Lifestyle > Sports & Entertainment
Lakers on an uprise...just missing a few pieces to the puzzle.
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
--- Quote from: TeeRaySix9Teen on August 21, 2005, 04:50:05 AM ---
--- Quote from: ACB on August 21, 2005, 04:22:47 AM ---
--- Quote from: TeeRaySix9Teen on August 21, 2005, 02:51:21 AM ---If you been payin attention to every other post ive ever made on this subject youd know, i dont consider Jordan and Kobe anywhere NEAR in the same league. And most others dont either. As a matter of fact, no one does except Kobe fans. So yeah, i think his career has already reached its pinnacle. He NEEDS others to make him great. I dont know why u guys cant see that when everyone else does. He NEEDS it. He's just not that guy. He's not the guy that makes everyone else successful.
--- End quote ---
Are we judging the whole 9 years old career of Kobe or just his last disappointing season? If you look at the whole thing, Kobe has been a fantastic player, averaging 22.4 pts, 5.1 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.45 spg, plus he was been named 7 times an All-Star, and he has averaged even better stats in 119 NBA PlayOff games. In a contender team, sharing the ball with Shaq. Those numbers alone will have as a consequence that the n.8 Lakers jersey will be retired, one day. Add 3 rings and a half in the mix, and you have a great player, no discussion. I dunno if he's on the same level of Magic, Jordan and Bird, who knows? But for sure he's the best SG in the league right now, and he was been the best one in the last couple of years. Plus he's still 27, so how is it possible to write something like "he has already reached its pinnacle"? Jordan won his first one at 28. C'mon now. C'mon now. Last year it was been a wasted one in Kobe's career, because of a lot of injuries (Kobe has missed 16 games, Odom 18, Grant 13, Divac 67, George 67, not to mention Rudy T), of troubles finding a good coach, and because of the team allowing opponents to score more than 110pts, embarassing. Next year it's the "real" one, with Phil back in L.A., with Bynum and Brown added in the mix, without Atkins, and with less pressure on the team. We will see. But let's wait to judge Kobe's career and let's stop saying he aint a "winner".
--- Quote ---As for Lebron, i dunno if u saw Magic when he was just on Jey Leno? when asked about the NBA age limit being at 19....he responded saying he wished it was 20. He said that all coaches feel the same. That their jobs are harder because they are stuck in the situation of having to teach kids the game of basketball. How players arent ready at the age of 18...or even 17 sometimes to play on an NBA team. He used the examples of Garnett and Kobe. Saying that they are both great players, and were good coming in. But that even they werent ready. It took them a couple years to realy develop their game to that of an NBA player. Then, in the middle of that comment he said..."except Lebron....he's special...". Maybe Magics opinion doesnt mean shit....but lets just say...its the same as mine. Go ahead NIK....disagree with the allmighty Magic Johnson lol
--- End quote ---
If we need to wait more on Kobe's career to judge it, LeBron's one still has to start!
--- End quote ---
first off...me saying Kobe's career has reached its pinnacle is based on my assessment of Kobe. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Im not saying that ANYone at 27-28 has already reached or passed their prime. Im saying, i dont see Kobe getting BETTER. He hasnt shown the type of attitude that would allow him to. He's a big fuckin baby. It takes a mature, humble man to understand that theyll have to change their game completely at some point to stay at a top level (for a player who relies so much on athletism). Jordan understood that...i dont see Kobe that way. Yeah, Kobe has been a good player. He has been one of the better players in the league during the last 5 years or so, one of the best....as was Larry Johnson for the first half of his career. How many of you guys even know who the fuck he is now? lol. Yeah he has half a career left ahead of him. But we've had people on here comparing him to Jordan...and saying he is on the same level for a career. If those Laker....i mean, Kobe fans can make a judgement like THAT (insane) on only half a career...then i can say that i dont think he'll improve after this point. He will probably have a better year then last year. But he will never be the winner he was with Shaq...unless they bring him some BIG help like i said. The man just isnt a winner. He's a scorer...and thats it.
As for your Lebron statement. Im not even a Lebron fan. Im just saying i would take a player like Lebron over Kobe anyday to start my team with. Lebrons biggest problem coming into the league was being TOO unselfish. A problem Kobe has never had i guarentee lol. Lebron's game will improve more then likely from this point on. Kobe's probably wont (as he is half done). NIK was arguing it, so i just put up a quote from the most respected Laker of all time.
--- End quote ---
LMAO, you don't make sense...First of all, stop comparing Kobe Bryant to Larry Johnson like an idiotic moron. Second of all, you act like you know Kobe's attitude so well. You don't. He's only shown improvement throughout the years, and every year he's worked to better himself in a drastic way during the off-season. Your statements hold no evidence, you have nothing to back what you say. Just stop making dumb predictions. :-X
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
How the LAKERS have improved in many different areas during the offseason...
Point Guard: Aaron McKie is easily an improvement over Chucky Atkins. McKie is actually a nice fit for the offense and can provide defense as well, something Atkins couldn't do.
Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant will improve his game, as have the players/system around him.
Small Forward: Lamar Odom is an improvement at the small forward position. Caron Butler had a nice season with the Lakers, but Odom is just closer to an all-star and is more of an impact player.
Power Forward: Kwame Brown might not be a better player than Lamar Odom, but this is definitely an improvement at the power forward position for the Lakers, seeing as Odom was playing out of his natural position and Kwame Brown is a natural power forward/center.
Center: Chris Mihm is the same center as last year, but whos to say he will be the same player under Phil Jackson? Remember, Phil is said to like Mihm's game and potential...And let's not forget Kareem is up in the mix...
Coach: It's as simple as 2 words...Phil Jackson.
Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It:
^^^Are Center position is garbage..let's cross are fingers A.Bynum makes the impact A.Stoudmire made in his rookie season
And K.Brown Aint shit right now but it's cool to have a 6'11 Athletic PF & hopefully phil jax could coach him up
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
--- Quote from: Black Mask on August 22, 2005, 08:19:22 PM ---^^^Are Center position is garbage..let's cross are fingers A.Bynum makes the impact A.Stoudmire made in his rookie season
And K.Brown Aint shit right now but it's cool to have a 6'11 PF & hopefully phil jax could coach him up
--- End quote ---
Also remember that Divac can still sign with the Lakers...And Kwame Brown will be switching from power forward to center from time to time to balance things out...The Lakers center position, while not one of the stronger in the league, will be able to compete. Remember, Luc Longley and Will Perdue. ;)
acbaylove:
--- Quote from: TeeRaySix9Teen on August 21, 2005, 09:28:21 PM ---no, Magic didnt say he was better right NOW. But he is also like 8 yrs younger and was a contender for MVP last year. Kobe in his first two years looked like a high school kid playing in the NBA.
--- End quote ---
He was. Expecially since he started as a backup SG/SF. You gotta understand that one thing is to be selected with the #1 pick, with Nike already giving you billions before the NBA season begins, with the media loving you, and with Cleveland ready to completely build their team around you, making you "the King", and a totally different thing is to enter the NBA the way Kobe did, being selected with the #13 pick, then being traded to the Lakers, starting as a backup SG with Eddie Jones, the fan fav player, as the starter, and with the team completely built around Shaq. They are two completely different scenario's, you can't compare them. Kobe started to have good minutage only after Lakers traded Eddie Jones for Rice! How can you compare that scenario with LeBron's one where he was the most publicized player in the NBA...... before he joined the NBA? For sure LeBron is "special", i do agree with Magic. But he had the red carpet ready when he entered the NBA, and he still gotta prove he's a leader.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version