this is what i don't get. his team had the best damn record. he may be the star on the team, but you can't have the best record without other good players. williams, west, and other role players have been consistently good and of all-star calibre. i don't buy the "he needs to go to a better team". he had the best team. maybe 1 or 2 changes to improve the squad may be needed, but there's no "need" to leave to another team.
Nba 2008-2009
- Thread starter Alex
- Start date
this is what i don't get. his team had the best damn record. he may be the star on the team, but you can't have the best record without other good players. williams, west, and other role players have been consistently good and of all-star calibre. i don't buy the "he needs to go to a better team". he had the best team. maybe 1 or 2 changes to improve the squad may be needed, but there's no "need" to leave to another team.
Oh god
So the general consensus is that he'll go to the Knicks?
Another question for you guys who have followed NBA, where does Kobe rank amongst the all time greats in your opinion?
He is the best player in the NBA comfortably, plus the East is easier than the West. His team is not the best, but he is the best.
Oh god
So the general consensus is that he'll go to the Knicks?
Another question for you guys who have followed NBA, where does Kobe rank amongst the all time greats in your opinion?
Pretty far up there, winning the Championship this year will help him get cement his place up there, since it will be only without the Shaqdaddy
Well I only started watching NBA a few days ago so I don't know that much, but the few games I've watch is that the other three teams in the play off are much better overall. Not that great 3 pt shooters bar Williams, and a lack of a good center. And if those 1 or 2 changes aren't going to happen I can't see them going all the way next year.
The Magic match up pretty well against the Lakers, so he might have to wait another year.
Yes and no, they are playing pretty well right now as well.
They dominated a weak division and conference, although they also did quite well against the west conference if memory serves. The difference is that during a regular season it's far easier to beat an opponent coming off a late night flight from a road game, or back-to-back games, missing key players, etc. In addition, there are plenty of breaks during the course of a season especially for a team with a superstar. However, in the playoffs it's a best of seven series and the opponent is a quality side with top coaching and talent equal to or potentially greater. Over the course of the first 2-3 games during a series, the opposing coach can develop a scheme to stop the squad players and just hold the superstar down. It then comes down the players carrying out the gameplan which Orlando did extremely well. Thus it becomes a true team game. And this is where I feel Cleveland is lacking that second player. Remember, as great as Michael Jordan was there's no championship without Scottie Pippen. LeBron needs that second player much like Kobe needed the addition of Gasol to put LAL over the hump in the west.
If they are hitting their long range shots they have a great chance but if LAL shuts them down it's no contest IMO. The thing about LAL is they have tendencies to be complacent and let leads slip and/or fall behind quickly. Which bodes well for any opponent in a series. Orlando can easily steal one of the first two games and therefore it will be the middle three games in Orlando that will most likely decide this finals.
Pau Gasol aint shit compared Pippen
Yeah I think they will go cold from 3 point land, but if they dont they will give LA a run for their money. You bring up a good point about the 2-3-2 series format in the Finals, which is fecking stupid, although if Orlando wins one of the first two, I reckon LA will win at least one of the middle three.
Most complete player in the game today though LeBron will someday surpass him. A championship this season and Kobe is probably in the top 10 all-time if not already. If he could then add another in the next 2-3 seasons the case can be made for top 5. That's a fantastic list IMO.
Best Five:
Magic PG
Jordan SG
Wilt C
Russell PF (he played C but would be PF in this lineup)
Bird SF
Next Five:
Robertson PG
West SG (Kobe knocking on his door)
Kareem C
Malone PF
Baylor SF
Well dur. That was not the comparison. I was simply pointing out that the superstar player needs a second viable option.
I wouldn't even call Gasol a second viable option, he is a wimp who consistently under utilizes his talent, same with Odom, I guess between the two of them Kobe has a good #2 option though.
Sickly which is why I think this series goes 7... who wins? Orlando
Good analysis, just on the ride to win a ring.
As for LeBron, the scenario is simple:
- This off-season the team attempts to re-build the squad
- They also make an attempt to re-sign LeBron
- LeBron rejects, claiming he's focused on this season and not contract talks
- LeBron (With his new players) has another great start to the seasonm claims first in the East come the all-star break, barely clearing Orlando, Atlanta and a re-KG'd Boston team.
- Come the all-star break the rumors start to swirl... under-achieving squads in the NBA all put a number of names on the market: Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Richard Jefferson, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Redd... all of these players are FA's in 2010 and along with LeBron, are all starving for a title.
- The trade deadline comes and goes and Cleveland make 2 deals: First, they make a blockbuster with Toronto, trading Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao and a first rounder for the next two seasons for Chris Bosh, and a second rounder (Jose Calderon was traded by this point)... then, they make a sneaky deal to Phoeniz to bring in Steve Nash, creating a trifecta of expiring contract talent.
- Cleveland then go on to win the NBA title, LeBron stays, as does Bosh for cheap, and Nash becomes a free agent / retires.
Disclaimer: might seem a little far fetched, but let's just say before last season, I called Boston getting Allen and KG
Lakers will win if it goes 7 AS
Same was said about Boston
LA has the Black Mamba though
last time i was watching nba , you where out at the 5th foul ...when did this
change ?
it will be a interesting final , magic strong on the paint and from the 3 point line , lakers excelent from semi distance and defense
change ?
it will be a interesting final , magic strong on the paint and from the 3 point line , lakers excelent from semi distance and defense
if you put russell in as PF then I put Hakeem as PF in the second 5...
Agreed, especially if you're basing Kobe's spot in terms of rings, if that was the case there's no way in hell Malone should be there.
Except that he's arguably the best PF in league history.
Malone works although H/Akeem is a good shout
Hakeem>Malone
Malone scored ten thousand more points in his career.
I would count Hakeem as a center. He has to be one of the single most magnificent players that I've ever seen play the position. Could beat you with power. Could beat you with skill. Swatted shots away like no other too.
I would take Shaq in his prime over Hakeem. He would just be to strong for anyone else to guard.
True he was too strong, but it was just boring for me to watch Shaq back down guys and send them flying backwards and then dunk it. The two did meet in the finals but you could definitely argue that that was Shaq before his prime.
and when Hakeem was in his prime as well.
Malone was shit when it counted. It`s not even close as to who was the better player.
That's fair but Hakeem doesnt belong to be on a team as good as the nine others listed either, if you are gonna be that way, no where near the player of anyone listed.
Shaq won 4 titles and was more dominant so The Big Aristotle is a far more worthy addition than 'my name is Akeem, now my name is Hakeem'
I suppose one could put Hakeem as a PF since he played far more versatile than most centers. That said, David Robinson would also be a good shout at PF over Malone, and one could even argue for Duncan or Garnett. But Malone was great all-around as well. Solid defensively, a monster on the boards and could score.
Yeah great call there, how stupid of the rest of us, Tim Duncan surely deserves the power forward spot, boring as feck as a player, but gets the job done and is a champion.
Dennis Rodman anyone??
so anyone up for this tonight ?
Gonna flick it back and forth with the hockey game, but Probably wont be watching, on too late since I wake up early tommorow morning.
well go lakers then
Go LAL
bryant tries to hard again and misses a lot
I think we can safely say this WILL be a series