<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">.Wade's reputation as a great, developing player will be tarnished, and everyone will declare that his ring was NOT earned...only through Shaq (ask Kobe about this). Wade and the Heat did fine this year by themselves...but now, if Wade doesn't put up significant numbers, fans will ignore the fact that he works his @ss off, and they'll give THE BIG MAN all the credit before they even hand partial credit to the young guard. You'll see. </div> Well if Wade does win a championship right now, which I don't think will happen but it's possible, it will be because of Shaq, but people won't say he didn't earn it, because no one says Kobe didn't earnit, just that Shaq was the main reason for the championships, which isn't a lie. Shaq will get credit over Wade because Wade obviously can't carry a team himself, Odom and Wade were the big tandem last year with Jones and Butler as the sidekicks, but Wade alone couldn't take the team to the playoffs. The thing is that people already ignored Wade when it was Carmelo and Lebron's years, till he shined in the playoffs, and if he just plays his game their's nothing for him to worry about.
you talk about how funny shaq is... the best joke shaq ever made, was the one he made out of himself at that conference... please...talk smack about kobe bryant...Payton, Kobe, Butler, Odom, Grant, George, Vlade, Rush, Walton, Vujacic, Cook...who's on the 04/05 championship heat again? oh yah...Wade, Jones, Shaq, Butler (Rasual), Doleac, Haslem, Beasley, Wang, Allen...very very intimidating...and shaq's brilliant free agency plans are to recruit russell, Horry, and maybe malone who is probably leaning towards the lakers or spurs anyways...lol good luck... shaq is the one retiring with 3 rings, not Kobe Bryant...end of story...
I'll say this much...put a healthy Malone, Kobe, Payton, Odom, Butler, Vlade, Rush, Grant and Vujacic against the Pistons in the Finals, and change the Laker offense from a triangle to anything else (for Payton and Malone's sake), and they would've at least taken them to seven games...maybe not have won it, but you never know.
All the Kobe Bryant fans are scared cuz Lakers aren't beeep without shaq! And if Kobe bryant went to the Lakers, was he a loser if he did that? and to realbneal or something......very wise name to a shaq hata!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Duece~2:</div><div class="quote_post">All the Kobe Bryant fans are scared cuz Lakers aren't beeep without shaq! And if Kobe bryant went to the Lakers, was he a loser if he did that? and to realbneal or something......very wise name to a shaq hata! </div> What? And by the way...I haven't been this happy for the Lakers since they traded Divac for Kobe back in 1996. Winning rings was nice, but not when I had to see a young star overshadowed by a big 7'1" "MVP" that barely had to play against the centers of the Nets, Pacers and Sixers for their three titles, and still get the Finals MVP award...while Kobe had to play and defend against the best of the NBA with Kidd and Iverson at the time, and Reggie Miller was no punk back then either. I'm shocked that Shaq didn't score 50 PPG on a guy like Rik Smits or an aging Dikembe Mutombo...pretty sad. Kinda like Billups getting the Finals MVP this year, although look who he had to contend with? Destroying an almost-retired Gary Payton who, by the way, had to play a triangle offense...it's not very impressive. Oh well.
^ Agree Kobe made the big plays down crucial moments during the playoff runs and the finals. If Shaq didn't have KOBE, it would've been a different story, no not a better story, a horrible story. Remember KOBE has the most assists to SHAQ, remember that, especially the famous lob against INDY...Ill bet you all, the Lakers will have a better record than the HEAT next year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Duece~2:</div><div class="quote_post">All the Kobe Bryant fans are scared cuz Lakers aren't beeep without shaq! And if Kobe bryant went to the Lakers, was he a loser if he did that? and to realbneal or something......very wise name to a shaq hata!</div> very incoherent post from a kobe hata!
I'm on record all over these boards as a Shaq hater and a Kobe defender, way before the trade. And I'm not going to become a bandwagoneer or cheer for him. But now the honor of my team is in doubt? Which one of you Kobe fans is willing to make a signature bet with me that the Heat will have a better record than the Lakers next year? Or, if you are going to whine about the East-West supposed disparity, how about betting on which team will win the matchup against the other?
Hey SCBrian...I have some more math busters for your sig... Shaq > Vlade rest of the Lakers > rest of the Heat And yes...everyone...Payton is better than Wade. Take GP two years ago, before he entered the world of "triangle offense" to accommodate Shaq...and you can't say Payton sucked. He was a great ballplayer, and he'll prove it this year too with a new offensive set. Kobe would own Eddie Jones...Odom would own, well...who else do the Heat have? Haha.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm shocked that Shaq didn't score 50 PPG on a guy like Rik Smits or an aging Dikembe Mutombo...pretty sad. Kinda like Billups getting the Finals MVP this year, although look who he had to contend with? Destroying an almost-retired Gary Payton who, by the way, had to play a triangle offense...it's not very impressive. Oh well.</div> Well if you look at his FG%, you realize it's all about shot shots, you can't score 50 PPG taking 23 shots unless you're shooting some crazy percentage. What does the triangle have to do with Payton's defense though? <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">And yes...everyone...Payton is better than Wade. Take GP two years ago, before he entered the world of "triangle offense" to accommodate Shaq...and you can't say Payton sucked. He was a great ballplayer, and he'll prove it this year too with a new offensive set. Kobe would own Eddie Jones...Odom would own, well...who else do the Heat have? Haha.</div> Where did this come from, of course Payton is better than Wade , but Wade will likely win a matchup against Payton because Payton isn't the same quick defensive stopping Payton, and Wade has one of the quickest first steps in the league. Payton isn't going to be stopping that, his mind know wat to do but his body won't be able to do it. If he can't keep up with Parker how will he keep up with Wade, but in an individual matchup battle the Lakers have more talent, but that's not what its always about, teamwork, and team play is what it comes down too. Payton will not own Wade in a matchup, Wade was putting up 21 PPG on Tinsley (not that great a defender), Anthony Johnson and Artest against the Pacers. He also put up some good numbers on Baron, but Baron was injured, but even and injured Baron is still one of the better PG defenders in the league, a healthy one is a top PG defender. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Wade, Jones, Shaq, Butler (Rasual), Doleac, Haslem, Beasley, Wang, Allen...very very </div> You forgot Dorell Wright and Toni Kukoc
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Odom would own, well...who else do the Heat have? Haha.</div> You took half of a team that went 42-40, and didn't get past the second round of the playoffs. Are you sure this is something you should be parading? I mean, if you had atleast tooking our star player I would understand. But considering we got a player that was a big part of your team, which made the NBA Finals in a tougher confrence, I think you got gyped :/ What can ShaQ do for the Heat? ShaQ can make the Heat a better team just because he makes the game easier. He also attracts good players to the team he plays for. He avg'd 21 +/- ppg last season, which will improve when he enters the Eastern Confrence. All the talk that shaq is out of shape is true, but I feel as if he really didn't want to play for the lakers, so he stopped caring and didn't put in effort. Now that he's in a new team and everyone's doubting him, I think (and he's said it to the media repeatedly) he is going to get back in shape. He's also said that his toe injury is healed (suprise suprise, he leaves the lakers and he feels great). As for 'lacking starters', the Heat will probably put Dorell Wright to play this year, supposedly he's hot stuff according to Pat Riley and Stan Van Gundy and is expected to avg 20 ppg +/-. What about the players Shaq will attract? Also, we still have benchwarmers that can step up for the 2 positions that we're lacking. In all, we have good players that will do good without shaq, so I expect them to do great with shaq playing center. What can Odom/Butler/Grant do for Kobe or the Lakers? Nothing. How bout, what can the Lakers and Kobe do for Odom/Butler/Grant? Nothing. They're going to play in a tougher confrence, so expect their stats to go down. Kobe is going to be getting the ball a lot more and for Odom/Butler/Grant to get the stats they had last year, they had to take a lot of shots. For all the Lakers who question Shaquille's ability to still play, then why did the Lakers not want him in the Western Confrence. If they really felt they can win without shaquille, they would put their money where their mouth is. But to be fair, Kobe and Shaq and the lakers won their championships as a team, they couldn't have done it without each other. Jus my 2 pennies
you better believe that just like shaq is gonna get up and get ready for this season to play at his best...so is kobe bryant...and kobe bryant has more fire, more drive, a better work-ethic, and just the flat out will to be the best than anyone else in the league...i will come right out and flat out say it...kobe bryant will be the nba mvp in either 04/05 or 05/06...05/06 if his trial doesnt end early enough for his serious training to begin for this coming season...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SCBrian:</div><div class="quote_post">i will...name the terms...</div> Easy... To avoid the whole East-West thing (which I agree it's unfair) let's just do the Heat-Lakers matchups. I say that the Heat will win both games. If they lose one, even if Shaq is injured, I'll wear a signature of your choosing for the remaining of the season. If I win, you have to take down that line about stupid people off yours. That's it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What can Odom/Butler/Grant do for Kobe or the Lakers? Nothing. How bout, what can the Lakers and Kobe do for Odom/Butler/Grant? Nothing. They're going to play in a tougher confrence, so expect their stats to go down. Kobe is going to be getting the ball a lot more and for Odom/Butler/Grant to get the stats they had last year, they had to take a lot of shots.</div> That's not true, the West is only supposed to make stats of big men go down, but it doesn't seem to happen anyways, its just what people seem to say. I don't think their's a possible way Kobe gets MVP next season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting cubanballer:</div><div class="quote_post">Easy... To avoid the whole East-West thing (which I agree it's unfair) let's just do the Heat-Lakers matchups. I say that the Heat will win both games. If they lose one, even if Shaq is injured, I'll wear a signature of your choosing for the remaining of the season. If I win, you have to take down that line about stupid people off yours. That's it.</div> Woot! This is gonna be good
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting cubanballer:</div><div class="quote_post">Easy... To avoid the whole East-West thing (which I agree it's unfair) let's just do the Heat-Lakers matchups. I say that the Heat will win both games. If they lose one, even if Shaq is injured, I'll wear a signature of your choosing for the remaining of the season. If I win, you have to take down that line about stupid people off yours. That's it.</div> sounds good to me but i wouldn't have anything really ridiculous for you in return since i respect your postings haha...its just more of a fun wager to me...but yah np...i agree...good luck to both of us...but i'll say the lakers will win both to make it a lil bit more fun...so if they split 1-1 we each hafta do the others wager if thats cool with you...
without shaq, kobe wouldnt be as good as he is "now" with shaq, kobe got room in the outfield now we will see if kobe is a leader byhimself btw. if shaq makes small disses at kobe i still think, thats not only bout the player kobe shaq has daughters, just to mention
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting HighHeat:</div><div class="quote_post">without shaq, kobe wouldnt be as good as he is "now" with shaq, kobe got room in the outfield now we will see if kobe is a leader byhimself btw. if shaq makes small disses at kobe i still think, thats not only bout the player kobe shaq has daughters, just to mention</div> without shaq, kobe would be better than he is now... now that shaq is gone...kobe will have more freedom to do what he needs to do out there...his way...he'll get better...and his team will follow him because if they do, they'll win... and what does shaq having daughters have anything to do with him not liking kobe as a person...kobe has a daughter too...and i guarantee you shaq has cheated on his wife before too...just like almost every professional athlete...
Only time will tell who the BETTER player is between Kobe and Shaq... We all already know who the most dominate player in the world is, and that would be Mr. Shaq I don't think anybody can debate that...Kobe has finally gotten what he wanted the chance to lead his own team...Everyone knows that Kobe wants to be MJ and you can't do that with Shaq on the team(can't do it from jail either). So this will be a big year for Kobe and Laker fans..I personally don't see the Lakers making the playoffs this year.
