If Kobe wants to be considered the best, he has to lead his own team and get out from under Shaq's shadow IMO. I would love to see it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Why? Why wouldn't the Lakers put Kobe on T-Mac from the start? Doesn't make sense to me.</div> Kobe does have a shoulder to consider, and Rick and Devean are supposed to be good defenders..( they're both good sometimes but I think they're a little overrated on D). Phil also said going into the 2nd half that he didn't want Kobe to use all his energy chasing down T-Mac and have nothing left on offense. Kobe asked Phil to be put on Tracy so Phil said he let him, and good things happened for us. That a good enough reason for you?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe is not even close to being the best player. The best player in the league is Kevin Garnett. I'm a Laker fan, but I'm not going to make a ridiculously bias statement about Kobe being the best. He had a great game tonight and outplayed T-Mac down the stretch, but let's not be overzealous and make a claim Kobe is the best. I know you're excited about the game, and right now Kobe is the hero for Laker fans, but he has a lot to prove before he can ever be considered the best.</div> this is why i would never consider someone like you a laker fan, kobe is injured, if he werent injured, hes the best all around and most exciting player in the league, just like we saw LAST SEASON, and the kids not even in his prime yet man...KG is in his prime, hes good, the best AT THIS TIME, sure why not, but kobe is MR. Clutch, he does things that we havent seen since JORDAN, i mean seriously, there have been player after player after player compared to Jordan, but how many consistently have produced like him? grant hill failed, penny failed, stackhouse failed, vince carter failed, allen iverson failed, harold miner even failed, but kobe, kobe has been consistent...not only does he shadow him, but he plays at his level, with his greatness and his heart and his mindframe to WIN. Tmac stands around and laughs during a 20 point loss in the OT? come on, what kind of heart is that?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">Man, u should've watched the game...Stevenson was killing GP and Howard was destroying Malone....I'm dead serious too...give the Magic some credit...</div>True, I did not watch this game. This is why I am trying not to comment on this game specifically. I'm just saying, on paper, the Lakers should kill the Magic.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Have we seen an adjusting period from the Kings this year? They had to play most of the season without Chris Webber, they seemed to do just fine. Bobby Jackson has missed some major time, they seemed to do just fine. No matter who goes down for the Kings, they still play like champions. I'm not trying to knock the Lakers, but without their "big 4" healthy, they don't stand a chance. </div> Valid point there, but I'm not directing my subject totally to the Kings. I just took them as an example of a "great team". Kings are a weird and freaky team, they don't need adjustment because they're a passing-trigger-happy team, which is not bad. Their chemistry puzzles me I mean they just gel together again, even though C-Webb shot 2-for-21 in his second game back. But all of them are Ws and this is a great team to watch in the playoffs. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">The great teams know how to move on when a player/s goes down.</div> Well, they still have Peja, Mike Bibby, Brad Miller, and C Vlade Divac. They can move on. The Lakers can't just move on because they're not a passing-happy team, they've got a coordinated offense which flows through ? Kobe or Shaq.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">If Kobe wants to be considered the best, he has to lead his own team and get out from under Shaq's shadow IMO. I would love to see it.</div> We're slowly starting to see that this season...Shaq just hasn't been himself this year... This was on ESPN.com... but they definitely need each other if they want to win a title..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Phreeze:</div><div class="quote_post">That a good enough reason for you?</div>haha..no. If I am Kobe, I tell Phil I want to be matched up on T-Mac from the start. I don't think Kobe has anything to prove but I would have liked to see him do this. The guy has a passion and love for the game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">We're slowly starting to see that this season...Shaq just hasn't been himself this year... This was on ESPN.com... but they definitely need each other if they want to win a title..</div>But wasn't Malone also out for most of those games that Kobe missed?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">But wasn't Malone also out for most of those games that Kobe missed?</div> Malone was out most of those games period with or without kobe.... but some of the games kobe was out, Shaq was out too... nonetheless, the point was that without Shaq this season, the lakers haven't had a big drop off their winning percentage..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">True, I did not watch this game. This is why I am trying not to comment on this game specifically. I'm just saying, on paper, the Lakers should kill the Magic.</div> As we've been all saying we definitely should have killed Orlando tonight, without a doubt. But this game didn't go our way at all and everyone seemed to have an off night at once, and no one but Kobe played any D at all. The Magic were getting inside with no trouble at all, and Stevenson came up with way too many offensive rebounds. If we don't get our act together we are in trouble, and we're really going to have to get it together soon if we hope to win it all.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting PupMelo:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, they still have Peja, Mike Bibby, Brad Miller, and C Vlade Divac. They can move on. The Lakers can't just move on because they're not a passing-happy team, they've got a coordinated offense which flows through ? Kobe or Shaq.</div>The difference is that the Kings have the depth at every position. The Lakers have no bench to step up when someone goes down.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Krazygreen:</div><div class="quote_post">this is why i would never consider someone like you a laker fan</div> Guess since I don't think that LeBron James is the best player in the game, that I am true Cavs fan either
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">Guess since I don't think that LeBron James is the best player in the game, that I am true Cavs fan either </div> no your just what i call a bandwagon fan.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">haha..no. If I am Kobe, I tell Phil I want to be matched up on T-Mac from the start. I don't think Kobe has anything to prove but I would have liked to see him do this. The guy has a passion and love for the game.</div> Atleast he asked to guard him, I don't remember a single posession where T-Mac was on Kobe.. Kobe was killing Orlando in the 4th and McGrady STILL didn't even consider to get on him, he just sat back and guarded old Gary who was too scared to go at Tracy.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">Guess since I don't think that LeBron James is the best player in the game, that I am true Cavs fan either </div> ps :rollseyes:
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">Guess since I don't think that LeBron James is the best player in the game, that I am true Cavs fan either </div>I'm sure once they get off their high of beating the playoff bound Magic, they will come back to earth. JK
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">owned</div> <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Krazygreen:</div><div class="quote_post">no your just what i call a bandwagon fan.</div> Owned.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Phreeze:</div><div class="quote_post">Atleast he asked to guard him, I don't remember a single posession where T-Mac was on Kobe.. Kobe was killing Orlando in the 4th and McGrady STILL didn't even consider to get on him, he just sat back and guarded old Gary who was too scared to go at Tracy.</div>Once again, I didn't watch this game so I can't really comment on this. I am, however, not suprised. I have never questioned Kobe's eagerness to get better and win. I love the heart that he plays with.
The reason Phil didn't want Kobe guarding T-mac was the same reason the lakers made a comeback and won...Phil didn't want Kobe to turn the matchup into a one-on-one duel.....plus he wanted kobe to save his fouls for the end where he could play aggressive D.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe is not even close to being the best player. The best player in the league is Kevin Garnett. I'm a Laker fan, but I'm not going to make a ridiculously bias statement about Kobe being the best. He had a great game tonight and outplayed T-Mac down the stretch, but let's not be overzealous and make a claim Kobe is the best. I know you're excited about the game, and right now Kobe is the hero for Laker fans, but he has a lot to prove before he can ever be considered the best.</div> I think Kobe is REALLY close. I know he isn't the best this season because KG has been and he's gonna get the MVP award. But, Kobe has been amazing. Over these past two seasons, he has basically made Shaquille "always-first-option" O'Neal and every one his supporting cast and he alone helped the Lakers win a lot of ball games. And, Kobe has got nothing to prove (well, besides off court issues) on the court. Seen him play in the Finals against the Pacers? Kid just played his first-ever Finals series and he didn't play like one. Game 4, he scored 8 of his 28 pts in OT to secure the Lakers' lead 3-1. The next year in Philly Game 3, Kobe hit 7 straight shots with Raja Bell's hands literally in his face on every shot. Against the Nets, well... I didn't watch that one, but just ask the Nets! Kobe Bryant has got nothing to prove and if his shoulders are healthy he will someday be the L's best player and get that MVP, maybe next season!
