Gentry: Kobe Is Best Closer Ever

[XFactor]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/2010/03/12/20100312lakers-kobe-bryant-suns.html

Phoenix Suns' Alvin Gentry says Lakers' Kobe Bryant is best closer ever

The Arizona Republic
How much respect does Suns coach Alvin Gentry have for Lakers star Kobe Bryant?

At his team's morning shootaround, Gentry said that if Friday night's game at US Airways Center came down to a final possession for the Lakers, Bryant would have to shoot "over three guys."


But by about an hour before tipoff, Gentry had upgraded, saying Bryant "will have to make a shot over four guys."

"He's the best closer in the history of the game if you ask me," Gentry said. "Yeah, that is including Michael Jordan. I just think what he's done this year, to have six game-winning shots that come on the last possession of the game, I don't know if anybody has ever done that.

"If that's the case, we have to try to make somebody else be that closer. That's not to say that he'll give it up. I've seen him make it over three guys, too. But as far as we're concerned, we have to try to get the ball out of his hands some kind of way."

Gentry noted that Bryant was on the floor at 4:45 p.m. putting up shots - and it turned out he actually had gotten out there about a half-hour earlier.

"I tell our guys, 'You want to be great?' That's how you become great," Gentry said.

And he said Bryant is especially scary at the end of the game.

"He cherishes the moment," he said. "He wants the game to be close.

"For making shots that mean a lot . . . there are great players that haven't made six in their careers. Great players. Hall of Famers."

Told that Gentry had rated him as the best closer ever, Bryant said, "Wow. Well, thank you. That's a huge compliment to say the least."

[JamStone]

De'Sean Butler >>>>>>>> Kobe Bryant

[ChrisRichards]

Gentry is an idiot. Melo>Kobe in game winners.

[MiamiHeat]

because 6 regular season game winners >>> all of jordan's playoff game winners? lol

[ChrisRichards]

because 6 regular season game winners >>> all of jordan's playoff game winners? lol
I dont even recall kobe hitting a game winner in a championship game.:lol i think his best shot was the one vs phoenix which the lakers choked up anyway

[Delonte West]

Wow dude! This foo Gentry must be trippin balls on some magic mushrooms Cuz he has no idea what hes talkin bout. Michael Jordan is way above Kobes level and everyone will agree with me(Except laker fans).

[Darrin]

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0422/nba_g_kobe_200.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/29w27o2.jpg
http://www.nba.com/media/lakers/09kobe_pistons_04_finals.jpg

He's got some game-winners in the postseason.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0706/gallery.nba.finals.15.most.memorable.moments/images/steve-kerr.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RGV3aOix-qI/R7G8TeoG_bI/AAAAAAAAAfY/nV_gBXdiEKk/s320/paxson.jpg

And Jordan didn't always take the last shot.

[sook]

not too far from the truth. Kobe is clutch as shit

[21_Blessings]

And Jordan didn't always take the last shot.

Neither does Kobe

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200906/r384659_1794808.jpg

[ChrisRichards]

Whooptee fuckin do. He hit the one against Phoenix. Lakers lost the series. He hit that one against Detroit. Lakers lost the series.

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/8800000/Jordan-s-championship-winning-shot-unc-basketball-8859911-666-800.jpg
Jordan's "The shot"

http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/multimedia/photo_gallery/0806/nba.best.playoff.jump.shots/images/3.shot.I.jpg

97
http://www.hoops4thesoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/jordan-over-russell.jpg


98
http://hoopedia.nba.com/images/9/9f/Jordan_last_shot_1999.jpg

[JustBlaze]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0706/gallery.nba.finals.15.most.memorable.moments/images/steve-kerr.jpg

:rollin@ Kerr flipping the bird. Talk about icing on the cake.

[ChrisRichards]

Neither does Kobe


This one too
http://www.laballtalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/fisher-4.jpg

[HarlemHeat37]

* Bryant has made 26 of the 89 potential game tying or game-winning field goals he has shot over the last decade. That's 29.2%, which is slightly above League average.

[JamStone]

Kobe's really turned it around this season. 7-for-12 in those situations this season. Over 58% in those clutch shot attempts this year. Pretty impressive.

[lefty]

http://www.bobrosato.com/content/photos/HM3D1313-01.jpg

[HarlemHeat37]

He's having a great clutch season this year, no denying that..

[DJ Mbenga]

http://www.bobrosato.com/content/photos/HM3D1313-01.jpg

only the spurs were lucky enough to escape leaving horry open. same shot same position horry shot from during the LA series.

[angelbelow]

Didnt jordan hit 6 game winners as a wizard one season.

[HarlemHeat37]

You guys got 0.4, that's good enough..

[lefty]

only the spurs were lucky enough to escape leaving horry open. same shot same position horry shot from during the LA series.
Yeah like Jameer didn't tell Fisher: " go ahead shoot; I won't foul you; heck, I'm even giving you some room"

[mavsfan1000]

Jordan is the greatest closer ever. Blatant disrespect toward the GOAT of Basketball.

[TheMACHINE]

lol at the haters getting thier panties in a bunch.

[baseline bum]

only the spurs were lucky enough to escape leaving horry open. same shot same position horry shot from during the LA series.

Duncan made me mad as hell when he left him on that shot. Parker was smart enough to realize who it was, and made a mad dash to contest it. I was watching that game with about 15-20 Laker fans and all of them got excited as hell when he got that look. That game taught me to quit watching Spurs games with Laker fans (I was at work for the first 3 quarters and had to listen to it on the radio, but the Spurs were killing so I was ok with it. Then as soon as I got off and went to watch it with a bunch of LA fans I knew, Kobe went nuts and brought them back into the game :lol)

[PublicOption]

I have never seen him close anyone out in a playoff series see (Steve Kerr, Steve Jackson, Robert Horry or Manu Ginobili)

You ain't shit until you do it when it counts.

[pauls931]

Fire him.

[Grundle]

lol at the Suns playing defense.

[Rummpd]

Just in the last few years Wade, Ben Gordon (had an amazing run), and Gilbert Arenas have had comparable seasons of having amazing gamewinning performances. Kobe is fabulous and Gentry entitled to his opinion but Manu has also had web sites calling him the most clutch player in the NBA including www.nba.com itself
http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/john_schuhmann/11/05
/clutch.numbersgame/index.html


"Not only is Ginobili the new Batman, he's also Mr. Clutch. His shooting percentage isn't that great, but he's at the top of the list because he gets to the line often and makes his free throws when he does."

KOBE DID NOT EVEN MAKE THE TOP TEN OF THIS LIST! 38TH!!!!

[Allanon]

"Not only is Ginobili the new Batman, he's also Mr. Clutch. His shooting percentage isn't that great, but he's at the top of the list because he gets to the line often and makes his free throws when he does."
KOBE DID NOT EVEN MAKE THE TOP TEN OF THIS LIST! 38TH!!!!

Manu's a very clutch player; that is true.

But if Kobe is #38 on the list of active clutch players, there's obviously something very wrong with the analysis.

37 players more clutch than Kobe?

It's similar to a Hollinger analysis that puts the Jazz as the best team in the NBA based on the numbers.

[JamStone]

I think part of the perception and amazement about Kobe is the degree of difficulty some of the clutch shots he takes have. Kobe will be defended by two or three guys or blanketed with perfect man defense or fading away at the three point line or further or going out of bounds on the baseline with no angle... and make the shot. Two of his shots this season, the bank on Wade and Miami and the game winner against Ray Allen and Boston probably couldn't have been defended much better than they were and were basically impossible shots. I think that adds to the perception. If you look at other "clutch" guys and their shot attempts, I'd guess most of their makes come nowhere close to the degree of difficulty. Look at Carmelo. I'd bet most of his game winners that one season were in either a catch and shoot situation or a one on one iso and was given just enough room to square up and get a decent look.

That's what makes Kobe special in those situations. Now his critics will say he's forcingbad shots when his teammates are open. That has some validity. But it's also what makes Kobe Kobe. Kobe's probably not the most clutch player ever, but part of his legend is about how crazy some of those shots he's made really were.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0422/nba_g_kobe_200.jpg
Yeah, he did a great job closing the series out.


And Jordan didn't always take the last shot.
Jordan passed to his teammates if they were wide open on the last shot. Kobe would rather shoot over double and triple teams.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

:lmao leave it to Manufan to gay up a thread trying to put Manu in the same conversation as Jordan and Kobe.

[djohn2oo8]

:lmao leave it to Manufan to gay up a thread trying to put Manu in the same conversation as Jordan and Kobe.

:bang :lmao

[Kriz-Maxima]

http://www.bobrosato.com/content/photos/HM3D1313-01.jpg

You had to go there.

[lefty]

You had to go there.
Sorry :lol

[Killakobe81]

He had an OPINION ...he maybe wrong. But a case can be made ...
Oh yeah watch the Game 4 of the NBA finals in 2000
Kobe was very clutch

[MiamiHeat]

:lmao leave it to Manufan to gay up a thread trying to put Manu in the same conversation as Jordan and Kobe.

you're not much better

you make fun of manu, but you put kobe in the same sentence as jordan as if talking about kobe and jordan together is OK, but manu is sooo ridiculous

[XFactor]

oRz1acIKfSU

p5WUOnTxwPw

Ux8Nxv8hBVo

j_KXHk2RXM0

ZbhFL7QAnZo

i9l8pfPS4NM

xZVqunfEmaQ

Me9poUsFjI8[/youotube]

[youtube]t2JBrq9-zEk

xGuX5KfmqQk

vdPQ3QxDZ1s

BlNfnD_i77s

B3et6qAsOxo

N127qcv72Tc

[TheGreatest23]

Get off Jordans nuts, he's not even the best player to wear 23. Watered down league ftw.

[TD 21]

He's having a great clutch season this year, no denying that..

And what it's doing is perpetuating the myth that he was all-time great in the clutch previous to this season.

Admittedly, stats aside, there is no current player that gives me the feeling that he's going to make a win-or-lose shot more than Bryant. I remember the game against the Raptors just over a month ago, where he shot a fade away 30-something footer over an outstretched arm for the win and despite the degree of difficulty, as I saw it unfolding I assumed he was going to make it. He almost did.

Last shot, I'd probably go with Bryant, but last five or so minutes of a big game or playoff game, I'd take Ginobili over any player in the league. He's the one I'd want with the ball in his hands because he's completely unselfish, will almost always make the right play, is an excellent passer/ball handler, left-handed (always an advantage), unafraid and actually inviting of the moment, a good tough shot maker and he's probably the most spontaneous, unique player in the league.

[mavsfan1000]

Get off Jordans nuts, he's not even the best player to wear 23. Watered down league ftw.
lol Cavs with 0 rings. I think GOAT needs to win tons of championships. Cavs choking against Magic does not support Lebron's cause for possible GOAT.

[ChrisRichards]

Maybe its just me and 82games.com, but stats proves Lebron is still much more clutch than Kobe. He scored more points, had more rebounds, blocks and assist. Oh and Lebron also shot a better percentage.



But what do I know, im just a hater with proof. :sleep


http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM

[ChrisRichards]

lol Cavs with 0 rings. I think GOAT needs to win tons of championships. Cavs choking against Magic does not support Lebron's cause for possible GOAT.
City of Cleveland will get their NBA Finals championship banner this year. Mavs have to wait for another decade. No disrespect. Just the truth.

[MiamiHeat]

Maybe its just me and 82games.com, but stats proves Lebron is still much more clutch than Kobe. He scored more points, had more rebounds, blocks and assist. Oh and Lebron also shot a better percentage.



But what do I know, im just a hater with proof. :sleep


http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM

They don't want to hear proof

Them laker fans have short memories. They remember when Kobe makes them, but forget the other 71% of the times he misses them

Kobe's FG% in clutch situations is right above league average. A bunch of guys with a lot of attempts shoot better than he does, inlcuding Wade, LeBron, Melo, Ray Allen, etc.


also, laker fans should learn

being clutch is not about hitting a tough shot.

it's about knowing how to make your shot EASIER, so that you can make more of them. this is called basketball IQ, working hard to get open without the ball, playing the give N go, finding the best spots for a high percentage shot attempt

where as Kobe?

what the fuck does kobe do every time? he plays iso and dribbles and stares down his defender and then tries some crazy ass shot. that's low bball IQ. more of a drama actor for the cameras than a basketball player. he's not alone though, his generation of guys grew up glamorizing the NBA stars, including mainly MJ, so guys like Kobe, Iverson, etc grew up playing basketball in ISO situations instead of team ball and fundamentals

[ChrisRichards]

They don't want to hear proof

Them laker fans have short memories. They remember when Kobe makes them, but forget the other 71% of the times he misses them

Kobe's FG% in clutch situations is right above league average. A bunch of guys with a lot of attempts shoot better than he does, inlcuding Wade, LeBron, Melo, Ray Allen, etc.


also, laker fans should learn

being clutch is not about hitting a tough shot.

it's about knowing how to make your shot EASIER, so that you can make more of them. this is called basketball IQ, working hard to get open without the ball, playing the give N go, finding the best spots for a high percentage shot attempt

where as Kobe?

what the fuck does kobe do every time? he plays iso and dribbles and stares down his defender and then tries some crazy ass shot. that's low bball IQ. more of a drama actor for the cameras than a basketball player. he's not alone though, his generation of guys grew up glamorizing the NBA stars, including mainly MJ, so guys like Kobe, Iverson, etc grew up playing basketball in ISO situations instead of team ball and fundamentals

+1


Also, I just want to say that I dont think "real" Laker fans are the problem. Its those rabid 14 y/o Kobe homer/fanatics that ruins it for their fanbase. They will throw logic out of the window to prove their stupidity eventhough its plain and simple. Like how the hell does 38%>47%? Or why is regular season stats are more important than playoff stats?



In this case, how the hell does having a career 29% FG in clutch situations translates to the greatest ever? We suppose to just forget guys like Jordan, Bird, Jerry West, and even to a degree Reggie Miller and John Stockton? Kobe is not in those guys level. Right now Kobe is in Ray Allen's level when it comes to clutch situations and its not a slight on Kobe considering Allen is lethal.

[mavsfan1000]

They don't want to hear proof

Them laker fans have short memories. They remember when Kobe makes them, but forget the other 71% of the times he misses them

Kobe's FG% in clutch situations is right above league average. A bunch of guys with a lot of attempts shoot better than he does, inlcuding Wade, LeBron, Melo, Ray Allen, etc.


also, laker fans should learn

being clutch is not about hitting a tough shot.

it's about knowing how to make your shot EASIER, so that you can make more of them. this is called basketball IQ, working hard to get open without the ball, playing the give N go, finding the best spots for a high percentage shot attempt

where as Kobe?

what the fuck does kobe do every time? he plays iso and dribbles and stares down his defender and then tries some crazy ass shot. that's low bball IQ. more of a drama actor for the cameras than a basketball player. he's not alone though, his generation of guys grew up glamorizing the NBA stars, including mainly MJ, so guys like Kobe, Iverson, etc grew up playing basketball in ISO situations instead of team ball and fundamentals
4 rings from Kobe and 6 rings from MJ. Team play is much harder to pull off in the playoffs when teams know all your plays. Being just slightly above average FG% in a playoff setting is good enough. You need that superstar to take over when the set plays don't work.

[admiralsnackbar]

How sad is it that a Mavs boy ends up jocking for Kobe? Besides the evidence that Bryant isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, the best closer in history?

Go buy a Kobe Lakers jersey and completely buy into the myth. Most hoops fans who have been alive longer than 20 yrs will just smirk on your behalf.

[Darrin]

There's plenty of footage of Kobe Bryant on Youtube. I wonder if you did a search for the other player in this discussion.

wvSx5BqZnAEWcrtBxbe1BM

[pauls931]

Get off Jordans nuts, he's not even the best player to wear 23. Watered down league ftw.

Back then? Barkley, Malone Stockton, Lakers, Celtics, Blazers, Pistons, Orlando Rising. League was just as balanced back then, probably less watered down...

edit: left out rockets cause he never had to deal with them. Hakeem got lucky and snuck in when MJ was out.

[djohn2oo8]

Back then? Barkley, Malone Stockton, Lakers, Celtics, Blazers, Pistons, Orlando Rising. League was just as balanced back then, probably less watered down...

edit: left out rockets cause he never had to deal with them. Hakeem got lucky and snuck in when MJ was out.

It's amazing that people around here tell rocket fans to stop talkin about rings from 15 years ago, when other posters keep bringing up how lucky Hakeem was not to have to deal with MJ. In fact, Hakeem went to the finals twice in the 80's and had to deal with Larry Bird and company, while Jordan was nowhere to be found. Those rockets teams were derailed by injuries even then, and drugs, so don't act like Hakeem won rings it based on luck.

[mogrovejo]

A guy who hits less than 30% of his closing shots can't be the best closer ever.

The point is to make plenty of them at a good rate, not to take so many of them than even if you just hit a few you're still making plenty of them.

[TheMACHINE]

A guy who hits less than 30% of his closing shots can't be the best closer ever.

The point is to make plenty of them at a good rate, not to take so many of them than even if you just hit a few you're still making plenty of them.

you are right. I think sasha is 2 for 2 in closing shots...that 100%. I'd bet you would chose Sasha over Kobe to take the last shot.

[mogrovejo]

you are right. I think sasha is 2 for 2 in closing shots...that 100%. I'd bet you would chose Sasha over Kobe to take the last shot.

You aren't very sharp, are you?


The point is to make plenty of them at a good rate (...)If you think that 2 qualifies as plenty of them, I don't really know what to say.

But it's a good question anyway: how many winning shots would Vujacic make if he were to took as many as Kobe? More or less than 1/3 of them?

[TheMACHINE]

But it's a good question anyway: how many winning shots would Vujacic make if he were to took as many as Kobe? More or less than 1/3 of them?

would sasha have to create a shot for himself over the best defender?

[mogrovejo]

would sasha have to create a shot for himself over the best defender?

No, let's assume he's playing with a playmaker that passes the ball to an open teammate if he doesnt' have a good shot.

Btw, have you finally understood the difference between "2" and "plenty of them"?

[TheMACHINE]

No, let's assume he's playing with a playmaker that passes the ball to an open teammate if he doesnt' have a good shot.

Btw, have you finally understood the difference between "2" and "plenty of them"?

doesnt matter...you use percentage as your arguement.

[mavsfan1000]

How sad is it that a Mavs boy ends up jocking for Kobe? Besides the evidence that Bryant isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, the best closer in history?

Go buy a Kobe Lakers jersey and completely buy into the myth. Most hoops fans who have been alive longer than 20 yrs will just smirk on your behalf.
lol I hate Kobe and was insulted when anyone puts him above Jordan. Nonetheless, he is a great talent. Anyone that says otherwise is an idiot.

[TheGreatest23]

lol I hate Kobe and was insulted when anyone puts him above Jordan. Nonetheless, he is a great talent. Anyone that says otherwise is an idiot.

Anyone who puts Kobe above Jordan is a dumbass. The only one who is better than Jordan is me. Stupid Kobe nuthuggers.

Bow down to The King, bitches.

[mogrovejo]

doesnt matter...you use percentage as your arguement.

Wrong, it's part of the argument. It's basketball, the point is to make shots, not just to take them - because there's a limited amount of shots to take in any give game. Can't explain it better than this. If you don't understand the importance of hitting shoots at a good percentage I don't know what else to say.

[Allanon]

Kobe's shot 8 of 13 per Marc Stein in the final 24 seconds of 1 possession games.

That's almost 62%.

In addition, Kobe's 6 game winners (or 7 if you include Dallas) are the most ever made in 1 season by any player not named Kobe Bryant.

Nobody's even close and Alvin Gentry is just giving his props.

[mogrovejo]

Kobe's shot 8 of 13 per Marc Stein in the final 24 seconds of 1 possession games.

That's almost 62%.

In addition, Kobe's 6 game winners (or 7 if you include Dallas) are the most ever made in 1 season by any player not named Kobe Bryant.

Nobody's even close and Alvin Gentry is just giving his props.

If Alvin Gentry has said Kobe is the best closer this season he'd be right.

[ambchang]

Great, now Jordan would have to come out of retirement and make a statement, then demand HoF give him another induction speech so he can bash Gentry.

[TheSullyMonster]

lol Cavs with 0 rings. I think GOAT needs to win tons of championships. Cavs choking against Magic does not support Lebron's cause for possible GOAT.

Not to mention their stellar performance in the finals.:lol

[SomeCallMeTim]

Kobe's shot 8 of 13 per Marc Stein in the final 24 seconds of 1 possession games.

That's almost 62%.

In addition, Kobe's 6 game winners (or 7 if you include Dallas) are the most ever made in 1 season by any player not named Kobe Bryant.

Nobody's even close and Alvin Gentry is just giving his props.

I'd have to check game logs, but that doesn't sound like enough buckets or attempts... I think he has quite a few more. In the Bucks game, for example, he had 2 attempts... one at the end of reg, the other at the end of OT. He was of course 1-for-2 in that game.

And Kobe is willing to give up the ball for final shots... nah, he probably doesn't do it enough... makes the Lakers' endgame plays that much more defensible. But it does make his success this season all the more incredible.

He made a perfect dish for a game-winner in Memphis to Artest. Can't ask for a better look than that. Ron just missed it. It happens. If Kobe keeps making feeds like that good things will happen.

[Allanon]

I'd have to check game logs, but that doesn't sound like enough buckets or attempts... I think he has quite a few more. In the Bucks game, for example, he had 2 attempts... one at the end of reg, the other at the end of OT. He was of course 1-for-2 in that game.

And Kobe is willing to give up the ball for final shots... nah, he probably doesn't do it enough... makes the Lakers' endgame plays that much more defensible. But it does make his success this season all the more incredible.

He made a perfect dish for a game-winner in Memphis to Artest. Can't ask for a better look than that. Ron just missed it. It happens. If Kobe keeps making feeds like that good things will happen.

Your posts are mostly good, nothing much to debate or nitpick about numbers. Suffice it to say he's been excellent.

As for other options in endgame sequences, the Lakers don't have good clutch shooters. Only ones are Kobe, Fisher and to a certain extent, Farmar. Kobe passes to Fisher plenty, but he should mostly take it himself given the other options (Pau, Odom, Artest).

[SomeCallMeTim]

Your posts are mostly good, nothing much to debate or nitpick about numbers. Suffice it to say he's been excellent.

As for other options in endgame sequences, the Lakers don't have good clutch shooters. Only ones are Kobe, Fisher and to a certain extent, Farmar. Kobe passes to Fisher plenty, but he should mostly take it himself given the other options (Pau, Odom, Artest).

He's been better than excellent in the clutch this season... he's been off the freakin' charts... I swear in the Toronto game I had absolutely no doubt he'd nail that shot. Even though it was a "bad shot," it was just like there was nothing the Raps could do.

That said, I would still like to see the Lakers to run some options for other players now and again to take final shots. Obviously guys like Fisher have taken and maken huge shots before. Pau's hit some big shots down the stretch, too. Do I feel as secure about them taking the last shot? Nope... but Kobe's likely to face double-teams in final shots as long as the Lakers are so predictable in their endgame sets.

[XFactor]

It's amazing that people around here tell rocket fans to stop talkin about rings from 15 years ago, when other posters keep bringing up how lucky Hakeem was not to have to deal with MJ. In fact, Hakeem went to the finals twice in the 80's and had to deal with Larry Bird and company, while Jordan was nowhere to be found. Those rockets teams were derailed by injuries even then, and drugs, so don't act like Hakeem won rings it based on luck.

Once.

[JoeTait75]

4 rings from Kobe and 6 rings from MJ.

MJ created an NBA dynasty from scratch in Chicago. Kobe came to a team that would have won 55 games without him as a rookie.

And Shaq was the straw for the 2000-02 Lake Show. That isn't even a disrespect to Kobe, just the truth.

[JoeTait75]

Once.

Where he dominated Boston's great frontcourt.

[poop]

Kobe's shot 8 of 13 per Marc Stein in the final 24 seconds of 1 possession games.

That's almost 62%.

In addition, Kobe's 6 game winners (or 7 if you include Dallas) are the most ever made in 1 season by any player not named Kobe Bryant.

Nobody's even close and Alvin Gentry is just giving his props.

ha, Roger Mason jr. hit 4-5 game winners last season for us,should we put him in the discussion?

id say Kobe is def one of the best, but regular season just doesnt carry the same weight as the playoffs.

im not sure if id put Kobe ahead of reggie miller yet as far as that goes, maybe not even robert horry when you consider the sheer magnitude of his feats, and would def not put him ahead of jordan.
hell derek fisher is right up there at this point in time.

[poop]

the '95 houston rockets were the best closing team EVER. the most clutch team EVER. when their backs were against the wall, their entire team had a clutch factor never seen before. they had like 5-6 guys who were absolutely cold blooded in cruch time.