Kobe Bryant

Originally Posted by PurplePride92

I'm just speaking for myself, but the problem I have with Paul is that he was just another good player until KG and Ray came along.

Now that they came along and the Celtics finally won another championship I'm supposed to believe all of a sudden that he's one of the top 10 players in the league?


Not quite....

Originally Posted by PurplePride92

Okay, call me confused.

Kobe and LeBron play two different positions and Kobe in his prime would never match up against LeBron because LeBron is too physically imposing.

However, Kobe in his prime was unstoppable. I don't care who you put on him, he was unstoppable. He could blow by you for the dunk or layup or he could shoot jumpers in your eye all night. Now because of older age and less explosion he has to rely more on his jumper for points and to create opportunities to penetrate because he just can't blow by and up and over defenders like he used to.

Now some people say he is better today, but I'll take the Kobe that scored 81 points any day of the week.

If some people say that this version of Kobe is the best, then I am sorry, I have to fully re-open the discussion because if this Kobe is better than the 81 point Kobe then he has to be better than LBJ.

He's still unstoppable. He can get a shot any time he wants and he has so many moves that he's proficient at, he can get a good shot any time he wants.

Originally Posted by 5wide

He's still unstoppable. He can get a shot any time he wants and he has so many moves that he's proficient at, he can get a good shot any time he wants.

Well then I am switching it up. Everyone's arguments have convinced me that Kobe is still the greatest player on the planet.

Originally Posted by PurplePride92

Well then I am switching it up. Everyone's arguments have convinced me that Kobe is still the greatest player on the planet.

More forgotten Kobe clutch moments....

Eight-point overtime at Indiana in Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals, his 48 points and 16 rebounds to complete the sweep of Sacramento in 2001 and his winning shot in Game 3 of the 2002 NBA Finals against New Jersey.



Good read for those who have the time to appreciate the greatest player on the planet.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...elebron-090525

I liked Kobe when he was taking over the Gold Medal Game in China. As many "clutch" players as there were on that team they all stepped back and defferred to Kobe, that says a lot about a guy. The gretest players in the world wanted the ball in Kobe's hands and he delivered.....

...but that was the only time I "liked" Kobe. I think he is a phenominal talent and game changer. I also think his assists (or lack there of) are WAY overblown. Kobe is the guy that make the pass to setup the assist, when he has the ball the whole defense is focused on him and the 2nd pass is when you catch a guy out of position a lot of times. But here are my issues with Kobe (petty as they may be)


1. Right or wrong, I always sided with Shaq in the fued and don't believe that Kobe deserves to win a title after helping get rid of one of the top 5 big men of all time.

2. When Kobe got caught cheating on my wife he used the excuse that Shaq did it too ....What kind of man does that?



...and does anybody else think Paul Pierce looks like Dr. Dre? That give him points on the clutch meter for me

Originally Posted by Devil4Life33

I liked Kobe when he was taking over the Gold Medal Game in China. As many "clutch" players as there were on that team they all stepped back and defferred to Kobe, that says a lot about a guy. The gretest players in the world wanted the ball in Kobe's hands and he delivered.....

...but that was the only time I "liked" Kobe. I think he is a phenominal talent and game changer. I also think his assists (or lack there of) are WAY overblown. Kobe is the guy that make the pass to setup the assist, when he has the ball the whole defense is focused on him and the 2nd pass is when you catch a guy out of position a lot of times. But here are my issues with Kobe (petty as they may be)


1. Right or wrong, I always sided with Shaq in the fued and don't believe that Kobe deserves to win a title after helping get rid of one of the top 5 big men of all time.

2. When Kobe got caught cheating on my wife he used the excuse that Shaq did it too ....What kind of man does that?



...and does anybody else think Paul Pierce looks like Dr. Dre? That give him points on the clutch meter for me

IMO, yeah, that's pretty petty.

1. The whole Shaq fued, there are actually 3 sides to this story and the only side that matters is the Lakers front office. They made the decision to go with Kobe after witnessing the whole thing. Nuff said.

2. The whole "Shaq did it too" thing was a statement allegedly said in the police station to Denver cops while being interrogated. I say allegedly because if he came out and said "I never said that", which I think he may have said, who are people going to believe.....the cops.....or the NBA superstar who has already lied and cheated on his wife?

I understand if people have issues with Kobe because of what went down, but he was young and dumb and caught up in the "NBA on the road lifestyle." People can sit and preach about how wrong he was, and he was wrong, but until we can walk in his shoes, why judge him because of a mistake he made 6 years ago? His wife forgave him, and in all reality, that's all that matters anyways.

Originally Posted by CatsCatsCats

Where am I wrong? He ran Shaq off because the two couldn't co-exist and Kobe could win a title as the leader. Which didn't work out, and he demanded a trade, cried about Bynum, and eventually Gasol came and things worked out.

If you don't think Kobe would tell you he's better than Jordan if you had a one on one convo with him then I don't know what to tell you. Heck, some on this board have proclaimed it.

You don't think Shaqs a pretty big ego?

Originally Posted by Devil4Life33

2. When Kobe got caught cheating on my wife he used the excuse that Shaq did it too ....What kind of man does that?

Kobe cheated on YOUR wife?! Well, I can see why you don't like him, then.

Originally Posted by rockmom

Kobe cheated on YOUR wife?! Well, I can see why you don't like him, then.

Too late to edit...nice catch

Originally Posted by PurplePride92

IMO, yeah, that's pretty petty.

1. The whole Shaq fued, there are actually 3 sides to this story and the only side that matters is the Lakers front office. They made the decision to go with Kobe after witnessing the whole thing. Nuff said.

2. The whole "Shaq did it too" thing was a statement allegedly said in the police station to Denver cops while being interrogated. I say allegedly because if he came out and said "I never said that", which I think he may have said, who are people going to believe.....the cops.....or the NBA superstar who has already lied and cheated on his wife?

I understand if people have issues with Kobe because of what went down, but he was young and dumb and caught up in the "NBA on the road lifestyle." People can sit and preach about how wrong he was, and he was wrong, but until we can walk in his shoes, why judge him because of a mistake he made 6 years ago? His wife forgave him, and in all reality, that's all that matters anyways.

Like I said, petty, but the game is no fun when there is no one to hate. He is a great player and in my opinion the best player to play in the Post Jordan (pre Lebron) era. I love Charles Barkley and he has done far worse things that Kobe, but there is something about Kobe that makes him impossible to like IMO.

Originally Posted by Devil4Life33

Like I said, petty, but the game is no fun when there is no one to hate. He is a great player and in my opinion the best player to play in the Post Jordan (pre Lebron) era. I love Charles Barkley and he has done far worse things that Kobe, but there is something about Kobe that makes him impossible to like IMO.

I can respect that.

Kobe just has that ability to raise his game when the lights get brighter. I'm not sure that's something you learn...which is why I'm not sure if Lebron will become the guy who makes big shots at the end of games.

Yeah, he made the big one in Game 2, but it takes more than one. I hope he does, but his knack for missing big free throws at the end of tight games really worries me.

People so easily forget how terrible of a person MJ was off the court but he gets a pass because he is MJ and Kobe is crucified for it.