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Ted Green: How does Kobe Bryant rank among NBA greats?
-- Ted Green
Ring No. 4 for Kobe Bryant has inevitably set off a small firestorm of debate and spirited conversation about where the Lakers' star falls in the pantheon of NBA greats. For some odd reason, in 35 years of covering the league, I have never before posted my own best-ever list, leaving it to others with less to do. So by popular demand, or just because, here it is, the top 10 NBA greats ever, broken into two groups, pre- and post- Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
Modern NBA (Post Magic-Bird)
1. Michael Jordan. Julius Erving may have been The Doctor, but it was MJ who operated with the skill and precision of a preternaturally gifted surgeon. The argument, however passionate, that Kobe is the crazier baller with the madder skills is a good one, and not wrong, either, but it doesn't quite hold up against Michael's extraordinary body of work. Six MVP awards, six NBA Finals MVP awards, six championships, undefeated in the NBA Finals and five scoring les.
Until Kobe gets to seven, if he does, his Airness is still the measuring stick against whom everyone else will and should be compared. The fact that We Liked Mike but don't always know how to feel about the more polarizing Kobe did not in any way enter into this decision.
2. Magic Johnson. The greatest team player. More impact on each 48-minute contest, possession to possession, than anyone who ever lived, and maybe the greatest teammate, too. Five les, four Finals MVP awards, nine trips to the Finals, and all he did in his spare time was revolutionize the point guard position and save the NBA from itself.
3. Kobe Bryant. If his friend Shaq won't mind the ripoff here, the MTE, Most Talented Ever. And now his own extensive resume is looking more polished, with his fourth ring, first Finals MVP (a legit and important award) and finally a championship to call his very own.
4. Larry Bird. Freakiest white dude who ever laced 'em up. Three les, three Finals MVP awards, might have won five himself if Magic hadn't been in his way. And by the way, his performances winning those three-point contests during All-Star weekend proved that big guys could shoot like that ... or at least Larry Legend could.
5 (tie). Tim Duncan. Karl Malone scored more points and had bigger muscles, Charles Barkley was more of an uber athlete and rebound machine, but no power forward has ever played with the consistency and precision of a metronome like Duncan has. His four rings, three Finals MVPs and two regular-season MVPs speak to the profound respect the Big Fundamental enjoyed from both the media and his peers.
5 (tie). Shaquille O'Neal. Not the MDE. That was Wilt. But the greatest force of nature since hurricanes and tidal waves. The Daddy's four les and three Finals MVP awards make Shaq, Kobe and Duncan the winningest among all active NBA players.
Honorable Mention: Lebron James, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley.
Pre Magic-Bird (before 1980)
1. Bill Russell. I never thought he was more talented than Wilt and still don't. He was never without a full complement, an embarrassment of riches, really, of Hall of Famers around him during his magical run of success. The 11 championships, however, is the ultimate trump card. Scoreboard! Naming the Finals MVP award after him is a nice touch for the game's most incomparable winner.
2. Wilt Chamberlain. A one-man job stimulus package for statisticians who spent half a professional lifetime just keeping track of it all. Averaging close to 40 and 25 boards against the great Russell himself is almost enough to make me stop typing. The 100-point game in Hershey, the 50-point AVERAGE, averaging more than 48 minutes a game, then leading the league in assists because he said he could ... if any legend lives forever, it should be his.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The bridge between eras, with the most unstoppable shot of all time, one that has never been replicated, the Skyhook. Six les (thanks in no small measure to Magic), six regular-season MVP awards and the most points ever will have him higher on some lists, but he mailed in some games before Magic arrived in L.A., and his cold, off-putting style with the media made him harder to root for.
4. Jerry West. If Red Auerbach had not been clever and colorblind enough to assemble the Celtics as he did, Zeke from Cabin Creek literally could have won 7, 8, even 9 les instead of his one in 1972. Along with Magic, Bird, Kobe and MJ, one of the five greatest and most willful compe ors in NBA history, with the prettiest jump shot. In one Finals he averaged 40 against the Celtics and still lost. It is not for nothing he is called The Logo.
5. Elgin Baylor. Among non-centers, the NBA's first true scoring machine. He stood only 6-5 going on unstoppable, with a nervous tic that made his head fakes even more impossible to guard. I'd love to see him in today's game when half the YWCA touches send you to the foul line.
Honorable Mention: George Mikan, Bob Cousy, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, Pete Maravich, John Havlicek, Rick Barry and Julius Erving.
lol
Kobe is NOT ahead of Tim and Shaq.
I'd go
1 Michael
2 Magic and Larry
3 Tim and Shaq
4 Kobe
Forgot about Hakeem. Sorry about that Mr Olajuwon. He should probably be up there ahead of Kobe too somewhere.
I thought Larry had two finals MVPs. Kobe is top 20 all time, I don't know about top 10.
Where is Epic Fail at?
You can't put LeBron James as an honorable mention. Clyde Drexler gets in over him (as of now of course).
Not a bad lsiist Larry himseld said Kobe is better plus he has more rings ... I think Kobe is over Shaq evebn BEFORE This le it's you dumbasses that think diffrent he is borderline top 5 DEFINITELY top 10 all-time. I agree that Duncan is bnbetter than Shaq an dHakeem as well ...Hakeem at this best was better than both Duncan more consistent Shaq more dominat in 2000 but out of the 3 Duncan gets nod for consistent greatness ...
Kobe haters can keep it coming when it is all said and done barring injury Kobe will have re-wriiten it all ...then Lebron will rewrite if he stays healthy just dont forget some (i bet even on here) thought TMAC was = or > than Kobe ...MORONS!!
In fact before his injury some argued MAnu as kobe said a bad boy but he is not on Kobe's level ...
Kobe and Clyde belong in the same sentence. rocketfan told me a couple months ago they were equal.
Jesus, how long do Laker's fans need to hold some gay ass butthurt grudge against Shaq. You just won a championship, can we please drop the whole "Shaq didn't lead the Lakers to three rings" bull , when anyone that watched those seasons knows that Shaq was the foundation to those les(not to bring up that super dope 34-48 lottery season Kobe led them to the year after Shaq went to greener pastures).
Why are you such a ?
Maybe there's a reason you're a riding armchair coach instead of a GM.
Your ing LA times article did it you re . It's called a tie. Look at the original article.
I thought it was too close to call so I put two players together as a tie.
call me when MTE can shoot over 47% for a season. lol at MTE shooting 44.7% FG% and 32.9% 3pt% for his playoff career. kobe is great and talented like every other hall of famer but let's get off this most talented ever bull .Ted Green: How does Kobe Bryant rank among NBA greats?
-- Ted Green
3. Kobe Bryant. If his friend Shaq won't mind the ripoff here, the MTE, Most Talented Ever.And now his own extensive resume is looking more polished, with his fourth ring, first Finals MVP (a legit and important award) and finally a championship to call his very own.
LMAO. Revisionism at its finest. Shaq was option #1 to close game 7 in Sacramento, the biggest game the Lakers have played in the past 20 years. Of the 8 points scored in OT before the Kings started intentionally fouling with 15 seconds left, Shaq had 6 of them. Here's the video of OT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDD7_vQDhDw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL7lePEaaqY
I know. Shaq wasn't the money ball player vs Portland in game 7 either, despite scoring 9 points in the 4th on 100% shooting while grabbing 5 boards. Shaw's three to tie the game had nothing to do with LA dumping the ball into Shaq and him commanding the triple-team that gave him that wide-open look on the direct pass out from O'Neal. Those 5 fouls he drew on Sabonis, Grant, and Wallace had nothing to do with LA dumping the ball into him relentlessly that entire quarter. The 2nd biggest Lakers game of the past 20 years wasn't a money game either I guess.
Also, you're wrong (as usual) about Wilt. He carried the Sixers to a 68-13 record and a le in 67, 2 years before being paired with collusion boy.
Kobe was always the closer on those 3-peat teams baseline, thats the fact.
Was Pippen the closer on the Bulls? Oh thought so. Kobe was also a better defender than Shaq.
Shaq needed KB to get those rings. He's proven time and time against he can't win without a HOF wing.
Shaq won 3 final mvps from 2000-2002...That itself tells you Shaq> Kobe
What's so funny? Bird does only have 2 finals MVP's, article is wrong. Kobe ain't top 10 imo. Not really all that funny, just my opinion. Though you're the biggest homer of all so I guess if a Laker fan doesn't say Kobe's the best ever that's a sin, who knows with you.
lmao, once again 21 bags talks , then lurks forever then leaves without explanation, great guy.
LMFAO!!! .... it took Kobe 6 TIMES to finally win a NBA finals MVP award .... 6 ing times. enough said. (not to mention his absolutely PATHETIC 43% shooting in the series)
Hey what was CP3's shooting % v the Nuggets.
Thanks.
hey son has Dirk knocked up any more felons lately??
How is it Kobe's fault that he averaged 30/6/6 in the 2001 nba finals and didn't get the Finals MVP?
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