I've been wrong about a couple things before the season. Which includes Phoenix being good, Houston winning 60 games (before the injuries) and a couple other things. But one thing that I take pride in is watching Kobe destroy the rest of the league. People tried to put Lebron, Wade, Iverson and others in the same category, but the truth is NONE of them are there. They're great players (well some of them), but Kobe just competes at a level only MJ could match. I would argue that he's an better offensive player than MJ, but that's another story. But as far as current players, is it safe to say he's better than the rest?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">I've been wrong about a couple things before the season. Which includes Phoenix being good, Houston winning 60 games (before the injuries) and a couple other things. But one thing that I take pride in is watching Kobe destroy the rest of the league. People tried to put Lebron, Wade, Iverson and others in the same category, but the truth is NONE of them are there. They're great players (well some of them), but Kobe just competes at a level only MJ could match. I would argue that he's an better offensive player than MJ, but that's another story. But as far as current players, is it safe to say he's better than the rest?</div> I'd take Wade over Kobe any day. Look, Kobe is a great scorer, and nothing more. He's "destroying" the league but barely making the playoffs? Jump off the bandwagon... face first
Kobe is one of the great players in the game today. He's certainly the most skilled scorer in the game, and when he's hot he's in league of his own offensively. I think it's between him and LeBron, and Dwyane Wade isn't too far behind. Kobe is the best shooter and one-on-one defender of the three. LeBron is the best passer and finisher. Wade's offensive game inside about 18 feet is sensational, and he might be the most clutch player in the league.
I'd take Shawn Marion over Kobe any day for the Suns. Marion just had a 44pt 16reb game followed by 31pts 24reb. And he gets 20/10+ pretty much every single night. That consistancy combined with the capacity for the monster games is more impressive to me than Kobe. Not to mention Marion's defense.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting unbeliever:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd take Shawn Marion over Kobe any day for the Suns. Marion just had a 44pt 16reb game followed by 31pts 24reb. And he gets 20/10+ pretty much every single night. That consistancy combined with the capacity for the monster games is more impressive to me than Kobe. Not to mention Marion's defense.</div> The difference between Marion and most other elite players in the league is he doesn't create many shots for himself or teammates. He does a great job playing without the ball and running the floor, certainly, but is he a guy you can count on to create scoring opportunities for himself and others in the closing minutes of games?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">The difference between Marion and most other elite players in the league is he doesn't create many shots for himself or teammates. He does a great job playing without the ball and running the floor, certainly, but is he a guy you can count on to create scoring opportunities for himself and others in the closing minutes of games?</div> Is there a qualitive difference really between creating your own shot and being so active and mobile that you consistantly get open for a shot? I suppose their might be on some teams, but not so much on the Suns. In my opinion the differences between marion and other elite players is that 1) he plays defense 2) he gets almost no recognition compared to the other elites. Which is something I really don't understand, but whatever.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting unbeliever:</div><div class="quote_post">Is there a qualitive difference really between creating your own shot and being so active and mobile that you consistantly get open for a shot? I suppose their might be on some teams, but not so much on the Suns. In my opinion the differences between marion and other elite players is that 1) he plays defense 2) he gets almost no recognition compared to the other elites. Which is something I really don't understand, but whatever.</div> There are of course benefits to being able to draw doubles teams and open up scoring opportunities for others. But in balance, Marion is certainly one of the great wing players in the game. He's a unique talent.
Everyone has their own personal choice of who they think is the best player in the nba. Personally i belive steve nash is the best player in the nba, he's not even my favorite player. for what he's done for his teamates. Like charles's said he's making his teamates rich.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chuck:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd take Wade over Kobe any day. Look, Kobe is a great scorer, and nothing more. He's "destroying" the league but barely making the playoffs? Jump off the bandwagon... face first</div> He's got defense over Wade, he's got better range and his passing skills are equal to Wade, its just that he doesn't pass as much as Wade. Kobe is a better player than Wade and the reason the Heat are making the playoffs are because of their team, check out the Lakers, theres a mismatch in every position when comparing the Lakers with the Heat, including the bench apart from Kobe.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting unbeliever:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd take Shawn Marion over Kobe </div> I stopped reading your post there. Kobe is in fact the best player in the game today. Him and Allen Iverson are the greatest scoreers in the league today and Kobe even is one of the best DEFENSIVE guards in the league today. Finding a guy who gives that much hustle on defense and still gives you 35 PPG is a rare thing indeed. Kobe is a ball hog though, but I guess he has to be since his supporting cast isn't great. The only thing missing to Kobes game is making his teammates better. If he gets that touch he could easily be a top 10 player of all time by the time he retires. Shaq has it, Duncan has it, NAsh has it, Kidd has it. All of the Great players on the Great teams have it. Kobe is stuck on the level of the Iversons, and LeBrons right now.
marion over kobe lmao. IMO shawn marion is only as good as he is because he is on the suns, marions a fast break scorer and the suns is the only place i see him getting 20 a game, anywhere else he's a 15-16 point scorer.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Laker_fan:</div><div class="quote_post">He's got defense over Wade, he's got better range and his passing skills are equal to Wade, its just that he doesn't pass as much as Wade. Kobe is a better player than Wade and the reason the Heat are making the playoffs are because of their team, check out the Lakers, theres a mismatch in every position when comparing the Lakers with the Heat, including the bench apart from Kobe.</div> What I've been saying for months........my point exactly Wade is on the verge of greatness, but to say he's on Kobe's level is down right halarious. Kobe competes on a level higher than anybody in the league. Your only legitmate comeback is the Heat's record. Let's see: HEAT JWill Wade Posey Walker Shaq LAKERS: Parker Kobe Odom Brown Mihm You can't be serious
My real knock on Kobe is that currently, he can't make his teammates better. Like someone said before, all the greats in the league have done that and although Kobe can score a lot of points, he still has yet to elevate his teammates to the point where the Lakers are above mediocrity. Take a look at Steve Nash. By no means do I think he's the best out there, but hey, he's making guys like James Jones, Raja Bell, and Boris Diaw looking really great out there when a season ago, those guys were left as mediocrities. Diaw in particular, was questioned whether or not he would pan out as a good draft pick, but now, Nash has turned him into a stat machine. And until Kobe either wins a championship on his own as the number one scoring option or starts making his teammates better, I can't help but say he's on Iverson, McGrady, and Wade's level.
I agree with Aznx but I wouldn't put guys like Wade and LeBron on Kobe level yet. They have sooooooooooooooooooo much more to prove it's unbelievable before you can even put them in the same sentence as Kobe. McGrady... Well he is McGrady there are just somethings about him and his willingness to win that I wouldn't put him there with Kobe(overall, but talent wise they are neck at neck). Honestly, from a NON bias stand point, if anybody AI is flirting with Kobe in terms of where they stand. But for some particular reasons Kobe is just slightly above him by the skin of his teeth.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AznxBaller:</div><div class="quote_post">My real knock on Kobe is that currently, he can't make his teammates better. Like someone said before, all the greats in the league have done that and although Kobe can score a lot of points, he still has yet to elevate his teammates to the point where the Lakers are above mediocrity. Take a look at Steve Nash. By no means do I think he's the best out there, but hey, he's making guys like James Jones, Raja Bell, and Boris Diaw looking really great out there when a season ago, those guys were left as mediocrities. Diaw in particular, was questioned whether or not he would pan out as a good draft pick, but now, Nash has turned him into a stat machine. And until Kobe either wins a championship on his own as the number one scoring option or starts making his teammates better, I can't help but say he's on Iverson, McGrady, and Wade's level.</div> I beg to differ again. Steve Nash can make his players better, but their already good players. Kobe has virtually no consistent 2nd option. Kobe is literally carrying the Lakers on his back. If you put Wade or Nash on the Lakers right now, they wouldn't be any better than they are now. So saying he can't make his teammates better is a cop out. Just the fact they're in the playoff picture eliminates this debate.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> I beg to differ again. Steve Nash can make his players better, but their already good players. Kobe has virtually no consistent 2nd option. Kobe is literally carrying the Lakers on his back. If you put Wade or Nash on the Lakers right now, they wouldn't be any better than they are now. So saying he can't make his teammates better is a cop out. Just the fact they're in the playoff picture eliminates this debate.</div> I think you misunderstood me... I never said Steve Nash is better.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Kobe is literally carrying the Lakers on his back. </div> So what makes a player like AI that much different being that he's been doing so for about 10 years. And still manage to take his team to the Playoffs every year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AznxBaller:</div><div class="quote_post">My real knock on Kobe is that currently, he can't make his teammates better. Like someone said before, all the greats in the league have done that and although Kobe can score a lot of points, he still has yet to elevate his teammates to the point where the Lakers are above mediocrity. Take a look at Steve Nash. By no means do I think he's the best out there, but hey, he's making guys like James Jones, Raja Bell, and Boris Diaw looking really great out there when a season ago, those guys were left as mediocrities. Diaw in particular, was questioned whether or not he would pan out as a good draft pick, but now, Nash has turned him into a stat machine. And until Kobe either wins a championship on his own as the number one scoring option or starts making his teammates better, I can't help but say he's on Iverson, McGrady, and Wade's level.</div> Nonsense. Kobe Bryant does in fact make his teammates better by simply stepping on the court. Kobe is drawing triple and double teams every game. He's creating WIDE OPEN looks for his teammates, but they just aren't taking advantage of it. The only player who's cashing in on these shots is Brian Cook. He's shooting over 50% from the field and behind the arc since Odom got injured. He was the second leading scorer on the team for the month of February. Now ask yourself, if Brian Cook was the second option on any other team, do you think that team would do much better than a .500 record? Raja Bell has always been a high % shooter in the league. Playing with the Suns just gives him more opportunities to shoot the basketball. Anyone who scouted Boris Diaw already knew he was a good player. The Hawks just didn't have any idea how to use him and he was always behind the glut of forwards in Atlanta. James Jones was a lights out shooter in Indiana. Steve Nash creates wide open looks for these players, just like Kobe does for his teammates. The difference is the Suns players actually make their wide open looks, and Kobe's teammates brick them. It's not Kobe's fault if his players can't convert on the wide open looks he sets them up for. The talent on the Lakers is NBDL quality right now. If you give Kobe a teammate like Shawn Marion who consistently gets you 20/10 the Lakers would be right in the hunt for the Pacific Division title. Instead, Kobe has to rely on the career underacheiver, Lamar Odom, who shows up 1 out of every 5 games for the Lakers.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Avery:</div><div class="quote_post">So what makes a player like AI that much different being that he's been doing so for about 10 years. And still manage to take his team to the Playoffs every year.</div> He has way more talent and AI plays in a weaker conference. Kobe is the best guard in the NBA but certainly not the best overall player.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Avery:</div><div class="quote_post">So what makes a player like AI that much different being that he's been doing so for about 10 years. And still manage to take his team to the Playoffs every year.</div> The difference is the defensive side of the basketball and the fact Iverson plays in the East. I agree though, Iverson is suffering from the same situation as Kobe, a lousy GM.
