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Looking at those stats, Kobe definitely cost Daddy a ring, old man. They (all the Lakers tbh) wanted no part of Kobe after that season and can you blame em.
It all evens out though. Sure, Shaq was shooting great on the floor but look at his FT %, it's atrocious averaging a NBA finals low 49% on the line while Kobe hit his with a career high 90%. Also in those two games you highlighted, Kobe had about the same amount of blocks as Shaq which is horrible considering Shaq is supposedly their primary post defender, and Shaq also turned the ball over. more than Kobe. It's also worth noting that Kobe had more steals and is the teams secondary distributor with significant minutes with 21.3% assisted FG. It's no wonder why their -/+ ratio is about the same.
The rest of their HOF line up also didn't help, mainly GP, making it harder for Kobe even more as the Pistons perimeter strategy worked so well closing on in Kobe. Payton averaged 4 points on 32% shooting, and has less assists per game than Luke Walton. Malone who is their biggest X-Factor averaged 5 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 33% from the field and wasn’t even able to suit up for game 5. The Lakers bench were non existent and more importantly, the Piston's were hungrier as a team.
Look I'm not saying Kobe didn't the bed, he did, but you don't excuse Shaq simply because he shot great on the field which is what he's supposed to be doing anyway since he's being guarded by players a few inches shorter and several pounds lighter than him. Shaq was busy arguing with his teammates in that series more than being an actual leader for the team.
Looking at those stats, Kobe definitely cost Daddy a ring, old man. They (all the Lakers tbh) wanted no part of Kobe after that season and can you blame em.
Yeah, no kiddin'. Who in the NBA would want any part of Kobe? Anyone that did was gone fishing by May because Kobe knocked them OUT.
Though Kobe did successfully hunt Daddy down:::
Kobe: 5
Daddy: 4
Shaq was up against a very good defensive team and an elite front court.
On paper, the Lakers were heavily favored, but the Kobe-Shaq feud was at an all time high.
'
That # 5 was a glorious moment, more importantly it was against Boston.
38% shooting in two finals while getting your ass kicked.. Who did that?
Kobe = Efficient.
Oh, wait. I lied.
You mean Shaq was knocking teams down...
After that season, Kirby either missed the playoff entirely or was quitting in the first round... either way, he was the one fishing in April, not May...
until MVPau took him in, ofcourse...
Manu had a really good game 7 overall, tbh. 18 pts on 6-12 shooting and only one more turnover than TD. The Spurs just needed more from Tony and especially Danny finding his 3 pointer again. Plus give credit to the Heat, Lebron played a great game and Battier was hitting everything.
How about we ask the 2001 Spurs squad?
How about it? If Shaq isn't getting triple teamed, Kirby ain't getting done...
Remove "dominant big man" from the equation and you have a losing record, no playoffs and first round byebye...
Swept talking
You cannot spin it that way here. 36 points on 21 attempts is more efficient than 20pts on 25 attempts. 5 fewer attempts, 16 more points. How can you argue against that? Kobe only got to the line for 2 FTs. That's because he spent the entire game outside chucking up shots.
This wasn't just about Shaq though. Kobe felt his place threatened by Malone and Payton. He wanted to out perform everyone and he was willing to sink the ship just to keep anyone else from getting any notice. It was too late though, with his rape trial in full force and Shaq complaining to the press, there was no escaping it. The LA media let it go though and Laker fans found things to throw under buses.
Then you look at 35pts on 16 attempts. That's crazy efficient. Compare that to Kobe's 25pts on 27 attempts. So 10 more points on 11 fewer attempts.
REPORTER: "here was a certain part of the game when you were getting the ball down low and you were scoring every time, and then it seemed like you guys went away from that."
SHAQ: "Yeah. The story of my life, buddy."
Kobe cost you 6. In fact, he probably cost you a lot more than that. You can praise him all you like for the 5 rings, but for as much as the Spurs have overachieved, the Lakers have underachieved given the fact that they had the most dominant big the game has seen since Wilt in an offense that was unstoppable by anyone except Kobe.
Pistons were the better team. Larry Brown executed a game plan that was better than Phil. Sheed got hot, the Lakers bench didn't show up.
True, Pimp. & Media had to be very fine then and there. They had to cite Brown, but, not at Phil's expense. And they pulled it off admirably. They preserved Phil and fit Kobe with the hair shirt, thus enabling Daddy and his flight from Los Angeles. They figured this would be Bryant's ruination. Uh, uh. He took the choker chain from that mouthpiece he retained and sent her to Eagle, cut a check to the Faber girl, grabbed his Savage Over & Under and took off after Daddy. He finally ran him to ground back in Los Angeles on 17 June 2010 and ended it.
This x 1000
In order ...
1. 1985
2. 1987
3. 2000
4. 2010
5. 1988
The common factor? 3 of my favorite championships had Boston heading to a loser's locker-room afterwards ...
2000 was glorious because of the 12 year drought it ended but nothing is better than beating Boston especially the McHale/Ainge/Bird/DJ/Parish version ...
Then afterward watching Stockton & Heinsohn standing there just livid. Like somebody ing died. All hushed tones and slack jawed. Mother ers.
Heinsohn would rather eat glass then watch the Lakers celebrate at the expense of the green but at least he doesnt hide his bias ...or at least not very well.
Shaq was a beast in 2001... you don't have to put up big numbers, you just have to command enough attention so your teammates can end up wide open, which is exactly what Shaq did.
As has been already pointed out, once you removed the "dominant big man" from the equation, all Kirby has to show for is a losing record, no playoff and a quitting in the first round.
Just facts here.
Boiled down:::
Shaq was a beast in 2001... you don't have to put up big numbers, you just have to command enough attention so your teammates can end up wide open, which is exactly what Shaq did.
As has been already pointed out, once you removed the "dominant big man" from the equation, all Kirby has to show for is a losing record, no playoff and a quitting in the first round.
Just facts here.
Kobe: 5
the tired old bag Duncan: 4
^ everytime I read comments along this line from you...it sends me to a fit of laughter....
Kobe seems like the tired old bag to me, and Robert Horry-8 guess he's better then both of them
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