duncan228
06-13-2008, 10:49 PM
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/dmoore/stories/061408dnspomoorecol.33bd39e.html
Celtics bringing perception of high-flying Bryant down to earth
David Moore
I'm not arrogant enough to believe I have my finger on the pulse of the basketball public.
Taking my own pulse is difficult enough.
But my guess is your perception of LA's Kobe Bryant is different now than it was 10 days ago. I bet you have a different view of the Boston Celtics than you did entering the Finals.
When I say I bet, I don't mean bet in the Tim Donaghy sense. It's important to be clear on this point in case anyone from the FBI is reading.
But really, what was your perception of Bryant before the first four games of this series had been played?
The consensus was that Bryant was a brilliant athlete at the top of his game. He possessed a maniacal competitive drive that was unmatched. You believed he would tilt this series in LA's favor with his transcendent talent and sheer force of will. You were convinced if the score was close in the final minutes, the Lakers star wouldn't be denied.
This wasn't simply a continuation of his MVP season. Bryant set out to cement his legacy. He wanted to prove he could carry the Lakers to a title without Shaquille O'Neal.
Now, with the Celtics holding a commanding 3-1 lead, you'd have to say Bryant isn't as good as many people thought. It's clear he received too much hype while Boston's defense received too little.
This isn't Bryant's fault. He didn't make these claims. The media and a fan base obsessed with finding the next Michael Jordan did. We've projected qualities onto him that have proven to be unrealistic unless Bryant somehow finds a way to lead the Lakers back from the brink.
If the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki was 6-of-19 from the field in a playoff game, if he had just two field goals and seven points entering the fourth quarter of the biggest game of the season – which is what Bryant had in Game 4 – what would we be saying about him today? What would we be saying about Houston's Tracy McGrady or San Antonio's Tim Duncan or Manu Ginobili if they had done the same?
Here's the reality. Bryant has averaged 26.7 points and shot 43.1 percent from the field in this series. His team has lost six of the last seven games it has played in the Finals.
Does that alter your perception?
Does that put comparisons to Jordan on hold, or do you choose to blame Bryant's supporting cast and absolve him of any responsibility? If you do, be careful, because then you open up the argument that Bryant isn't even the league's best player. Cleveland's LeBron James is.
The Celtics have changed some hearts and minds as well. After Atlanta and Cleveland pushed Boston to the limit in the first and second rounds, there was a suspicion this team wasn't ready to win the title.
But here's a thought. Boston's drive to win a championship was so great, its mission so clear, that it wasn't able to play at the level everyone expected until its goal was within reach. The Celtics had to gather themselves first.
This isn't unusual for a team with a veteran nucleus.
Now look. Paul Pierce has been the best player on the floor, not Bryant. Ray Allen, who couldn't buy a basket early in the playoffs, has been the most consistent offensive threat in the series. Coach Doc Rivers, who didn't seem to know what to do with his bench through the first three rounds, is making all the right moves.
Who thought any of this would have happened entering the series?
I didn't.
Celtics bringing perception of high-flying Bryant down to earth
David Moore
I'm not arrogant enough to believe I have my finger on the pulse of the basketball public.
Taking my own pulse is difficult enough.
But my guess is your perception of LA's Kobe Bryant is different now than it was 10 days ago. I bet you have a different view of the Boston Celtics than you did entering the Finals.
When I say I bet, I don't mean bet in the Tim Donaghy sense. It's important to be clear on this point in case anyone from the FBI is reading.
But really, what was your perception of Bryant before the first four games of this series had been played?
The consensus was that Bryant was a brilliant athlete at the top of his game. He possessed a maniacal competitive drive that was unmatched. You believed he would tilt this series in LA's favor with his transcendent talent and sheer force of will. You were convinced if the score was close in the final minutes, the Lakers star wouldn't be denied.
This wasn't simply a continuation of his MVP season. Bryant set out to cement his legacy. He wanted to prove he could carry the Lakers to a title without Shaquille O'Neal.
Now, with the Celtics holding a commanding 3-1 lead, you'd have to say Bryant isn't as good as many people thought. It's clear he received too much hype while Boston's defense received too little.
This isn't Bryant's fault. He didn't make these claims. The media and a fan base obsessed with finding the next Michael Jordan did. We've projected qualities onto him that have proven to be unrealistic unless Bryant somehow finds a way to lead the Lakers back from the brink.
If the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki was 6-of-19 from the field in a playoff game, if he had just two field goals and seven points entering the fourth quarter of the biggest game of the season – which is what Bryant had in Game 4 – what would we be saying about him today? What would we be saying about Houston's Tracy McGrady or San Antonio's Tim Duncan or Manu Ginobili if they had done the same?
Here's the reality. Bryant has averaged 26.7 points and shot 43.1 percent from the field in this series. His team has lost six of the last seven games it has played in the Finals.
Does that alter your perception?
Does that put comparisons to Jordan on hold, or do you choose to blame Bryant's supporting cast and absolve him of any responsibility? If you do, be careful, because then you open up the argument that Bryant isn't even the league's best player. Cleveland's LeBron James is.
The Celtics have changed some hearts and minds as well. After Atlanta and Cleveland pushed Boston to the limit in the first and second rounds, there was a suspicion this team wasn't ready to win the title.
But here's a thought. Boston's drive to win a championship was so great, its mission so clear, that it wasn't able to play at the level everyone expected until its goal was within reach. The Celtics had to gather themselves first.
This isn't unusual for a team with a veteran nucleus.
Now look. Paul Pierce has been the best player on the floor, not Bryant. Ray Allen, who couldn't buy a basket early in the playoffs, has been the most consistent offensive threat in the series. Coach Doc Rivers, who didn't seem to know what to do with his bench through the first three rounds, is making all the right moves.
Who thought any of this would have happened entering the series?
I didn't.