Barkley stated that kobe was trying to prove a point in game 7. Kobe responded to him via text messagesCharles responsehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-GuYj6eXvYYou know what would be funny? If kobe went out in a "blaze of glory' and the lost. What would charles say then? I guarentee you he would say kobe is selfish.
I don't think Charles would say Kobe is selfish had Kobe done what Charles, and pretty much the entire world, expected him to do... and that is shoot more in the second half.Yes, the team is losing big, and Phil wants to execute the gameplan, but it hadn't been working that game. I think Phil also should have given Kobe more freedom to play the way he played during the regular season at that point in time because the Lakers were down by 20+. If Kobe could have brought the Lakers back within 10-12, then I would have started trying to play to the gameplan a little bit and see how it worked at that point.I really didn't expect Kobe to take only three shots in the second half... and score only one point. That is just plain ridiculous.
Yes he would and i'll prove it to you. Kobe in game 6 scored 50 points on 57% percent and they lost. What was charles response? Kobe bryant is selfish.Now seriously, imagine kobe ended up with 40 points and the lakers lost to the suns? What do you actually think their response would be? Considering some people critcised kobe for putting up 81.Thirdly imagine if kobe decided to against Phil and start shooting. Wouldn't be people call him uncoachable again? See, kobe's the only player in the league who's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. It's a no win situation for him. I don't believe there's another player who gets cricised for everything he does.
Kobe is going through what Allen Iverson went through during 2001-2004 (and still goes through to a certain extent)... except everything with Kobe is magnified because of everything that happened with Shaq, etc. That is just something we've got to live with. It will continue to happen as long as the media portray these guys in a negative manner.Also, Charles Barkley explained his comments about his comments on Game 6 on TNT today also, and he was not trying to imply that Kobe was selfish in Game 6.Considering the circumstances of Game 7, with the Lakers being down 20+ points, you would almost have to expect Kobe to try and bring the Lakers back single-handedly. At that point, everybody knew that the Lakers winning the game was a longshot, and I would have expected Phil to give Kobe more freedom to try and lead the team back. The gameplan wasn't working up to that point, and it wasn't going to work anyway (as we saw). The Lakers played an entire 82-game season with one gameplan, and then tried to win a series with a whole different game plan. Yes, it got them the 3-1 lead, but Kobe needed to close that series out. He nearly did it in Game 6, but the Suns came out victorious... I put the blame more on Phil than I do Kobe because of what Kobe is saying (that Phil wanted him to play within the system). Also, even if that is the case, I still don't understand how he would only be able to take three shots in an entire half while playing within the system.Anyway, it's all in the past now, so there is no sense in making a big deal out of it.
People have been saying kobe is uncoachable and doesn't listen to his coach. Kobe this season for the most part has listened to phil and yet he's getting criticised for it? What a shame.Also, if kobe did decide to take the game into his own hands he was not going to get good looks and was probably going to come out with a horrible percenatge. The suns understood that kobe's teamates had not come to play and were agressively double team kobe. And Allen iverson has not gone through what kobe has, not even close. When you score 81, bring you're team from a certain loss into a win, break history and still get criticised you know you're hated.
What I meant by the Iverson comparison is that no matter what he did he would get criticized, similar to what Kobe is going through. AI is still hated today for the same reasons, except not as much as he used to and definitely not as much as Kobe. AI used to be the NBA's public enemy #1, and now that role has gone to Kobe.Kobe's situation is just magnified more because of the fact that he won three rings as "Shaq's sidekick" and people wanted to see if he could carry a team on his own. Then, with the media painting the image that Kobe ran Shaq and Phil out of town, people just wanted to see him fail and began hating on him even more... not to mention the rape allegations, etc.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>He was trying to stick with the game plan instead of trying to help the Lakers win it himself.</div>Their gameplan is Kobe....sorry AIrBlaze him only taking three shots didn't make much sense
The gameplan wasn't Kobe against the Phoenix Suns this series Mr.Celtics fan. I hate when people who are fans of other teams act like they know whats going on with other teams when they dont.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ May 11 2006, 02:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Their gameplan is Kobe....sorry AIrBlaze him only taking three shots didn't make much sense</div>Someone didn't watch the Laker vs suns series
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ May 10 2006, 11:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Their gameplan is Kobe....sorry AIrBlaze him only taking three shots didn't make much sense</div>Um... their gameplan WASN'T Kobe, sorry.
Well, what was their gameplan then? Explain to me why your best player only took three shots in the 2nd half of a game 7 playoff series that would have been an incredible upset for your ball club? You guys talk about how incredible he is in other threads and how he scored 81 points in a game, why did he only take three shots in a pivital game like that game 7?And by the way I did watch the suns/lakers series, a laker player will bring the ball up and if kobe comes to the perimiter and claps his hands they just immediately stop what their doing and dish kobe the ball. He is the main part of their gameplan, don't act like he's not
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ May 11 2006, 10:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, what was their gameplan then? Explain to me why your best player only took three shots in the 2nd half of a game 7 playoff series that would have been an incredible upset for your ball club? You guys talk about how incredible he is in other threads and how he scored 81 points in a game, why did he only take three shots in a pivital game like that game 7?</div>God, when are people gonna get over this and look at what happened. I'm gonna write it in bold, just so people pay attention this time.<span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%">Kobe had 23 points at halftime, and the Lakers were losing by 15, he had 50 Game 6, and they lost. He scored 40 against them in the season, and they lost. They had to get the bigs involved, and just pound it inside. He tried to do this in the first half of Game 7, but it didn't work, so he did it himself, without him they would've been down 40 at halftime. Phil basically told him, that this game was gonna be won with Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom, so Kobe stopped shooting so much, and gave the other guys a chance. It didn't work, but that's just life, they tried something and it failed. He didn't give up on his team.</span>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Phil basically told him, that this game was gonna be won with Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom</div>that's hilarious if Jackson actually said that.The coach who coached Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe for that matter to win several championships told Kobe Bryant that KWAME BROWN and Lamar Odom were going to win the game. Yeah that makes a ton of sense.
The lakers do not win against the suns if kobe puts up big numbers. It was a disturbing tend during the season and continued into the post season. And correct me if i'm wrong, the suns were aggresively doubling and tripling kobe and if kobe decided to shoot he would have to take some perimeter shots. Now if he were to miss, that would create a fast break and a 3 pointer for the suns most likely.As i said, kobe's the only player in the league who is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.Oh, and phil jackson>you. Sorry, i'm siding with the GOAT rather than some random fan.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Oh, and phil jackson>you. Sorry, i'm siding with the GOAT rather than some random fan.</div>what does that mean? All I said was if Jackson really thought Kwame Brown and Odom would win the game doesn't that seem just a little bit strange?
Lamar helped the Lakers win 3 games in the series more than Kobe did in the series, except for game 4. Lamar pounded the weak Phoenix interior, Kobe had Raja Bell on him, he cant just shoot all the time.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ May 12 2006, 03:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>what does that mean? All I said was if Jackson really thought Kwame Brown and Odom would win the game doesn't that seem just a little bit strange?</div>Apparently you didn't watch most of the series then...Lamar Odom and Kwame were paired up against small forwards. Lamar had a great series, and until the last few games, he was completely dominating darkhorse MVP candidate Shawn Marion...
