Monday, June 16th, 2008 at 2:50 pm  |  98 responses

The Likeable But Not Clutch One

By Sam Rubenstein

Over the weekend, Khalid took the time to ask the simple question, what’s the deal with the Kobe love/hate stuff, for real? His performance last night was, in a word, weird. To be completely honest, I do not understand what was happening with him out there, it had to be more than Tom Thibodeau’s drawings. But enough about Kobe (ha ha, yeah right). Let’s take a look at the other side of the face they split into halves for the ad campaign.

Kevin Garnett…

“It was trash,” Garnett would later say of his performance, this after the Lakers had claimed a 103-98 victory over the Celtics. “I played like garbage tonight. I can do better and I will.”

“I could never really get into a rhythm,” Garnett said. “I was playing on my heels the whole night.”

“Those are free throws I know I can hit,” he said. “But I’ll take them again if you put me in that situation. I’ll have the confidence to knock them down.”

The MVP of a team doesn’t always win Finals MVP. James Worthy won it for the Lakers, Joe Dumars won it for the Pistons, Tony Parker won it last year. But it’s really kind of bizarre that the Celtics potential Finals MVP pecking order is Pierce, Allen, Posey?, Garnett. I am one of those people that always disliked Karl Malone and always enjoyed watching KG, because of their personalities and their games. But you have to admit, they seem to be handling The Finals at crunch time similarly.

So now I ask you another extra vague question. What is the deal with KG?

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  • RV

    Jackie, wasn’t it a foul?

  • Tommy Patron

    This is not a very interesting discussion. KG has been the same player almost the whole time he’s been in the league. Why is this a problem? Meanwhile, Kobe busy pretty much doing d*ck during the Finals. KG’s not supposed to carry his team offensively, Kobe is.

  • RV

    trouc, the lakrs haven’t played good D on KG, they dont have to when he’s taking bad shots

  • foolio_iglesias

    Actually,Kendrick Perkins is a fake tough guy,not Garnett.Garnett is a high intensity player.I also noticed that all he really does is shoot jumpshots (pretty well).He has to hype himself up most of the time.I don’t mind if Boston wins,my question is,will they be there again after this season?Seems like another rental team ala Miami couple years ago….

  • Mendel

    well it seems to me things in minny were fairly acurate and you need a deep back court ala casell and spree to make things happen. He is an american born “eurotrash” nothing but jumpers. SOFT. shooting outside instead of being a BEAST down low. just trash. we saw what he did for two game sevens now, the expectation should not change. I hope those 15ft turnarounds keep fallin big man.

  • B. Long

    Kobe=The Game, MJ=Dr. Dre. FTH.

  • http://firemitchkupchak.com Jackie Moon

    @RV. Asking if it was a foul is too broad a question. The question should be: Do you think A) Kobe got all ball before he hit Pierce’s side, or do you think B) he missed altogether, and still hit Pierce’s side? If you think B, then I can’t really argue with you, I just disagree. Pierce said himself that Kobe got ball. If you think A, then it’s more of a disagreement about how fouls should be called. Because I think technically it’s a foul, but that is almost never called a foul if a player gets ball first, then makes contact afterwards.

  • http://idunkonthem.blogspot.com/ albie1kenobi

    i think one small thing that stood out to me in yesterday’s game was posey grabbing the ball out of the air when it was about to hit rim after play was stopped from a whistle. and this happened twice. that is KG’s signature play, to not let anything go in, and never taking a second off the game even if it means nothing.
    To me, that shows KG’s no nonsense style and aggressive plays is transplanted to his teammates. everyone has picked up their all around games, stepped up their D, and maintained their intensity. they are all out all the time (effectiveness is an issue, of course), just like when posey dived to intercept an entry pass that would have let to a Lamar dunk. eddie house also plays all out all the time too. his defense is not very good, but watch him go for the defensive board with authority, when he has no business grabbing those boards with his size. paul pierce has picked up his defense immensely and now takes pride in it.
    before this series, i also wonder what exactly KG brought to the table this season; but now, i have no question about his leadership. his teammates proved it.

  • Lz – Cphfinest3

    Finally back from Tennis-practice – had to work on that serve, hope she did well B. Long I could sense you needed it. Only a small man wouldn’t share with his fellow SLAM-brothers and since I’m big in every sense, I had no trouble letting you have a go :)

  • Lz – Cphfinest3

    Just too bad you only lasted until the end of the first game of my Tennis match. She started calling complaining about your performance, disturbing me just as I was honessing my Federer tricks.

  • Lz – Cphfinest3

    To touch on Kevin; as tough as he is on D, just as soft is he on Offense. Constantly shying away from contact, settling for jumpers an baby-hooks. I know this has always been his game but he should really come out aggressive, take it to Gasol and get him in foul trouble. Lakers without Gasol is toast. KG is not in the same league as Duncan, he’s on the all-time best supporting player team along with Pippen, Worthy, Dumars, McHale. But is just not that number one stud, we all want him to be.

  • RV

    jackie, i wasnt sure, only saw one replay and it didnt appear kobe hit the ball, but i’d agree that if he got ball first and then hit paul it shouldn’t be called.

  • http://firemitchkupchak.com Jackie Moon

    @RV, it’s tough to see even in slo-mo, because Kobe’s hand is partially blocked from view by PP’s arm, but by the motion of the ball, it does appear that he got the ball first, then followed through hitting PP’s side. He definitely does not get PP’s elbow or anything like that.

  • Kamran

    rondo has better d than him!the only reason he got credit is because he is more popular than rajon!

  • tealish

    It was a foul. Just because a star doesn’t throw a tantrum when he loses the ball, doesn’t automatically mean he didn’t get hit. You’ve been watching Kobe too much.

  • Benoit Benjamin

    True KG ain’t clutch. But does it really matter? The celts have a clutch guy in Pierce and Allen can take the big shot, or at least could. And I don’t believe it’ll stain his legacy either. Wilt wasn’t clutch, Magic wasn’t considered clutch until his junior, junioe skyhook. Would you have let bill russell take that last clutch shot? Greatness is not just about being clutch; Sometimes not at all;

  • http://fjsdklf.com Jukai

    …. Wilt and Magic weren’t clutch…?

  • http://fjsdklf.com Jukai

    Plus Russel would get 30 rebounds and 10 block shots. Once Garnett does that, he doesn’t have to touch the damn ball.

  • http://firemitchkupchak.com Jackie Moon

    @tealish – So, you don’t think Kobe poked the ball before he hit Pierce on the side? Apparently, you haven’t been watching Kobe enough.

  • whooo!

    as others have said, i think it comes down to looking at KG for what he is, instead of what he’s not. he has constantly been compared to Tim Duncan, as they both came in at the same time and have been the two best pf’s in the game for a decade. but KG isn’t Timmy, he can’t carry a team like TD, can’t take over in the clutch like TD, and can’t win rings like TD. let’s think about him more like David Robinson.

  • whooo!

    that’s not to say that KG’s bad. D-Rob is an easy hall of famer who put up some crazy numbers along the way (71 pts, quadruple double!), and KG will go down as one of the best big men. he’s probably the most TALENTED big man who helped redefine the position, but he’s in a different league than the best to ever do it.

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Jukai…
    He couldnt beat you with 4 PGs and no centre??…Either he’s crap at NBA2k8 …or….he didn’t use Nash properly.
    ^_^

  • LAN

    hes gonna hav a good game 6 n every1s gonna b like omg kgs the best

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Nah game six will belogn to KOBE. He’s talking about the team will ride it out, and team play will win…rah rah rah…he will drop a 5-BOMB on this celtics unit and force a game 7 showdown. Pau will also appear to play a few quarters too.

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Let me just say whats not being said…KG is one of the best mid-range game/back to the basket defending SF’s ever to come into the league…

  • chintao

    I think dead prez (as well as most other people) agree that No. 7 on H to the Izzo’s second list is Sirhan Sirhan. Respect.

  • http://slamonline.com Russ Bengtson

    KG is who he is, and who he’s always been. If that’s not good enough for you, so be it. He’ll be in the Hall of Fame, and we’ll all still be posting stupid comments on a basketball website.

  • http://slamonline.com Russ Bengtson

    And if you’re saying “respect” to Sirhan Sirhan, PLEASE never post here again. I’m ready to quit this site entirely if the comments keep heading in this direction. I’m disgusted.

  • http://www.truthismygame.com/ Kevin

    whoever said Duncan is top 3 all time is an absolute retard. and i love Tim Duncan

  • KA

    im pretty cool with him not being clutch and i like his personae. im not cool with peeps hung up on him tho based on performance like hes the greatest thing evar. great in the flow guy, but not a real floor leader.

  • Paniscus

    I’m w/ Russ, but maybe a few steps past him. The comments on this site have gone way downhill over the past few months.

  • Chukaz

    I like what they did a couple of night ago (meaning the Lakers, of course). Lamar Odom finally went down low (he did it a little bit in game 5) and Gasol started doing what Lamar was doing the first 4 games of the series. Gasol is better taking bigs of the dribble because he has a nice little midrange jumper which keeps defenders honest (Odom was getting the Rondo treatment) which allowed him to really take it to the basket when facing the basket. With all that said, Kobe meet a new single game playoff scoring record, new single game playoff scoring record meet Kobe.

  • Chukaz

    You know what ruined my Sunday? Jon freakin’ Barry. The dude is like Stephen A. Smith if Stephen A. was 10x stupider. He has no idea what he is talkin’ about. When he said that the Lakers should be concerned about blowing a couple of big leads I was ready to break my TV. How ’bout the Celtics giving up big leads 2 straight games? How ’bout them almost blowing a 27(?) point lead? The Lakers don’t play championship caliber defense? Are you f*ckin’ kidding me, Jon Barry? How ’bout them Celtics giving up 41 4th quarter points @ home in game 2? How ’bout the Celtics giving up 60 point by half time of game 4? How ’bout the Celtics giving up 39 1st quarter points in game 5?

  • Chukaz

    Mark Jackson got on my nerves, too. I’m surprised he wasn’t hired to be the Knicks head coach. He showed last night he had no basketball knowled whatsoever, like Isiah Thomas. At the end of the game when Eddie House hit a 3 from the corner he said some bullsh*t like “If I was Phil Jackson, I would feel sick by my teams defense on that shot.” Kobe clearly contested the shot the way he should’ve. House’s shot was a rainbow (because Kobe has like a foot on him), nothing Kobe could’ve done there, besides, I would rather have House shoot a 3 then Ray Allen or Paul Pierce.
    @ Mark Jackson: If you were Phil Jackson, you would be on an NBA bench coaching, not on TV.

  • http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/06/10/celtics-vs-lakers-the-wifey-showdown/ SOUSS

    Ahh, Love this thread…
    And I’ve been called foolish and ignorant for bringing this subject a couple of days ago…

  • Aussie Gus

    Paul Pierce… Clutch
    Ray Allen… Clutch
    KG… Not so Clutch

  • Froggiestyle

    Well, I’ve been sayin since the Celt’s got into the playoffs – KG is on his knees every nite prayin and thanking up above for having guys around him who can make clutch shots – especially someone that takes the heat off him in the 4th. KG is a great guy and a tremendous all around talent. But he’s not the guy who you can count on to come up big where your team needs it on the scoreboard – lucky for him he doesn’t have to. MVP no way, MDP most dedicated player – ok if you like. Talk to anyone from Minny – the number of times we had to see a clock tick down, final possession, ball in KG’s hands, and and and, that fluckin p*ssy fade away that when it swishes thru the net you think he’s a genius, BUT when it bricks and the team loses after having a strong chance of winning you can only shake your head and say, man we need a finisher. They should put an asterisk on KG’s ring when they hand it to him to remind him of his fade away act in the finals.

  • Harlem_World

    Basketball is a TEAM game. Sum of the parts wins out over the force of one. Always. KG brings more overall than anyone else, but you need guys like PP and Ray to finish the job. As said many times before, he has always been this way – and its not a bad thing. The frustration is on those who try to put him into a TD type box. They are different players. Learn to accept that. On a side note, that PP is a bad mothafonka.

  • dfrance

    Everyone is being way too critical of the guy. Would the Celts have goten this far without him. Like most rational people have said, he’s been the same player his entire career, so magically he’s supposed to be a clutch go-to guy because it’s the Finals??? Be real, I guess Rondo is supposed to be a knock-down shooter because its the Finals too huh? He bring things to the table that very few players do, and most of it cannot be found on a stat sheet! I can remember one game in the playoffs when he took over though. It was the Conf semis clincher against the Kings in 2004 and he really took it to them and had like 30 and 20 or something like that. I wish he would play like that every game, but it’s not in him and I don’t expect it. And most importantly, I don’t think he any less of a great player because he doesn’t…

  • http://shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com Eboy

    Another thread of sh*t.

  • matt the jazz fan

    kg hit a couple of cluuutch shots in the post in that incredible comeback win in game four, lest we forget…

  • Froggiestyle

    Eboy you should know something about sh*t and the talking thereof.

  • rikson

    A magnificent player without tough game experience – thats all. Its your fault KG…

  • youngmuggsy

    Can somebody slap doc rivers round the face and tell him to call some plays for KG in the post, yeah he’s got a great J, but they don’t need that with Perkins out and a bench full of shooters.

  • youngmuggsy

    Even Jack Nicholson likes KG.

  • http://Lebronisoverrated.com Free Vick

    How can people call KG a good guy? Not only is he an annoying twit on the court but apparently he also cheats on his wife with cheerleader. Fake tough guys. Always thought it was funny how everyone gives KG a pass for being a loser.

  • Penny Hardaway

    @Free Vick
    We’re talking about basketball players.

    @Without KG, would we be talking about Boston being clutch in the 2008 finals??

    But people keep looking for superheroes

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Garnett is the one that gets you in a position to win games….but you need to suplant that with clutch scorers. Why would Garnett get into the playoffs in the W. But not make it further than round 1? Clutch….He’ll get you to the podium no doubt. Just need a paul pierce/ray allen to make that final play.
    BASICALLY GARNETT BEATS PIPPEN AS THE BEST 2ND BEST PLAYER ON ANY TEAM (over the past 10 years, in the current league dynamic).

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