Does Victory ‘Seal’ Kobe’s Legacy?
Can Kobe win it without Shaquille? The answer today clearly is ‘yes.’
Winning three titles before his 24th birthday put Kobe on the top of the world. But he fell, as everyone eventually does. And the seven years following couldn’t have been more painstakingly long as he clawed through turmoil to get back to the top.
He made it again. With the Lakers belonging completely to him, Kobe quickly learned that being on top is nothing to be taken for granted, especially when playing for one of sports most entitled franchises.
All those years of hearing the question from reporters, fans, relatives (everyone, really) made it seem like, as Kobe described, seven years of extreme pain.
“It was annoying. It was like Chinese water torture, just keep dropping a drop of water on your temple. It was just annoying. I would cringe every time. I was just like, it’s a challenge I’m just going to have to accept because there’s no way I’m going to argue it.”
“You can say it until you’re blue in the face and rationalize it until you’re blue in the face, but it’s not going anywhere until you do something about it. I think we as a team answered the call because they understood the challenge that I had, and we all embraced it.”
With his fourth championship and first Finals MVP, the heavy burden was relived from his shoulders. So can we finally give Kobe the respect he’s deserved for so long? Can Kobe Bryant now, without apprehension or qualifiers, be mentioned in the same breath as basketball’s other all-time greats?
I think the answer today clearly is ‘yes.’
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In seriousness, even as a Lakers fan, I understand why Kobe rubs alot of people the wrong way. It’s easy not to like him, or question his sincerity. However, if the question is: Does this title end ANY arguement that Kobe should be held AMONG the all-time greats? Then the answer is yes.
Oh dear
He is among the greats, an All-Timer forever, and the shooting guard of the decade any way you look at it
Kobe averaged 30,5,8. That’s not too shabby.
So Tim Duncan is more accomplished than Kobe? Really? You see how easy it was for you to agree that Lebron may probably be there when it’s all said and done but you were still hesitant to put Kobe there? Just give it up man! It’s obvious that there is nothing Kobe will do that will ever make you or people like you give him his props and that’s okay. Just have the guts to admit it like Eboy!
Shaq to Cleveland!
they just can’t appreciate the best basketballl player since MJ.
btw… what was that pass @game 4 and THAT SHOT yesterday?!?!?!?!?
Kobe was already among the greats, he only climbed a little bit more.
.
the only bad thing is that they beat Orlando too easily…
both OT games were great and Kobe on game 1 was a performance for the ages, but Orlando never gave this Finals much of a chance.
Congrats Kobe, Pau, Fish, Ariza and Lamar… Phil and all LA fans…
Kobe, how many girls have said “I love you?”
Not like ‘I love you Kobe!’ like a fan
But like, for real, like, baby, marry me
I love you [Kobe]
You’re sweet
Once again (Once again)
Flawless (Flawless)
C’mon
Right
Uh, uh huh
Yo, yo, it’s like this Uh, what I live for? Basketball, beats and broads
>From Italy to the US, yes, it’s raw
I’ma search for the one that
make my wealth feel poor
Who can ignore the spotlight life of Grandma
My downfall is how I found the
aura, so I searched in
There’s plenty of women with sex
appeal when it’s filled
Can even complete the package,
all I date is actresses
Can play it safe with them, my money ain’t bait
But I must take risks to find a honey that’s legit
Whether she push a buck and a six,
bumpin’ some mad chips
Out on her own, or live out of moms and pop’s home
Watch time, fashion, Adidas attire or Timbo’s
I don’t know, yo, these women come and go
Like the wind they blow, how do I
know it’s you for sure?
When God talk to me, give me a signal
But until then, all my ears hear, just let me flow
C’mon 1- [Tyra Banks]
K-O-B-E, I L-O-V-E you
I believe you are very fine
If you give me one chance, I promise to love you
And be with you forever more K-O-B-E, I L-O-V-E you
I believe you are very fine
If you give me one chance, I promise to love you
And be with you forever more
[ Find more Lyrics on http://www.mp3lyrics.org/3AoU ] [Kobe]
Check this out though
Real love last, now do you love me or my cash?
My name, fame, drop top, Benz or the wooden dash?
You know my stash, from Georgie cash
Platinum, US express, no paper cash
Spend it all now, or kiss to be rich cash
Hash, stocks and bonds, laugh when they crash
Are you the type that brag the jewels you flash
The type-type with your ex-man and push his Jag
The type that love no scrubs or pigeons and got mad
The type that can’t stand a women with her own cash
You know, like lime, claim she ain’t rat
The type that get loud in public,
refrain my hand from a slap
No time for y’all, too busy for y’all
Plenty of dimes turn me on and turn
me off tryin’ to show off
Get lost, grow up, real women, roll up
Let yourself go, if you feel this, let me know
C’mon Repeat 1 [Tyra] [Kobe]
K-O-B-E, I L-O-V-E you Bounce
wit’ me, bounce wit’ me
K-O-B-E, I L-O-V-E you Right, right, uh, uh, uh [Kobe]
Think ya eyein’ me, all along, I’m eyein’ you
The hunter becomes the hunted,
girl, I’m preying on you
Beautiful, the feelings we share are mutual
Passion that’s telling me so for us is suitable
Un-controllable desire flows through me
When you say my name, such lust in your slang
No time for games, the games I play, all the same
Can’t get witcha, when the door
hitcha, when the Lord splitcha
I figure, hour-glass figures could be dangerous
Cuz if your time runs out, they
frame you for your clout
And having a past, well, I stereotype glass
All dimes ain’t money, ass, and
feignin’ for a brother’s cash
Slash fame, slash power, slash repsect
All of the above, makes me a
supreme threat for scrubs
Love but do you want? One more ‘gain, let me know
The words flow, from the bottom of your soul
C’mon
Wasn’t his legacy already sealed? He’s the second best shooting guard in the history of the L.” This comment pretty much sums up my thoughts on this.
4 NBA Titles
1 Finals MVP
1 Regular Season MVP
11 Time All-Star
1 Olympic Gold medalist
2 Time Scoring Champ
7 All Defensive First Team
7 All NBA First Team
3 All Star MVP
1 Slam Dunk Champ Career Stats: 25.1 PPG, 4.6 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Playoff Career Stats: 25.0 PPG, 4.7 APG, 5.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 0.7 BPG Now where does this rank among the all time great NBA players?
Kobe, how many girls have said “I love you?”
Not like ‘I love you Kobe!’ like a fan
But like, for real, like, baby, marry me
I love you [Kobe]
You’re sweet
Once again (Once again)
Flawless (Flawless)
C’mon
Right
Uh, uh huh
Yo, yo, it’s like this Uh, what I live for? Basketball, beats and broads
>From Italy to the US, yes, it’s raw
I’ma search for the one that
make my wealth feel poor
Who can ignore the spotlight life of Grandma
My downfall is how I found the
aura, so I searched in
There’s plenty of women with sex
appeal when it’s filled
Can even complete the package,
all I date is actresses
Can play it safe with them, my money ain’t bait
But I must take risks to find a honey that’s legit
Whether she push a buck and a six,
bumpin’ some mad chips
Out on her own, or live out of moms and pop’s home
Watch time, fashion, Adidas attire or Timbo’s
I don’t know, yo, these women come and go
Like the wind they blow, how do I
know it’s you for sure?
When God talk to me, give me a signal
But until then, all my ears hear, just let me flow
C’mon”
Magic Johnson is 5-9 in his NBA finals experience and yet he is regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history. So the whole 0-2 for Kobe means jack! Kobe is actually 4-6 which really isn’t too bad.
We are not comparing. We are asking where is Kobe’s place in NBA history?
21.4 ppg, 2.3 bpg, .8 spg, 3.2 apg, 11.7 rpg, and .685 shooting % regular season. Playoffs 23.3 ppg, 2.6 bpg, .7 spg, 3.5 apg, 12.6 rpg, and .607 shooting %. And like I said before, TD was the centerpiece of all 4 of his titles.
1. Jordan
2. Bill Russell
3. Tim Duncan
4. Kobe Bryant
when Kobe played with crappy players he actually averaged 35, scored 81 points in a game and had 4 straight 50 point games…in no way am I arguing he is better than Jordan (greatest ever) but he’s pretty f’ing amazing individually. And now has 4 titles which (Seriously) cements him as a winner. The man cannot do anything without being criticized. 30, 5 and 7 shooting 43 percent, but no Ariza and Pau won the series. Get outta here, those guys would have been home a long time ago without KB.
2.Wilt
3.Magic
4.Kareem
5.Russel
6.Bird
7.Shaq
8.Kobe
9.Duncan
10West I don’t get why so many people are putting Oscar so high, Kobe won more rings won a finals MVp. OScar didn’t do that.
LeBron all the way
the man redefined all SPORTS so stop that. Kobe wish he could be like mike, like everyone else does… and of course, nobody will ever get there.
Kobe is Kobe and he is surely top10 all time, maybe top5 but stop comparing him and MJ… its as impossible as to compare Lebrick and Kobe…
different LEVEL.
I agree with you to a certain point. Somebody can be greater than MIKE but you just will never accept it. It may not be anybody playing right now but you can’t tell me that there won’t be some other player who will come around and change the game again! From Elgin to Dr J to Magic/Bird to Mike. All these guys reinvented the wheel in their era so who is to say that somebody else won’t come along and reinvent the wheel again? The question is whether you’ll accept that. I’m guessing maybe not.
I wanted to see what all the Lebrick fans would say!
Tell that to the people who keep comparing LeBron and Kobe!
Air, The Stilt, Magic, Skyhook, Legend, The Dream, Ropes, Big O, the Doctor, and the Big Fundamental… damn… I sort of want to put Kobe in that list but I wouldn’t know who to knock out.
And that wasn’t me commenting earlier.
Hello Zarko.
top ten
1.jordan
2.russell
3.jabbar
4.magic
5.wilt
6.ducan
7.isiah
8.larry
9.dr.j
10.shaq, kobe could be rank higher but they are not even the best players at their position shaq will never catch russell so him and tim ducan are fighting for top five spots
when its over.. if kobe get one more ring he will pass magic as the second best guard in nba history
BEST EVER. It’s like a 9 foot skilled player coming in right now and the league having to change the way the game is played because him. Could you imagine that??!!?!
This is Allenp and I approve this message.
And maybe the rules were easy for Wilt? they actually had to change the rules to level the field for him. Doesn’t that tip you off to something?
You can only compare a player to the others in his generation. And Wilt dominated like no other. People are just so insistent that Jordan’s the GOAT because they came up when he dominated. But if we were taken back to Wilt’s 100 point game, things would be completely different.
And it’s ‘you’re’. Not your. I’m the idiot?
You young kids realise that MJ and Kobe played against each other for 3-4 years right…? and from 2001-2003 MJ averaged 21 ppg 5.8 rpg 4.5 apg right? right? Sure MJ was in the eve of his career and Kobe was dominating – but they played against each other and rose to the occassion…you might want to get hold of the allstar game highlights from those years perhaps….
If you think Kobe is better than Larry Legend, you’re just out of your mind. I mean, 24-10-6. That was his CAREER stats. That’s other worldy. Man.
I love Isiah, but he’s not even in my top 15.
Peep this:
One of my favorite centers, Willis Reed, once said that he was really proud of his first game against Wilt. He scored 36 points against him, while only holding Wilt to 56 points. Do you hear/read that?? “Only holding Wilt to 56 points”. Back then holding Chamberlain to 56 points was an ACCOMPLISHMENT.
He’d just be a normal good pivot? Don’t joke around like that.
Secondly, here are some cool Wilt Chamberlain stats:
Wilt Chamberlain once played over 48 minutes a game. For a season.
Wilt Chamberlain once averaged 8 assists a game. In the same year, he once had a triple double with 20 points, 20 assists, and 20 rebounds. A reporter also noted he had twelve blocks, but it was not officially counted back then.
Wilt Chamberlain once broke Johnny Kerr’s toe by throwing down a monsterous slam dunk which such force, when it went through the basket and onto Kerr’s foot, it shattered the damn thing.
Wilt Chamberlain once a player’s shot in mid air (forget the players name, will search it later) and the sudden stop of the ball caused the player, whow as going forward, to jerk the opposite way so fast that he threw his back.
Wilt Chamberlain could dunk on a twelve foot rim easily, which he did during pregame shows at Kansas University.
Wilt Chamberlain averaged over 20 rebounds a game well into his thirties, which was during the 1970s, where the league was plenty physical.
Wilt Chamberlain could dunk from the free-throw line. At 7’1.
Wilt Chamberlain was running marathons when he was 50.
So, tell me. Why would the physicalness of today’s league mean anything to how dominant Chamberlain would be?
*Wilt Chamberlain once blocked a players shot
Yes, if George Mikan played Shaq, Shaq would destroy him. And if George Gervin played now, he’d get muscled out of the game. Each generation adds something new, as they build upon the last one. Rule changes, weights, the commercialization of the game….
But NOBODY could do it like Wilt.
Wilt – recorded 550lb bnech press, 48-50 vertical, as he was the college high jump champion.
Talking about Wilt wasn’t playing against anybody… Who did Shaq dominate against?
Bill Russell was nobody? Willis Reed? Al Attles? Nate Thurmond?
Are these cats any worse than the cats Shaq dominated during his career. Check your history losers.
You think teams were just “manning up” against Wilt?
That’s crazy talk. Read the bio and see what teams were doing. Wilt basically faced the Hack a Shaq well before Shaq, and well before all the current rules to protect players.
In Chamberlain’s junior year, the 1957–58 NCAA season, the Jayhawks’ matches were frustrating for him. Knowing how dominant Chamberlain was, the opponents resorted to freeze-ball tactics and routinely used three or more players to guard him.[27] Team mate Bob Billings commented: “It was not fun basketball… we were just out chasing people throwing the basketball back and forth.”[27] In addition, Chamberlain grew weary of the punishment inflicted on him; after a game against Missouri, he showed imprints of two rows of teeth in his arm
So, yeah, that was college basketball. If you don’t think Chamberlain was being triple teamed, you really know NOTHING about basketball before you were born. Chamberlain, in an interview (I believe in the 80s) once boasted that he could easily have averaged 70-points in today’s league, because the league was too talented for him to be triple and quadrouble teamed, and he would have been able to go one-on-one much more often. That is obviously a vast overexaggeration, but you get the point he’s trying to make.
I guess if we go by the videos you sent me, Shaq never got double teamed either and mostly scored on alley-oops.
I’m not disagreeing with you about Kobe. I personally think Kobe, over his career, has been better than Shaq, simply because Shaq never worked on his game while Kobe worked hard enough to surpass his old partner. But really, stop using Bird to make your points. Bird WAS the Celtics.
84 Finals Bird 27, Johnson 17, Parish 15, Machale 13
85 Finals Mchale 26, Bird 23, Parish 17, Johson 16
86 Finals Mchale 25, Bird 24, Johson 17, Ainge 15
87 Finals Bird 24, Mchale 20, Parish 16, Johnson 21
Jukai, he had alot of help, so thats why I am using Larry Bird, he is one of the greatest, but his sidekicks played better sometimes in the FINALS!!!!
Yes, you’re right though: if you throw Chamberlain, at 23, into the game today, he would NOT dominate. He’d probably be a fringe all-star for the first two or three years. However, like any great player, he’d adapt and become dominate. Like European players (or Americans playign in Europe, ask Jennings and Childress) it takes some time to adjust to a different style of play. It’s not instant. But Chamberlain could do it, no doubt.
There are some factors you don’t acknowledge: Chamberlain is still bigger and more massive than most centers today. At 7’1, he’d tower over Dwight, Lee, Rasheed, Okur, Jermaine O’Neil, Bargniani, Okafor, etc. etc. It’s not like Chamberlain never played and dominated against people taller than him (ask Artis Gilmore).
Chamberlain is also much more mobile. I mean, outside of Kareem, Shaq, Hakeem, Sampson… what centers do you know who would start and FINISH on a break? Chamberlain did that. Hell, in the 1972 WCF, Times said he was out-pacing and out-hussling Jabbar. Jabbar who played on the Showtime Lakers. Who was ten years younger than Chamberlain.
Not droppin’ this, man, just to tell ya.
Wilt was the same size as Shaq, just as athletic as Shaq, and he had more moves than Shaq.
He freaking jumped HIGH JUMP.
What is the factual basis you’re using to prove that Wilt Chamberlain could not physically compete with Shaq or the players in today’s NBA?
What do you think Bill Russell was?
Larry 27.4 14 3.6 2.1
McHale 15.4 11.4 1.3 1.6
Parish 13.4 5.9 1.1 0.3
73 FInals: Larry had more points, rebounds, assists, and steals than anyone
McHale 26.0 10.7 1.3 0.3
Larry 23.8 8.8 5.0 1.8
Parish 17.2 9.0 2.0 1.0
74 Finals: Larry bird has more assists and steals than anyone else
McHale 25.8 8.5 1.7 0.8
Larry 24.0 9.7 9.5 2.7
Parish 12.7 6.8 1.0 0.5
75 Finals: Larry has more rebounds, assists, and steals than anyone else (almost has a triple double)
Larry 24.2 10.0 5.5 1.2
McHale 20.5 9.0 2.0 0.2
Parish 16.7 6.5 1.2 0.8
76 Finals: Larry has mroe points, rebounds, assists and steals than anyone else
I didn’t add anyone else because DJ and Ainge never got close to passing Larry’s statlines.
Larry wasn’t a scorer. He was a COMPLETE player.
Secondly, you’re being unfair to the Celtics. In the 80s, they had three championships, two finals appearences, and two Eastern Conference appearences. That’s insane! Most teams can never accomplish this in a decade, never!
Twice they did not make it, but once Bird missed the entire season. They also made a bad decision in trading away some key players for a high draft pick and then selecting Len Bias, instead of, well, let’s say someone who wasn’t going to die.
Why did they not win more championships? Well, let’s take a look at the teams they played in the Finals and conference finals.
The Magic of the decade arguably were the most well kept teams outside of the Celtics of the 60s, the Bulls of the 90s, and the Spurs of today.
I mean, LOOK at the talent: Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, both TOP TEN legendary players. They also circulated Jamal Wilks (underrated), Spencer Haywood (HOF), Michael Cooper (huge role player), Bob McAdoo (HOF), James Worthy (HOF), AC Green (big time champion player), Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis… c’mon! Ridiculous! They also lost twice to a Phili team with Julias Erving and Moses Malone, two huge hall of famous, along with Daryll Dawkins (probable HOF), Cheeks (underrated player), Andrew Toney, etc.
The fact that the Celts won THREE championships during that era is pretty crazy in itself.
You’re also overrating a lot of players. I mean, Kevin McHale was a BENCH player for most of the Celtics run! Really! He got the six man of the year award twice! He was only upgraded to a starter when Maxwell left and Bird moved down to small forward. Parish is vastly overrated and I can name 15-20 centers better than he was. DJ is underrated but still not anywhere near impressive enough to make up for the talent the Lakers had.
And just to top it off, Scottie Pippen averaged 25-5.5-5.5-2-1 at his height. Larry Bird was 27-10-7-1.5-1 at his height. So, yeah, tell me who was a more complete stat player.
Shaq, on the other hand, may average 45-25 with seven blocks a game. Right off the bat.
Your point?
Did you mean Bill Russell when you typed Bill Walton?
Your argument about Bird is a little weak.
Bird was the Celtics the same way Jordan was the Bulls.
He was clearly the best player. The leader and the Mr. Fix it. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have substantial help. This wasn’t Hakeem in his first championship year.
Did Larry Bird have more help or less help than Isiah Thomas?
I think the Celtics were all-in-all better than Isiah’s Pistons but all-in-all had a much harder time winning the championships. I think Jordan and Bird BOTH were pretty way, way, way above anyone else on their team, to be honest. They had amazing teams, I just don’t think the talent there was comparable, to say, having Shaq and Kobe on the same team.
McHale came off the bench because he played the same position as Bird and they were hesitant to move Bird to the three early in his career. He was still killing.
Isiah had to go through Bird, Magic and whole bunch of the cats you named. He also had to hold off Jordan and Ewing to get his.
Isiah had less talent, and won one less ring. And that’s mainly because he effed up his ankle that one year.
Honestly, I think Isiah Thomas’s career is one of the most underrated in the history of basketball.
I think Larry Bird is slightly, just slightly overrated. And I think the argument that he didn’t have a stacked team, when compared to everybody else in the league besides the Lakers, well that doesn’t hold water. Without a doubt, Magic played with the best talent in the league, but Bird was pretty damn close.
Honestly, I agree with you that Parish and McHale are a little overhyped. But that happens to all great players.
Do people even talk about the fact that Bird and Magic were subpar individual defenders and that Magic was streaky as hell at shooting? Nah, cause their legends.
Parish put up nice numbers and was a key cog in the middle for a team that dominated in the half court. You can’t knock what he did.
Besides, who on the Pistons team was the equal of either McHale or Parrish?
Many of the moves we consider perfectly legal and acceptable today were outlawed back in the day.
No jump stops, no palming, lots of little things that today’s players have incorporated into the game, which would be outlawed back in the day.
I think it would require and adjustment for any player to jump eras.
I give Parish props, he’d be an instant starter on 90% of the teams in the L (not counting the Orlando, Houston and Phoenix). But people saying he’s a top ten center? Good lord, no.
The runs of the Piston and the Celtics overlapped.
Isiah was drafted in 1981, Bird and Magic were picked in 1979. They were contemporaries. They went through the same teams. Isiah had to go through Bird because Bird came into a situation that allowed his team to progress faster.
Isiah was RIGHT there with Bird in the East, despite having less talent. And he managed to overcome Bird’s Celtics three times, and also managed to knock of Magic’s Lakers for good measure.
You seem to missing the point that Isiah and Bird came up together. This wasn’t like Jordan and Bird, or Jordan and Magic. This is like Shaq and KG. Or Shaq and Alonzo.
And Rodman was a superior rebounder to Parish, but I think Parish was the superior overall player.
I also know the way I described things above were certainly a terrible way to look at things too: Bird had a better team than Isiah, always. Once again though, Isiah’s team was still STACKED with two other hall of famers and they played lesser competition to get their championships. They never played the Lakers or Celtics from the early to mid 80s. They didn’t. They played a mostly retired and vastly injured substitute.
Also, sub-point: How many defensive player of the year awards did Parish win? None? Oh, well, perhaps Parish isn’t as overall superior as you thought.
I didn’t ask you for Parishs’ bio, I asked who on that list he was better than.
So, you’re saying that Magic and Bird didn’t benefit from injuries and retirements?
It matter that they were contemporaries because that means that Isiah didn’t just “catch” Bird and Magic on the decline, he fought with them his whole career and carved out his own niche of success.
“In the 1985 NBA Playoffs, Thomas and his team went to the conference semi-finals against the 15-time NBA champion Boston Celtics led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. Detroit couldn’t shake the Celtics in their six-game series, eventually losing. In the 1987 NBA Playoffs, Thomas and the Pistons went to the Eastern Conference Finals and faced the Boston Celtics. It was the farthest the team had advanced since moving from Fort Wayne when they were the Zollner-Pistons. The Pistons were able to tie the Celtics at two games apiece. Detroit’s hope of winning Game 5 was dashed at the Boston Garden with seconds remaining in a play by Larry Bird: Thomas attempted to quickly inbound the ball, Larry Bird stole the inbound pass and passed it to Dennis Johnson for the game-winning layup. In 1988 the Pistons’ first trip to the Finals saw them face the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Prior to the series, Thomas and Johnson would exchange a courtside kiss on the cheek prior to tip-off as a sign of their deep friendship. After taking a 3-2 series lead back to Los Angeles, Detroit appeared poised to win their first NBA title in Game 6.” Obviously, Isiah was going head to head with Bird, with less talent, and eventually beat him. Where are you getting this stuff about his only “success” coming when Bird and Magic were hurt? Are you only defining success as championships? Injuries happen, whose fault is it Larry Bird’s body was giving out less than 10 years into his career?
You were hyperbolic in your comments about the talent Bird had around him. That was my point. He wasn’t THE Celtics. He was the man on his team, but he had a GREAT team.
You really seem to nag me for not mentioning all the talent Bird had on his team (he was on an immense team, but I think the individual talent on that team is very overrated) but you don’t seem to acknowledge Isiah playing with one HoFer (Joe Dumars), another probable future HoFer (Dennis Rodman), and two immense role players in Agguire and Lambier. That’s a really, really talented team. How is Bird overrated (for averaging 23-10-6 his entire career) while Isiah is underrated (19-3-9). I don’t think people give him enough credit on how much he career his team. Once again though, he had a great team.
So, think carefully before you declare that Kobe is more skilled than Jordan. I’m not going to disagree, but I think there is an argument.
I’m nagging you for saying that Bird was “THE CELTICS.”
You tend to get hyperbolic. This was a case of that.
I think Bird was the leader of his team, I think Hakeem CARRIED his team to a ring in 1994. There is a difference.
I don’t think Isiah carried his team either, I just think he less overall talent than Bird, and he never had a really great big man to lean on. That’s all. I think Isiah’s playing career has been overshadowed by his time as a coach and executive and I find that sad.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/kobe_bryant_proves_he_can_win
Isiah doesn’t get enough credit, I do agree.
This one had me in tears, for real
MJ didn’t win his titles playing one-on-five, he didn’t win his titles playing with a bunch of guys on the rec center, he had good players supporting him and accepting their roles. They’re all cogs that make their team a championship caliber team. Obviously some cogs are larger than others, and that’s the Man of that team.
So the question is not whether A can win without B(which he of course can’t), but is A the Man of his team? -Magic & Cap wouldn’t have won their titles without Worthy etc.
-MJ wouldn’t have won without Pippen etc.
-Shaq wouldn’t've won without KB8 etc.
-KB24 wouldnt’ve won without Pau etc. All of those players mentioned first in the sentences are the Man in their respective teams, which is the only thing that matters when we’re talking individual accolade/respect/whatever.
Because while they didn’t win their championship(s)without their teammates, they were the unquestioned leaders of their respective teams,the number 1 reason their teams won, and that’s what matters.
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