Lifestyle > Sports & Entertainment
NBA finals (potential): Lakers - Celtics
.:DaYg0sTyLz:.:
--- Quote from: M Dogg on May 22, 2010, 10:31:38 PM ---I am saying this right here right now. Kobe's legacy is on the line as a great Lakers.
IF the Lakers win this final series against the Celtics and Kobe ends up with one more ring after this, I will be the first to stand up and call Kobe Bryant the greatest Laker to ever play the game.
IF the Lakers lost this finals series against the Celtics, I don't care if Kobe wins 3 more rings, Kobe can never be the greatest Laker ever without beating the Celtics.
When you look at the history, great Lakers like Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain tried and tried and tried to beat the Celtics. When it looked like they could, they lost. Magic Johnson could not beat the Celtics on his first try. They called it the Celtics curse. Then Magic's Lakers beat the Celtics twice to break the curse and finally add some justification to call this a rivalry. Now it's Kobe's turn. Kobe's first time against the Celtics ended like every great Laker's first time, he lead his team to failure. But, if Kobe can redeem himself, and he can beat the Celtics, then Kobe deserves his place next to Magic as unquestionably the two greatest Lakers ever. This rivalry is that important. Sadly for Shaq, he never had the chance to beat the Celtics, but Kobe does, and to bring a Finals victory over Boston is something that lives Laker fans minds, and makes them legendary.
--- End quote ---
Thats a bit much man. I dont think this series makes or breaks Kobe as an all time great. You know I dont see him as the greatest Laker ever, even if he wins THIS year because to me he has only won 1 ring so far as the leader of the team. Thats not enough to be the BEST Laker ever IMO. But I dont think it disqualifies him from ever being that by losing either. If he loses this year...then goes on to win 3 more rings as the leader of this team...youre gonna tell me you wouldnt consider him for all time greatest Laker? Not beating the Celtics doesnt define anyone really. Thats just some overdramatic Laker fan shit. IMO, people get wrapped up too much as it is...in the whole "whos the greatest player of all time" shit. Its a never ending debate and there is no RIGHT answer. Most people think Jordan is the greatest player of all time. He might be the one clear cut choice as far as their placement all time. IMO, after him...there is a big group of players whos rank can be shuffled around depending on whos judging them. Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Bird, Magic, Robertson, Havlicek, Hakeem, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, Malone, etc....etc....
Chamillitary Click:
--- Quote from: M Dogg on May 23, 2010, 02:15:21 PM ---
--- Quote from: Chamillitary Click on May 23, 2010, 01:46:45 PM ---lol @ people being sucked into the media.
"rings = greatness", psshhhh.
--- End quote ---
It's not being a sucker to the media, it's about winning against Boston. I grew up hating Boston. I hated Larry Bird as a kid, in California he represented white culture, and we were a diverse state with our star player being African-American. It's about remembering Kobe Bryant now, and seeing him lead a team to victory over the great Boston Celtics. I'll be honest, the NBA title maybe great, but it's about Lakers/Celtics. I don't know if you know this, but they have sort of a rivalry going, and if your a Laker fan you remember that this rivalry has been going on since 1959, and we didn't even win a series until 1985. For ten years before I was even born, the Lakers lost 7 times to the Celtics, and 3 of those times the Lakers took it to game 7, the last time in 1969 the Celtics beat the Lakers on their own home court. When I was growing up in the 80's, it was all about Lakers/Celtics, as in 1985 the Lakers finally broke the Celtics curse, and proved their is some Magic in LA. Then in 2008, it was suppose to be Kobe's year, he won the MVP, and it was all about Kobe. So when we had Boston in the finals, it was perfect, what better way to cement the legacy of Kobe Bryant than to win the title that year again an old rival. The rivalry was dead, but once Boston won that series Laker fans wanted revenge, and slowly the rivalry is coming back. People in Boston are chanting "Beat LA", people in LA are chanting, "We Want Boston". I am not sure if you know this, to Laker fans, beating Boston is BIGGER than a ring, it's BIGGER than the trophies. There is nothing other than beating Boston. They kept Elgin Baylor from enjoying an NBA title, as Baylor might just be the greatest player to never win a title. They are responsible for 9 of the Lakers 15 NBA title loses. NBA title aside, this is our Yankees/Red Sox. For years it was a one sided affair, then it all turned around, and now it has become more important than titles.
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regardless, rings are not, nor will they ever be an individual achievement.
it's a team game, not Kobe's game; it all just affects the Lakers legacy.
i remember when the Celtics fucked the Lakers up two years ago, all we heard was "omg, if we had Bynum, we woulda won", now you have a full, healthy, better team & it's "omg, it's all Kobe"; like now, Bynum doesn't even deserve credit for the ring, if they win it; like the ring won't matter to anyone else's legacy BUT Kobe lol.
wcsoldier:
some of y'all are more fans/ worried about players legacies than teams lol ...
the only important thing here is we will either got title number 16 and just one down to their total of titles or the C's will add a little more separation between both franchises
StrEiht Up Menace:
Lakers vs Celtics is always fuckin good, two dominate teams.
Lakers got this one again
OG Hack Wilson:
--- Quote from: StrEiht Up Menace on May 23, 2010, 11:14:56 PM ---Lakers vs Celtics is always fuckin good, two dominate teams.
Lakers got this one again
--- End quote ---
slow down young grasshopper...the Suns are still in this one. you better hope Bynum returns to form or the Lakers figure out that zone or it's gonna be a long series
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