe scored 60 again last night making him shatter another record, he is the 4th player in NBA history to have 3 50+ point games.
He commented on how much easier it is to score with Walton and Odom back.
Phil Jackson, the man who coached Michael Jordan and the Bulls to all those championships said:
"That's the reason I'm here coaching, basically, because Kobe is here," said Jackson, who came back in 2005 after a year away. "I made that evident when I came back that if I was going to coach this team, Kobe is going to be here."
"He's in a league all to himself," Jackson said. "... He just smells blood in the water and he's going to go after it. ... That's what you see that you admire in Kobe is that he's going to attack. He's going to be in that mode. He's going to continue to go at a team until either you take him out of the ballgame or else they stop him."
Last game there was 4 player 1 off a triple double all the way across the board. Kwame is still out there but he is really hurt, you can see it on his face and he limps around out there. Evans, Radmanovic and Cook are still out, but they are winning again! :)
Lamar Odom is averaging 16-8-9 the man is a walking double-double/triple-double. Last night he had 20-15-4.
Best of all, these guys do the little things, that do not show up in stats. :)
I saw an interesting stat, the Lakers are 28-11 with all their starters healthy. If they would have stayed healthy, they would be one game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs right now.
Tonight vs. NOK the second of a back to back. If the Lakers can hold this down the rest of their schedule is pretty smooth.

460 jus getn it
03-23-2007, 08:00 AM
There still going out in the first round, thats if they make it.

Jordy
03-23-2007, 08:05 AM
Yeah, they're back alright, WAY back. Is it #7??? :eek: :notam:

DILLIGAF
03-23-2007, 08:06 AM
HE'S BACK! Drop the injury thing already Don. It is what it is.
On 4-3 the Lakers play Denver and I gave the tickets to Trump Tight so some of the guys at work can go. On 4-12 they play the Clippers and I will be in attendance. Should be quite an ending to the season.
:D

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:34 AM
Yeah, they're back alright, WAY back. Is it #7??? :eek: :notam:
#6 :rolleyes:

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:34 AM
HE'S BACK! Drop the injury thing already Don. It is what it is.
On 4-3 the Lakers play Denver and I gave the tickets to Trump Tight so some of the guys at work can go. On 4-12 they play the Clippers and I will be in attendance. Should be quite an ending to the season.
:D
Are you going to be alright? :) It is going to be a tough one for you. ;) AGAIN!

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:35 AM
where did they go?:D
True! :)
Well, the injury thing (which DILLF thinks does not matter) kind of held them down a bit.

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:35 AM
There still going out in the first round, thats if they make it.
It is anyones game in the playoffs.

RCB19
03-23-2007, 08:41 AM
Kobe is a primadona punk! Just waitin for him to throw another cheap ass elbow .

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:53 AM
Kobe is a primadona punk! Just waitin for him to throw another cheap ass elbow .
wow, all those accomplishments, but he is a dirty primadona? amazing how far that gets him.

AZJD
03-23-2007, 09:42 AM
Your right! They are back, about 16 games back!:D

AirtimeLavey
03-23-2007, 11:20 AM
Since Luke Walton and Lamar Odom came back, the Lakers have won all 3 games. Kobe scored 60 again last night making him shatter another record, he is the 4th player in NBA history to have 3 50+ point games.
He commented on how much easier it is to score with Walton and Odom back.
Phil Jackson, the man who coached Michael Jordan and the Bulls to all those championships said:
"That's the reason I'm here coaching, basically, because Kobe is here," said Jackson, who came back in 2005 after a year away. "I made that evident when I came back that if I was going to coach this team, Kobe is going to be here."
"He's in a league all to himself," Jackson said. "... He just smells blood in the water and he's going to go after it. ... That's what you see that you admire in Kobe is that he's going to attack. He's going to be in that mode. He's going to continue to go at a team until either you take him out of the ballgame or else they stop him."
Last game there was 4 player 1 off a triple double all the way across the board. Kwame is still out there but he is really hurt, you can see it on his face and he limps around out there. Evans, Radmanovic and Cook are still out, but they are winning again! :)
Lamar Odom is averaging 16-8-9 the man is a walking double-double/triple-double. Last night he had 20-15-4.
Best of all, these guys do the little things, that do not show up in stats. :)
I saw an interesting stat, the Lakers are 28-11 with all their starters healthy. If they would have stayed healthy, they would be one game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs right now.
Tonight vs. NOK the second of a back to back. If the Lakers can hold this down the rest of their schedule is pretty smooth.
Yep. Just like we said all along, it's been the injuries slowing them down, and now they've just got the starters back (not even fully recovered) and look at the results. Haters always just looking for any little thing to try and make sense and looking silly again.
The Lakers, when healthy are for real and you can bet are going to worry some teams out there come playoffs. Now, if they can just stay healthy and keep the starters out there. They're also looking and playing like they want it.
Kobe is unreal no matter what other lame-o non-sense some people bring up. Great to see Luke and LO playing so well. This team really gels well together and everybody's play gets better. Still looking for signs of life out of Kwame and Bynum. We need those guys to come around again.
Barring anymore injuries, it's going to be a strong finish this year, and def. a fun one to watch. Go Lakers.

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 11:36 AM
Yep. Just like we said all along, it's been the injuries slowing them down, and now they've just got the starters back (not even fully recovered) and look at the results. Haters always just looking for any little thing to try and make sense and looking silly again.
The Lakers, when healthy are for real and you can bet are going to worry some teams out there come playoffs. Now, if they can just stay healthy and keep the starters out there. They're also looking and playing like they want it.
Kobe is unreal no matter what other lame-o non-sense some people bring up. Great to see Luke and LO playing so well. This team really gels well together and everybody's play gets better. Still looking for signs of life out of Kwame and Bynum. We need those guys to come around again.
Barring anymore injuries, it's going to be a strong finish this year, and def. a fun one to watch. Go Lakers.
Agreed.
Its funny how every single player, coach, owner in the NBA talks about how great and unreal Kobe is, but you have a few haters that probably dont know much about the game smack talking him, there is no denying this guy, look at his stats he has left an impression in the NBA already and still have 5-7 more years to go.

eliminatedsprinter
03-23-2007, 12:39 PM
It's good to see the Lakers healthier and winning. It's great to see Kobe playing like we all hoped he would. :D Let's hope it continues through the playoffs.:) :)
I would also love to see Kobe praised for playing like Kobe, without someone mentioning you know who....;)

KineticoH20
03-23-2007, 12:48 PM
Agreed.
Its funny how every single player, coach, owner in the NBA talks about how great and unreal Kobe is, but you have a few haters that probably dont know much about the game smack talking him, there is no denying this guy, look at his stats he has left an impression in the NBA already and still have 5-7 more years to go.
Your 100% right Don, If you look at the last 3 games, if it was anybody other than Kobe eveyrone would be saying it was one of the greatest runs in any sport. Concidering this era of atheletes he is by far the most prolific scorer of his time. His play last night was unreal, he was everywhere, doing everything. And shooting better than 50% so I don't want to hear all the ball hog stuff. We are not going to win it all this year but I guarrantee you nobody wants to see the Lakers in the first round! It is also interesting to see what a different team this is with Walton in there. I went to his dads high scool, so I always liked the waltons. Kobe is a phenom plain and simple.

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 07:20 PM
So the dirty primadonna Kobe scored another 50, to go down in history for scoring 4 50+ point games in a row, but certain haters will still not respect it. This guy can absolutely punish ANY TEAM in the NBA. Nobody wants to face the Lakers for that simple reason. Memphis's coach and players were commenting on this last night, they tried to double him but he kicked the ball out so fast it doesnt work! He drives to the basket and gets to the foul line if you dont give him his open shot, he TAKES it from one, two or three players on him. To quote the Memphis Grizzlies coach "God put Kobe on this earth to play basketball". ;)
oh yeah, Smush sprained his ankle so that is another starter down! :(
Cook, Radmanovic, Mihm, Smush and Evans are out now!
BUT! The Lakers have not lost since Luke and Odom came back. :)
FU haters.

KineticoH20
03-23-2007, 07:55 PM
As a Laker fan, nothing burns me up like it does when someone says Kobe chased Shaq out of town and sacrificed winning more championships. People act like the Lakers were five-time defending champs. Their last two years together the Lakers were bounced out of the playoffs by the Spurs because fat Shaq put off toe surgery until September instead of doing it when the previous season concluded. That's selfish. The Lakers started out horribly and were stuck with a lower seed and forced to play the Spurs in the 2nd round. The following year they got humiliated by the Pistons in five games. Put yourself in management's shoes. Do you give the guy the 5 year, $100 million extension that Miami gave him (the Lakers offered more per season, by the way), or do you trade the guy who was clearly on the downside of his career with his value decreasing daily. Check out the box scores from that Pistons series. Look what Shaq did in the 2nd of back-to-back games. Shaq got motivated once he got traded. That never would have happened had he stayed. He's still got 3 years and $60 million left on that deal. With D-Wade's extension kicking in next year the Heat are stuck with the team they've got. Good luck to them. Kobe scored 225 points in the past four games because that's what was needed to win. They're 4-0 in those games, regardless of the opponent. This is fairly easy stretch of games for the Lakers with the next five at Staples. He understands that they must win them, if he has to score 50 a game so be it.

RCB19
03-23-2007, 08:05 PM
Kobe is no doubt probably the undisputed best player in the NBA. BUT... He is still a primadona punk. Carl Malone should of thumped him when he had the chance.

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:11 PM
Kobe is no doubt probably the undisputed best player in the NBA. BUT... He is still a primadona punk. Carl Malone should of thumped him when he had the chance.
Karl Malone wanted to thump Kobe's wife, not Kobe.:)

Tyson Ross
03-23-2007, 08:19 PM
"The following year they got humiliated by the Pistons in five games."
Which suprised me. Seemed like everyone but Shaq touched the ball each time down the court in that series. If the offense went thru Shaq they probably would have won the series. Reminded me of my high school coach, " No shots until the ball was passed at least 5 times"
I still feel to this day that Shaq going to Miami and winning a championship says a lot about who was more valuable at the time. Especially considering the east is watered down compared to the west.

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:22 PM
"The following year they got humiliated by the Pistons in five games."
Which suprised me. Seemed like everyone but Shaq touched the ball each time down the court in that series. If the offense went thru Shaq they probably would have won the series. Reminded me of my high school coach, " No shots until the ball was passed at least 5 times"
I still feel to this day that Shaq going to Miami and winning a championship says a lot about who was more valuable at the time. Especially considering the east is watered down compared to the west.
If you remember, they had an answer for Shaq, he was helpless and as a fan it was a messed up feeling. Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace were putting it down on the inside. The Lakers ended up going to Kobe, who was also neutralized, the Lakers had no answers for the Pistons. I still remember all 4 pistons starters were playing on the same team in the ALL STAR game that year and they made a run to bring the East back into the game.

Screemy1
03-23-2007, 08:30 PM
I don't really like the Lakers... my friend loves them and dragged me to a game.... I said I didn't want to go to be around the fans that burn cars and businesses when they win.... when at the game... no surprise, I have never been around such lame fans that were rude, stupid, and inconsiderate.... almost Raiderish fans if you will.... great skill.... I just can't get passed the fans.... they really bug me when you see them on the news... I guess it is because I liked them so much in the past and then it went south, much like how I do not really like going to supercross races.... the fans are going to the toilet...... I like sports where the fans are better.... and that is getting hard to find....

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:32 PM
I don't really like the Lakers... my friend loves them and dragged me to a game.... I said I didn't want to go to be around the fans that burn cars and businesses when they win.... when at the game... no surprise, I have never been around such lame fans that were rude, stupid, and inconsiderate.... almost Raiderish fans if you will.... great skill.... I just can't get passed the fans.... they really bug me when you see them on the news... I guess it is because I liked them so much in the past and then it went south, much like how I do not really like going to supercross races.... the fans are going to the toilet...... I like sports where the fans are better.... and that is getting hard to find....
yup, it is all human nature. Fans are passionate about their teams, which is why they are there and they are also PROUD! Part of the problem is serving alcohol, in a place where people are already pumped up.

Screemy1
03-23-2007, 08:35 PM
good point on the booze.... i guess I am getting old..... like a little slower pace.... I have been going to desert races.... laid back.... as for team sports... I am kinda screwed.... it is wierd though with baseball... compare the fans at a Dodger game to an Angels game.... big differance....

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 08:37 PM
good point on the booze.... i guess I am getting old..... like a little slower pace.... I have been going to desert races.... laid back.... as for team sports... I am kinda screwed.... it is wierd though with baseball... compare the fans at a Dodger game to an Angels game.... big differance....
yeah, I was just about to comment on the Angels games though, they are getting bad. I went last year with my wife, son and a friend. All you heard was drunk idiots slurring shit out of their mouths, in front of kids. One dude was about to fight another dude for tripping on him...all at a baseball game! :D

Screemy1
03-23-2007, 08:41 PM
crazy drunks... it is funny, at the last supercross race.... I looked over at the family seating area and thought, hmm I bet that would be a better place to sit.... I can give up my few beers at the race for some peace of mind that my son will not be in the middle of a fight.... to think just a short time ago.... I would have laughed at the idea of family seating and no booze at a game/race..... I really am getting old :eek:

eliminatedsprinter
03-23-2007, 09:24 PM
I don't really like the Lakers... my friend loves them and dragged me to a game.... I said I didn't want to go to be around the fans that burn cars and businesses when they win.... when at the game... no surprise, I have never been around such lame fans that were rude, stupid, and inconsiderate.... almost Raiderish fans if you will.... great skill.... I just can't get passed the fans.... they really bug me when you see them on the news... I guess it is because I liked them so much in the past and then it went south, much like how I do not really like going to supercross races.... the fans are going to the toilet...... I like sports where the fans are better.... and that is getting hard to find....
I'm not going to dispute your expierience. However, I have been to many Laker games, over many seasons, in the Forum and at Staples (more at the Forum though) and I went (due to a family obligation) to all of the Raider home games the last couple of seasons in LA (as well as one thier first year in LA). I see nothing in common between the 2 teams in re to how the fans act during and after the games. The Laker crowds are much more mellow. I must admit they are not as fun as they were when we had Dancing Berry and The Rambis Youth etc, but my experiences have all been very different than your's was.

eliminatedsprinter
03-23-2007, 09:39 PM
How is it that so many people who have never met Kobe, know so much about his personality and attitude? I have read a lot about him (sportwriters tend to be the most clueless people around sports) and seen him interviewed on TV. I've also watched him play for his whole pro carrer and I think I have a pretty objective grasp of what his skills and athletic abilities are. However, I've never met the guy and I haven't got a clue what he is like as a person. :)

dmontzsta
03-23-2007, 10:39 PM
My old receptionist knew his wife throughout high school and attended their wedding, also my good customer played the piano at his wedding and attends church with him (he is a pastor). From EVERYTHING I have heard, Kobe is very well manored and quite, remember Kobe is no thug like most of the others, he grew up in a high class household and was treated to the life of a NBA father.

KineticoH20
03-24-2007, 10:14 AM
How is it that so many people who have never met Kobe, know so much about his personality and attitude? I have read a lot about him (sportwriters tend to be the most clueless people around sports) and seen him interviewed on TV. I've also watched him play for his whole pro carrer and I think I have a pretty objective grasp of what his skills and athletic abilities are. However, I've never met the guy and I haven't got a clue what he is like as a person. :)
We don't have to like Kobe Bryant to love what we're seeing, don't have to acknowledge him as one of the greats to understand we're seeing a once-in-a-lifetime show, don't have to be students of the game to understand class is in session and Bryant is a professor, schooling kindergartners.

dmontzsta
03-24-2007, 03:01 PM
You may notice on the highlights of Friday night's game (against the Hornets). Bryant high-fived a young boy midway through the third quarter after hitting a sick 3-pointer from the left side with a defender draped all over him.
When I asked Kobe: "Why the high-five?"
"It was a little kid, and he had said 'What's up' earlier and I said 'What's up back' And I told him: 'Watch this 3. I've got a 3 for you.' then I made it."
How cool is that for the kid? :) My son actually had the opportunity to go down on the floor at a game and form a line to give the players high fives as they came out of the locker room, then sit on the Laker bench and take pictures of the players as they warmed up (once in a lifetime chance) but he was too little and did not want to be away from Me or his Mom with all those people there.

AirtimeLavey
03-24-2007, 03:38 PM
Here's why Kobe fans respect and like him above all the other non-sense put out by the haters and Shaq lovers.
Scott recalls Bryant's early promise
By Steve Springer, Times Staff Writer
March 24, 2007
NEW ORLEANS — The first time Byron Scott saw Kobe Bryant, the 18-year-old phenom was hampered by a cast on a broken hand.
That was in Hawaii, where the Lakers were in training camp for the start of the 1996-97 season, Bryant's first and, as it turned out, Scott's last. Unable to participate in practice because of the injury, Bryant was limited to conditioning drills.
But Scott, now coach of the New Orleans Hornets, said he could see how good Bryant could be, one hand or two.
"Oh yeah, I saw the potential right away," Scott said before Friday's Lakers-Hornets game.
As the weeks went by, Scott became even more impressed with Bryant.
"During the season, I would come into practice early," Scott said, "and he would already be shooting. They didn't even have the lights on. I knew then how much this kid was driven.
"He and I would sit down and talk about the '80s teams, the championship teams we had. [Bryant] wanted to know how good we were, what did it take for us to win, why were we so successful. All the questions that are normally asked by guys that are 20-something, not 18. I would expect an 18-year-old to ask where do we party, how are the girls in L.A. He didn't care about that.
"He just wasn't a regular 18-year-old kid. I knew that. He was very mature, already had in his mind pretty much what he wanted to accomplish."
Scott spread the word.
"I remember we did an interview together in his rookie year," Scott said. "I called Kobe over and told the guys doing the show, 'You see this kid? He's going to be the best player in the league.' Three or four years later, I thought he was. To this day I still do."
So how would Bryant have fit in on the Lakers' Showtime teams of the '80s?
"Put it this way," Scott said, "I would have been coming off the bench. I wouldn't have been playing that much. That's for sure.
"He would have fit in well because of his will. He wants to win. That's all we wanted. He has the competitive edge just like Magic [Johnson]. Whatever it was going to take to win, he was going to get it done."

KineticoH20
03-24-2007, 06:42 PM
Yep that about suns it up, this guy loves basketball, and does give back, he is very involved in alot of chairities and really does alot for kids. He doesn't hang in bars, with guns on him, nor does he get DUI'S, OK, OK, he did bang a hotel worker so what, my god a 22 yr old thinking with his unit:idea: imagine that:cool: but I think he's been run under the bus enough. We haven't seen anybody like him since mr. gatorade.

dmontzsta
03-24-2007, 09:10 PM
Yep that about suns it up, this guy loves basketball, and does give back, he is very involved in alot of chairities and really does alot for kids. He doesn't hang in bars, with guns on him, nor does he get DUI'S, OK, OK, he did bang a hotel worker so what, my god a 22 yr old thinking with his unit:idea: imagine that:cool: but I think he's been run under the bus enough. We haven't seen anybody like him since mr. gatorade.
haha, we all know he did not rape her and it shows by her taking the money and running. :D
That bish knew what she was going to the room for, she was 20 years old and Kobe would not have to take it from her.

dmontzsta
03-25-2007, 09:05 PM
Still undefeated since the starting line up came back. :D

eliminatedsprinter
03-25-2007, 10:26 PM
Still undefeated since the starting line up came back. :D
Yep, and best of all, they have done it agianst the crummy teams. Now if they can beat the better teams, like they did early in the year, it will be interesting indeed.:D

a catered life
03-26-2007, 06:14 AM
Since Luke Walton and Lamar Odom came back, the Lakers have won all 3 games. Kobe scored 60 again last night making him shatter another record, he is the 4th player in NBA history to have 3 50+ point games.
He commented on how much easier it is to score with Walton and Odom back.
Phil Jackson, the man who coached Michael Jordan and the Bulls to all those championships said:
"That's the reason I'm here coaching, basically, because Kobe is here," said Jackson, who came back in 2005 after a year away. "I made that evident when I came back that if I was going to coach this team, Kobe is going to be here."
"He's in a league all to himself," Jackson said. "... He just smells blood in the water and he's going to go after it. ... That's what you see that you admire in Kobe is that he's going to attack. He's going to be in that mode. He's going to continue to go at a team until either you take him out of the ballgame or else they stop him."
Last game there was 4 player 1 off a triple double all the way across the board. Kwame is still out there but he is really hurt, you can see it on his face and he limps around out there. Evans, Radmanovic and Cook are still out, but they are winning again! :)
Lamar Odom is averaging 16-8-9 the man is a walking double-double/triple-double. Last night he had 20-15-4.
Best of all, these guys do the little things, that do not show up in stats. :)
I saw an interesting stat, the Lakers are 28-11 with all their starters healthy. If they would have stayed healthy, they would be one game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs right now.
Tonight vs. NOK the second of a back to back. If the Lakers can hold this down the rest of their schedule is pretty smooth.
i love my team (lakers) and support them the best i can but the way their playing sucks...if we have a guy averaging the points that kobe is averageing we need ...i said NEED to be winning games by 10+ points.....it sends a clear message that we are a one man team... and if i remember thats how detroit beat us 4 years ago...i like that fact that we are winning and the team is healthy but we still don't have that killer instinct......which is something that wins rings:(

dmontzsta
03-26-2007, 07:48 AM
The good thing is their next 7 out of the remaining 12 games left will be played at Staples. Their only road trips are to the clippers :) which is the Lakers technically, Denver, Phoenix, Sacramento and Denver, so not too far.
Also, how about Lamar Odom? He is sort of being overlooked because nobody can stop Kobe right now, but 24 points 19 rebounds 4 assists 4 steals he just quietly fills up the stat box every night.

skygod73
03-26-2007, 08:34 AM
I still feel to this day that Shaq going to Miami and winning a championship says a lot about who was more valuable at the time. Especially considering the east is watered down compared to the west.
We'll see at the end of Kobe's career how many rings he has vs. Shaq. Don't forget Shaq walked into a situation where he could play with another hall of famer in D. Wade, Kobe hasn't even played with an all star yet.
"Especially considering the east is watered down compared to the west."
This makes no sense. It is because the east is weak that the Heat even get to the Finals. In the West they would have to beat at least 2 out of the Spurs, Mavs, and Suns, just to get to the Pistons in the Finals. No way they get through that and win a ring in the West. The Heat payed dearly for that lone ring cause they are paying Shaq way more than he's worth on the downside of his career. They'll have an old Shaq and Wade with nothing else for the next several years.

AZJD
03-26-2007, 08:36 AM
I was just on NBA.com checking standings because I know that the Spurs are on a nice little run right now and are challenging the Suns for the #2 spot in the west.
I also noticed another little run that might cause some more pain for you lakers fans. The Clips are only 4 games behind the lakers! Do you know how much grief DILLIGAF cause you Lakers fans if this happens? Pray the Clips don't catch you and embarrass you guys........:D :D :D

dmontzsta
03-26-2007, 09:10 AM
I also noticed another little run that might cause some more pain for you lakers fans. The Clips are only 4 games behind the lakers! Do you know how much grief DILLIGAF cause you Lakers fans if this happens? Pray the Clips don't catch you and embarrass you guys........:D :D :D
The clippers have been back there all season and are not going to catch up. While they are on a run, so are the Lakers 5 in a row and there are only 12 games left, the clippers would have to go on a winning streak and hope the Lakers stop their streak, which will not happen. The Lakers have had their losing streaks and are getting back to playing healthy with only 12 games left and 7 at home and the other 5 being the clippers in LA, Sacramento, Phoenix, Denver...so not too much travel time.

KineticoH20
03-26-2007, 07:21 PM
Kind of long but this is in ESPN.com
Kobe Bryant is better than Michael Jordan.
Not more successful.
Hasn't had a bigger economic impact.
Hasn't won more MVPs.
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Kobe Bryant did something Michael Jordan never
did -- score 50-plus in four consecutive games.Hasn't won more titles.
But he's a better player.
Kobe can do everything Michael did, and even a few things Michael couldn't do.
Kobe is just as good a defender. His killer instinct is just as pronounced. He can shoot, finish and explode. And just like Jordan, the more he's pissed off, the more unstoppable he is.
At the very least, Kobe's scoring spree over the last week should put to rest any lingering doubts that he's the best player in the NBA. Yes, better than Steve Nash, who is the best point guard, but not the lethal force that Kobe is. Yes, better than Dwyane Wade, who is certainly closer to the Kobe-Jordan level than LeBron James, but D-Wade's game is not as polished as Kobe's.
Kobe's streak of four straight 50-points-plus games is something none of those players can do, and it's something that hasn't been done since Wilt Chamberlain, who had an NBA-record seven straight 50-point games. Truthfully, Kobe should have tacked another 50 on Golden State on Sunday night.
Of course, the idea that Kobe is better than Jordan -- or even the best player in this league -- is as repugnant to some folks as a rectal exam. Even though Kobe has proven himself under pressure countless times, he gets the A-Rod treatment.
Kobe can't please anyone. And it doesn't help that most people suffer from revisionist history when it comes to Jordan, forgetting that he was just as poor a teammate and a ball hog and that he ran off coach Doug Collins like Kobe ran off Phil Jackson the first time.
In fact, you could argue that Jordan was even worse. Far as we know, Kobe hasn't jacked up any of his teammates the way Jordan punched out Steve Kerr and Will Perdue at practice.
Kobe will never be forgiven for Shaq's departure, but you're delusional if you think Jordan wouldn't have had any ego issues playing alongside a player with Shaq's star power.
The best-player argument shouldn't be determined by personal dislike. But if you want to take it there, fine. Jordan was hardly the ideal husband, but only the tabloids were brave enough to venture into his personal life. And what about those gambling issues? If Jordan's life had been covered like Kobe's, we would have an entirely different opinion of His Airness.
Besides a different level of media scrutiny, there was definitely a difference in the level of competition during Jordan's heyday compared to now.
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
We ask you to step back and take an objective look. Isn't Kobe the best player in the NBA?Yesterday's NBA player certainly was more fundamentally sound, but there's no question that today's player is bigger, stronger and faster. When Jordan played, he was a singular force that could not be equaled. Jordan was guarded by the likes of John Starks and Joe Dumars, who were fine players but weren't nearly as skilled or physically imposing as LeBron, D-Wade, Tracy McGrady or even Vince Carter.
The NBA is tougher now.
Kobe, like Michael, is surrounded with mediocre to below-average talent, and Phoenix, Dallas and San Antonio are all better than the Utah, Portland and the Charles Barkley-led Phoenix team that Michael met in the NBA Finals.
Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing will be among the best centers ever, but none of them affected the league the way Shaq and Tim Duncan have. There are two two-time MVPs in Kobe's own conference (Duncan, Nash), which is a problem Jordan never faced during his championship runs. Seven-footers weren't launching 3s back then. Magic Johnson and the Lakers were on a downward spiral, and the Pistons were on their last legs. It was Michael and everyone else. That's not the case for Kobe.
The shame of it is that Kobe might finish his career without a MVP, even though his ability can be compared only to that of Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. All this time we've been looking for a player who is better than Jordan, but most of us can't get beyond whether we like or dislike Kobe as a person to recognize his contributions to the game.
Ultimately the MVP award will go to either Nash or Dirk Nowitzki, who are deserving this season, but neither are as good as Kobe. Dallas and Phoenix are strong enough to make the playoffs without their stars. The Lakers, however, are a lottery team without Kobe.

skygod73
03-26-2007, 08:52 PM
So true!

eliminatedsprinter
03-27-2007, 12:14 PM
We don't have to like Kobe Bryant to love what we're seeing, don't have to acknowledge him as one of the greats to understand we're seeing a once-in-a-lifetime show, don't have to be students of the game to understand class is in session and Bryant is a professor, schooling kindergartners.
My comment was more in response to those who disparage his personality.
My point is that we can get an idea of what his physical abilities are from seeing him play... But it is pretty much impossible to really know his personality from what we see on TV or read from clueless sports writers....

DILLIGAF
03-27-2007, 12:20 PM
the lakers are cool !!!!!!!!
Let me help you Keyes...."The Lakers are cool.....again"
lol
People jump on/off that damn bandwagon on a daily basis
:)

eliminatedsprinter
03-27-2007, 12:25 PM
the lakers are cool !!!!!!!!
As an organization they always have been. Now, if they would just get rid of those white uniforms.....

dmontzsta
03-27-2007, 12:28 PM
As an organization they always have been. Now, if they would just get rid of those white uniforms.....
What? The white uniforms are the best!

eliminatedsprinter
03-27-2007, 12:54 PM
What? The white uniforms are the best!
Not for me, the others are unique. The white ones just look like every other team's old white uniforms.

eliminatedsprinter
03-27-2007, 01:54 PM
Kind of long but this is in ESPN.com
Kobe Bryant is better than Michael Jordan.
Not more successful.
Hasn't had a bigger economic impact.
Hasn't won more MVPs.
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Kobe Bryant did something Michael Jordan never
did -- score 50-plus in four consecutive games.Hasn't won more titles.
But he's a better player.
Kobe can do everything Michael did, and even a few things Michael couldn't do.
Kobe is just as good a defender. His killer instinct is just as pronounced. He can shoot, finish and explode. And just like Jordan, the more he's pissed off, the more unstoppable he is.
At the very least, Kobe's scoring spree over the last week should put to rest any lingering doubts that he's the best player in the NBA. Yes, better than Steve Nash, who is the best point guard, but not the lethal force that Kobe is. Yes, better than Dwyane Wade, who is certainly closer to the Kobe-Jordan level than LeBron James, but D-Wade's game is not as polished as Kobe's.
Kobe's streak of four straight 50-points-plus games is something none of those players can do, and it's something that hasn't been done since Wilt Chamberlain, who had an NBA-record seven straight 50-point games. Truthfully, Kobe should have tacked another 50 on Golden State on Sunday night.
Of course, the idea that Kobe is better than Jordan -- or even the best player in this league -- is as repugnant to some folks as a rectal exam. Even though Kobe has proven himself under pressure countless times, he gets the A-Rod treatment.
Kobe can't please anyone. And it doesn't help that most people suffer from revisionist history when it comes to Jordan, forgetting that he was just as poor a teammate and a ball hog and that he ran off coach Doug Collins like Kobe ran off Phil Jackson the first time.
In fact, you could argue that Jordan was even worse. Far as we know, Kobe hasn't jacked up any of his teammates the way Jordan punched out Steve Kerr and Will Perdue at practice.
Kobe will never be forgiven for Shaq's departure, but you're delusional if you think Jordan wouldn't have had any ego issues playing alongside a player with Shaq's star power.
The best-player argument shouldn't be determined by personal dislike. But if you want to take it there, fine. Jordan was hardly the ideal husband, but only the tabloids were brave enough to venture into his personal life. And what about those gambling issues? If Jordan's life had been covered like Kobe's, we would have an entirely different opinion of His Airness.
Besides a different level of media scrutiny, there was definitely a difference in the level of competition during Jordan's heyday compared to now.
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
We ask you to step back and take an objective look. Isn't Kobe the best player in the NBA?Yesterday's NBA player certainly was more fundamentally sound, but there's no question that today's player is bigger, stronger and faster. When Jordan played, he was a singular force that could not be equaled. Jordan was guarded by the likes of John Starks and Joe Dumars, who were fine players but weren't nearly as skilled or physically imposing as LeBron, D-Wade, Tracy McGrady or even Vince Carter.
The NBA is tougher now.
Kobe, like Michael, is surrounded with mediocre to below-average talent, and Phoenix, Dallas and San Antonio are all better than the Utah, Portland and the Charles Barkley-led Phoenix team that Michael met in the NBA Finals.
Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing will be among the best centers ever, but none of them affected the league the way Shaq and Tim Duncan have. There are two two-time MVPs in Kobe's own conference (Duncan, Nash), which is a problem Jordan never faced during his championship runs. Seven-footers weren't launching 3s back then. Magic Johnson and the Lakers were on a downward spiral, and the Pistons were on their last legs. It was Michael and everyone else. That's not the case for Kobe.
The shame of it is that Kobe might finish his career without a MVP, even though his ability can be compared only to that of Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. All this time we've been looking for a player who is better than Jordan, but most of us can't get beyond whether we like or dislike Kobe as a person to recognize his contributions to the game.
Ultimately the MVP award will go to either Nash or Dirk Nowitzki, who are deserving this season, but neither are as good as Kobe. Dallas and Phoenix are strong enough to make the playoffs without their stars. The Lakers, however, are a lottery team without Kobe.
Thank you for the great laugh.:rollside:
Carter, Lebron, McGrady better defenders than Starks or Dumars...That's a riot.Thanks!:rollside: :rollside: Few things are funnier than a sports writer with a short memory.:) :) This writers apples to oranges comparisons are absurd.
P.S. I do agree that Kobe deserves the MVP over Nowitski or Nash and that he is playing like one of the greats, but the rest of this is just flat out silly.:D