I'm going with yes. I just think Kobe wants it too much.

Barring a long-term injury--one that would sideline him for a majority of a season--I say he probably will. Like the Slickster, I think if his body permits, he'll play until he breaks the record.

I hesitate to ask, who is "the Slickster"?

I do think that if Kobe is averaging 20+ points/game in 4 years then he'll have to die to not get the record. I am not confiden his body will hold up.

Seriously, I can envision Kobe dragging his corpse out there and shooting 50 times a game just to get this record. At this point, the Lakers will probably allow him to as well.

I hesitate to ask, who is "the Slickster"?

 

Big Slick

I do as well. I agree with that article that says Kobe wants people to look back 200 years from now and say he had a better career than MJ.

 

I don't think passing Jordan on the all-time scoring list does that though.

Seriously, I can envision Kobe dragging his corpse out there and shooting 50 times a game just to get this record. At this point, the Lakers will probably allow him to as well.

 

He will for sure do that if he has to. His last season might be ugly. :lol:

He will for sure do that if he has to. His last season might be ugly. :lol:

I like Kobe and am very terrified of what his last season(s) might look like.

I don't think passing Jordan on the all-time scoring list does that though.

What if he grabs a 6th ring in the meantime?

What if he grabs a 6th ring in the meantime?

 

I still don't think he will pass Jordan as a better player. I will admit I'm biased, but...

 

This is Kobe's 16th season (granted it will be short due to the lockout).

 

Jordan reached his scoring total in 15 seasons (with one season he only played 18 games, and another he only played 17 games).

 

Jordan scored over 2300+ points in 11 of his seasons. Kobe has only done it 4 times.

I don't think passing Jordan on the all-time scoring list does that though.

 

 

I'm not saying it does. Just referencing what Bill Simmons' beliefs are about Kobe's mindset.

Obviously he's got a lot of tread on the tires, but that aside, if he can stay otherwise healthy, I think he'll break it.

 

If he maintains his current scoring average, he'll score around 1200 more points this season, putting him at 29,801. That would put him at #6 on the list and 8586 points behind Kareem.

 

From that point, 26.2 per game for four full seasons would put him on top of the list.

 

Two things: First, I would rule that out as something Kobe cannot do. And second, I wouldn't be surprised if he played longer than 4 years.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if his body finally just wore down to the point where he couldn't get it done any more, but at this point, I think he can.

 

 

If Lebron maintains his current scoring average, he'll finish the season with 19,289 points. That would leave him 19,098 behind Kareem. In that scenario, if he played 10 more full seasons, he'd have to average 23.3 per game to surpass the current mark.

 

I'm not convinced that Lebron will be able to slow his decline the way Kobe has to maintain that high level so long. I also don't think it matters as much to him. Will he even want to play that long?

 

At this point, Lebron isn't on my radar for breaking Kareem's mark.

I still don't think he will pass Jordan as a better player. I will admit I'm biased, but...

 

This is Kobe's 16th season (granted it will be short due to the lockout).

 

Jordan reached his scoring total in 15 seasons (with one season he only played 18 games, and another he only played 17 games).

 

Jordan scored over 2300+ points in 11 of his seasons. Kobe has only done it 4 times.

 

For people like me, who believe MJ is the greatest, there is nothing Kobe can do at this point to change that. He's past his prime. I watched Kobe through his prime and came away feeling MJ was better. It doesn't matter if he plays 10 more years and obliterates the all-time record. He may have been as close to "like Mike" as anyone, but he still isn't Mike.

If Lebron maintains his current scoring average, he'll finish the season with 19,289 points. That would leave him 19,098 behind Kareem. In that scenario, if he played 10 more full seasons, he'd have to average 23.3 per game to surpass the current mark.

 

I'm not convinced that Lebron will be able to slow his decline the way Kobe has to maintain that high level so long. I also don't think it matters as much to him. Will he even want to play that long?

 

At this point, Lebron isn't on my radar for breaking Kareem's mark.

Completely agree.

I don't think passing Jordan on the all-time scoring list does that though.

 

I might slightly disagree here. The article mentions people looking back years down the road. I do think there's some merit to the argument from that perspective.

 

It doesn't matter to people like me because I saw both guys for their entire careers. But, for somebody 50 years later that saw neither, the numbers are all they have. Who knows how they'll choose to spin the numbers?

For people like me, who believe MJ is the greatest, there is nothing Kobe can do at this point to change that. He's past his prime. I watched Kobe through his prime and came away feeling MJ was better. It doesn't matter if he plays 10 more years and obliterates the all-time record. He may have been as close to "like Mike" as anyone, but he still isn't Mike.

 

I'm with you, and I agree completely.

 

 

 

I might slightly disagree here. The article mentions people looking back years down the road. I do think there's some merit to the argument from that perspective.

 

It doesn't matter to people like me because I saw both guys for their entire careers. But, for somebody 50 years later that saw neither, the numbers are all they have. Who knows how they'll choose to spin the numbers?

 

You may be right, but I'd hope that someone pointed out how many more seasons/games Kobe played to get past Jordan.