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Eh, probably not. Depends on which MJ we're talking about. Can't rewrite history though.
I don't go by age when judging a player. I go by the seasons that player has been in the league. Kobe was in his 4th season by then so with his gradual improvement he should have been putting up those numbers...probably should have been a bit better in the 2000 playoffs. All of his playoff averages dropped across the board from his regular season averages during that playoff run.And way to bring up those numbers. How old was Kobe - 21 while posting those numbers?
Nope. Kobe got better of course. The thing with Kobe is he had the agenda from the first time he walked on the floor to catch Jordan but that 300+ pound HOF center was in his way stealing all of the accolades that Kobe thought were rightfully his. Kobe was happy to get that first championship but I know damn well on the inside, when he had time to digest it and look at his numbers he HATED the way he got that first ring. Seeing Shaq nearly double his production in the Finals ed with him because his idol MJ didn't win championships like that. And if Kobe were going to get anywhere within binocular distance of Jordan's class he was going to have to pull drastic measures and up his numbers. Legacies were at stake here. That's why the year after he came back and tried valiantly (to the dismay of his coach and teammates) to take the reins from Shaq and with his selfishness started the feud that would grow year after year until finally exploding in 2004. I know Shaq was thinking look at this ungrateful MF jacking up all these shots trying to steal my team after I busted my ass to get him a ringWhat about the 2nd le and the 3rd? Was he still at 21 ppg?
Did he? I don't recall Jordan and the Bulls blatantly getting games served up to them in any series like the Lakers did against Kings in 2002. The refs looked at LA in Game 6 and basically said "don't worry, you MFs obviously can't handle your so we got this". The Bulls took care of business with no shenanigans. If you have any weird games where the refs ushered the Bulls to the line 25+ times in the 4th qtr to save their playoff run please feel free to refresh my memory.MJ had the refs in his backpocketPERIOD.
I don't know about that. Kobe isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. He takes dumb shots...always has and by the looks of it always will. You didn't see Jordan wasting possessions and bailing out defenses by chucking threes. He always worked his ass off for the good shot. He maximized his efficiency while Kobe is the annual 40% chucker on the big stage. Also, Kobe isn't half the defender Jordan was.There is NOTHING that MJ did that Kobe wouldn't have been able to do if Kobe were on those Bulls teams.
You think Kobe didn't have the same advantages? During the first 3peat who was Kobe facing that was so great in the playoffs? Seriously. What elite swingmen in their prime was Kobe facing? 6'2 Antonio Daniels on the Spurs with 38 year old 6'3 Terry Porter as his backup? Doug "offensively challenged" Christie? 6'3 Cuttino Mobley? Raja Bell? Even Kobe's first le post-Shaq who did the Magic put on him? Courtney in Lee?MJ was before his time, playing against only about 3 players that could be considered his athletic equal or in the same stratosphere: Dumars, Drexler, Dominique. That's it. Kobe would have broke Craig Ehlo off for 69 points or Bird (who was guarding MJ anyway - Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge?
During the first 3peat prime Jordan took the challenges of guarding the best guy. He had energy that couldn't be matched by other players on both ends. It wasn't until the 2nd 3peat when Jordan passed his prime that Pippen started guarding the other team's best swingman. Jordan no longer had the kind of stamina to do both.MJ's legend grows by the day. Truth be told, Pippen guarded the opposition's best perimeter player probably 85-90% of the time which allowed MJ to do his thang offensively. Kobe didn't have that luxury until either Ariza emerged and then they brought in Artest. Otherwise, Kobe had to shut down his man and give LA 35 - especially post Shaq and pre-Gasol.
No argument there. Rodman was a vital part of those championships. Bill Wennington and Luc Longley were there for 6 fouls and midrange jumpers off penetration. Pippen had to play SF and PF in '95 just to keep them afloat because their interior defense was so bad. The East had too many good frontlines to compete with. Rodman was very key.Oh, and MJ would NOT have won more than 3 rings without Worm signing with them.
You're a bit off here. The Magic beat the Bulls in '95 when Jordan un-retired at the end of the season. The next season the Bulls got their revenge in a 4-0 thrashing of the Magic in the ECF. Shaq saw the writing on the wall and took his ass out West. So no, the Magic weren't gonna push anything in., he lucky Shaq bolted Orlando when he did. In 1994 they just finished off MJ's Bulls - prompting him to sign a bitter enemy just to have the chance to compete (Worm). Shaq, Penny, D Scott, Horace Grant
Not really. Kobe just doesn't have the same impact man. His championships don't carry the same weight as Jordan's. He's always been overshadowed to some degree. The first 3peat Shaq just plain dominated with the 40/20 games and took home all the hardware. In 2004 Kobe had enough of that and said it, I'm not catching Jordan with Shaq taking home all the Finals MVPs...time to start getting my own hardware. And we all know what went down in that series.I'm anxiously awaiting the day when Kobe get's #7. It's gonna happen and when it does, there will be a lot ofgoing on with the mediots and haters. It's gone be fun. If true greatness is measured by rangs, then you have to conclude that Kobe > MJ. Kind of gives you a sickening feeling huh?
When the stage was brightest Jordan put up epic moments/games that aren't likely to be matched anytime soon. 35 points in the first half on Drexler and company in Game 1 of the '92 Finals. 46 in pivotal Game 5 on the road in that same series. 55 against the Suns in the '93 Finals. Game winner on Russell in Game 1 of '97. Flu game and game winning 3 pointer in pivotal Game 5 of that same series. Game winner and pose on Russell in '98. You see his on ESPN classic all the time because he just had those memorable G.O.A.T moments/performances. , the greatest Laker of all-time has those moments as a freakin rookie.
Kobe doesn't have any of that. In fact his worst moments overshadow his best. You hear about Kobe the big-time scorer but Game 1 in the 2009 Finals was the first (and only) time he's ever scratched 40+ on the big stage and he had to stat pad in a 25 point blowout and take 36 shots to get to that 40 points. There's no drama there...nothing epic about it. Kobe had his chance to put up that one epic performance in Game 7 against Boston last year. It would have been remembered for ages. What does Kobe do? He s the bed. You think Kobe or any of his fans want to see 6-24 on ESPN Classic or NBATV in 5 years? Kobe is never going to be in Jordan's class. He knows it and has accepted it. Laker fans know it but don't want to accept it. But hey, 2nd best SG of all-time is a great in accomplishment. Kobe set his ambitious agenda and tried his damnedest to climb Mt. Jordan. He got up pretty high...but still needs binoculars to see the top.
