Lakers' act: Bryant shoots first, last, almost always

[Despot]

I don't understand the whole BS that Kobe gets because he's no Shaq or MJ.

Maybe because he thought he would be better than both of them combined, so he ran everyone out of town, making him responsible when he failed to deliver success.

BTW, Word has it kobe did not wan't MJ associated with the NBA anymore, so he had the Wiz fire him. [/joke]

[Medvedenko]

I'm a true Laker fan....I loved Shaq when he was here, and still love Kobe. I was a huge proponent of Lamar and he has had good games, but he's very inconsistent. I guess when the Lakers were winning all those years, it was all Shaq and not Kobe. Oh I forgot how Kobe lit up the Spurs year after year.

[Bloodline666]

You should do everyone a favor and leave out of sheer inep ude.

The problem I see with that remark is that I'd be doing everyone a favor by STAYING here, as I am a Spurs fan, and this is a Spurs forum.

I expect Kobe to shoot 40 times this game.

Kobe can TRY to make fourty shot attempts tonight. Just don't expect him to hit on all fourty of them. Need I remind you that he will most likely be guarded by the runner-up in last year's Defensive Player of the Year voting?

All I have to say is, expect Kobe's PPG average to sink a bit with this game, as he will be guarded by one of the premier defensive players, Bruce Bowen (he'll guard ANYONE, from Point Guards to Power Forwards), and Bruce always likes to guard the big scoring threats. I guess you could list Kobe as such.

And don't forget that tonight, the Lakers will be up against not one, but TWO ex-Lakers; both of which have made critical clutch shots in the Playoffs against the very team they are playing for now.

[Medvedenko]

Blooline666...=master of the obvious.
Oh and kobe has lit up the entire spurs team, namely made Bowen his numerous times. Alas, this is a different year and Bowen played Kobe well last year. I expect a good game with Bowen using his "tactics" as usual.

[leemajors]

mihm is a very servicable backup center. he just needs someone to back up.

[2centsworth]

Blooline666...=master of the obvious.
Oh and kobe has lit up the entire spurs team, namely made Bowen his numerous times. Alas, this is a different year and Bowen played Kobe well last year. I expect a good game with Bowen using his "tactics" as usual.

i don't see him lighting up the spurs now that snaq is gone. nevertheless, you seem very touchy about the subject and I can care less about your team.

[pache100]

Michael and Snaq made those role players good ... Kobe has the same talent around him but doesn't know how to bring the best out of those guys.

There was a quote circulating awhile back (I don't remember at the moment who said it) that went something like..."The difference between Shaq and Kobe is that Shaq makes the players around him better and Kobe doesn't".

That pretty much sums up the situation for me. And I'm not a big Shaq fan. I do respect him, though.

[Bloodline666]

"The difference between Shaq and Kobe is that Shaq makes the players around him better and Kobe doesn't".

Very, very, VERY much agreed! It took me YEARS to realize why I ever liked Shaq in the first place, and it turns out that fact quoted above is the very reason...(plus, I have more reason to like Shaq, because he gave Tim Duncan his nickname).

I like to think of him as the Michael Jordan of his team, and the teammates he had around him as his Scottie Pippens (sounds like a corny analogy, but I think it's the only one that makes sense).

For example, Anfernee (or Penny, whichever you prefer) Hardaway was Shaq's Scottie Pippen when he was with the Orlando Magic, and Kobe was his Scottie Pippen when he was with the Lakers (despite all the hype that Kobe was going to be the next Michael Jordan). Now, his Scottie Pippen would be Dwayne Wade. I know, it's a corny and stupid analogy, but the Jordan/Pippen analogy is the only one I can think of when it comes to Shaq and the teammates around him that play better with him. I could use the Stockton/Malone analogy, but I don't know whether Malone made Stockton play better or vice versa, since the two played together for almost their whole careers.

[implacable44]

You kill me with the stuff you say its non-sense. Take any one player off of LA and replace them with TD = playoffs.

Take Kobe off and replace with TD = Conference Finals.

You kill me with the stuff you say - take any one player off la and put TD there and you are in the playoffs - sure with TD and Kobe - playoffs - with TD - lamar odom, devean george, smush parker and chris mhim and that equals the conference finals ? - GET REAL -- no way in hades.

[Extra Stout]

no - no no. TD would not be able to take that team to the playoffs in the West without Kobe. He has no 3-point shooters to open the lane for him and nobody to get him the ball. no way would they make the playoffs in the west.

Tim Duncan made the playoffs on a team with Terry Porter, Steve Smith, Danny Ferry, and Malik Rose.

[Useruser666]

Wow, just remembered this article was posted before yesterday's game!

[1Parker1]

Yep, Odom should have been taking those last couple of shots last night, instead of Kobe. Odom was having a great game, perhaps if he had taken a few of those shots, instead of Kobe...the game may have turned out differently.


But thank god Kobe doesn't pass the ball in the 4th quarter of games!

[strangeweather]

more like Smush, Odom, George, TD, and Mihm. Yes they would.

Absolutely -- they might even win a first round series. TD makes other players better and doesn't have to have to ball in his hands to help his team, so you would look at this lineup halfway through the season and think guys like George and Mihm were legit NBA starters.

[Man In Black]

I'm a true Laker fan....I loved Shaq when he was here, and still love Kobe. I was a huge proponent of Lamar and he has had good games, but he's very inconsistent. I guess when the Lakers were winning all those years, it was all Shaq and not Kobe. Oh I forgot how Kobe lit up the Spurs year after year.

You know Kobe did score a lot of points, but as I recall, since his dominant interior big is gone, he hasn't done diddly.

That clutchness that everyone says he has, that dagger-like quality?
GONE

Look at the 4th quarters of the 5 games, except for the Seattle game, he has played.

Against SAS:
1-7 0-4 3FGM-A 1 R

Against NJ in OT:
0-2 0-1 3FGM-A 1-2 FTM-A 1PF 1TO

Against CHI:
2-7 0-1 3FGM-A 2-3FTM-A 2R 2A

Against LAC:
1-9 0-4 3FGM-A 10-11FTM-A 2R 1A

Against NYK:
4-10 0-1 3FGM-A 3-4FTM-A 1A 1S

Take those numbers:
8/35=.229 % Not very clutch at all

[2centsworth]

Medvedenko conveniently disappears.

[implacable44]

There are some players that are so gifted that they in themselves can make any team better.

I would think LA finishes at or very close to .500 so your telling me TD can't take a 41-41 LA team and get them to 50-32. Which in my opinion a 50 win team makes the playoffs in the West.

I don't think there is any GM in the league that wouldn't think the addition of TD for anyone player on their squad makes the team any less than they were. TD on any team is a upgrade.

TD is at the mercy of the guards to get him the ball -- you see how ineffective TD was on the USA men's team last time - there is a reason - he is at the mercy of the guard to get him the ball in the spot he needs with room to operate - people double down and he has to kick it out to be effective - on that team (lakers) he would not have been effective

[implacable44]

Tim Duncan made the playoffs on a team with Terry Porter, Steve Smith, Danny Ferry, and Malik Rose.

different eras and you are leaving quite a few folks off that roster - what year are you talking about -- seem to be missing D-Rob -- maybe Sean Elliot ??