I don't think it is that fair to say that Kobe isn't a very good player because of this series. If the Lakers were healthy maybe the Lakers do pull it out and nobody would be saying this. It just shows you in the NBA that it takes a team to win, not just 2 players. Don't forget MJ had Scottie, Dennis, Horace and Kerr. At least his bench made plays, not like the Lakers.
Without even needing to be alive and seeing the next 1000 years of basketball, I will say that nobody will ever match him. He had the most talent of anybody, along with the most heart and the most competitive spirit. It's not even possible to be as good as he was in his prime. Those last two years with the Wizards may have swayed some, but just remember......that's right, BEST EVER!
Im not a huge fan of the NBA anymore as the class and overall style of the league is gone these days. But i watched Micheal Jordan for years and i have seen Kobe now for a while aswell. To compare kobe to micheal is like comparing neckbone to primerib, just doesn't even come close. First off kobe doesn't have half the class that jordan did and not even close to the game on the court. Jordan had no dominate player on his team ever ala Shaq with kobe as stated in previous post. Can you just imagine those Bulls teams with a center with half of shaq's skill and talent. Also i seen Madcapper say that "no one man" can guard kobe , think you must have meant MICHEAL , and was just a misprint. I agree that like many NBA guys Kobe is tough to guard , but i seen kobe basically shut down by one player in a couple series now , once against San Antonio and now against Detroit.Then the facing double teams etc angle , with all the attention shaq gets Kobe gets tons of easy open shots and lanes to drive to the basket just watch the games. He also faces less than half the double/triple teams that Jordan faced as he was doubled vertually every time he touched the ball.Oh yeah he will score but look how many shots are being taken to get those points, any player in the NBA can get points on the board if enough attempts are taken. I take nothing away from Kobe he is in his own right a great player , but as bad as he wants to be and tries to be , he will never be anywhere close to Micheal but who is. Also i agree he is only 25 but if he does decide to leave LA then he will see how it is to play "without O'neal" and maybe the great days of his carrer will be the pre-26 days and not the post 27 ones. He can go to another club and score more points and take more shots , but will do alot more losing along with that. Just makin a couple game winning baskets and scorin some points doesn't make a "GREAT" player, takes much more than that. There is a "superstar" on the Lakers and believe me it isn't Kobe its SHAQ O'NEAL.
Jman-
Keep in mind that Kobe is 25/26. Jordan was not the same player in his mid 20's as he was in his late 20s early 30s. I dislike Kobe with a passion but frankly he's shown the ability to beat people off the dribble AND shoot the outside J. MJ at 25 was more of an off the dribble and defensive player.
Bottom line, it is WAY too early for Kobe to be mentioned in the same breath as MJ BUT he has shown the ability to rival MJ's legacy if he continues to develop.
Keep in mind that Kobe is 25/26. Jordan was not the same player in his mid 20's as he was in his late 20s early 30s. I dislike Kobe with a passion but frankly he's shown the ability to beat people off the dribble AND shoot the outside J. MJ at 25 was more of an off the dribble and defensive player.
Bottom line, it is WAY too early for Kobe to be mentioned in the same breath as MJ BUT he has shown the ability to rival MJ's legacy if he continues to develop.
Journeyman..
I could not agree with you more..Michael was not only great, but made all around him greater..Sometimes I think Jordan should have stayed away those last two years..I think people saw him then, and forgot who he was..Even then he was a marvel to watch..
Kobe has been mediocre at best in the Piston series..No doubt he has some things on his mind..These young Pistons are fun to watch..They just may be better..
Also you mention World B Free..I had the opportunity in HS to play against him for 3 years..He played at Canarsie HS in Bklyn and his senior year won the City Championship..He was a man playing with boys..Like Grunfeld at Forest Hills..Lloyd could lite it up..He was Lloyd before World..
Just some trivia from the trivia guy..
I could not agree with you more..Michael was not only great, but made all around him greater..Sometimes I think Jordan should have stayed away those last two years..I think people saw him then, and forgot who he was..Even then he was a marvel to watch..
Kobe has been mediocre at best in the Piston series..No doubt he has some things on his mind..These young Pistons are fun to watch..They just may be better..
Also you mention World B Free..I had the opportunity in HS to play against him for 3 years..He played at Canarsie HS in Bklyn and his senior year won the City Championship..He was a man playing with boys..Like Grunfeld at Forest Hills..Lloyd could lite it up..He was Lloyd before World..
Just some trivia from the trivia guy..
couple things......So you played college ball Sportsbetting?..........Also, Lakers wouldn't of been close in any of these game if it weren't for Shaq........Of course I agree comparing anyone to Jordan is ridiculous, anyone that truly knows the NBA knows Kobe is not close to Michael's level. What's even more amazing to me is that so many fail to see that McGrady would be a much better comparison to Jordan than Kobe would be. I have seen the scoring champion make defenders look much more foolish the last 2 years than Kobe has. Only reason he doesn't get the attention is because of the lousy team he plays for at this time........
Hache..
McGrady sick player..he and Garnett..if we watched them every nite we would be amazed at the improvisation..
McGrady buried in Orlando..Even the Celtics came running for Rivers..
Lets not forget the bad pull from the deck Tracy got when Hill pulled up lame..
Tracy wants out..Okafor nice player but not bringing more than 5 more victories to that team the way they are currently assembled..
Tracy also brings his game every nite..His frustration level must be peaking because unlike others, he worked on his game and got better with hard work..
McGrady sick player..he and Garnett..if we watched them every nite we would be amazed at the improvisation..
McGrady buried in Orlando..Even the Celtics came running for Rivers..
Lets not forget the bad pull from the deck Tracy got when Hill pulled up lame..
Tracy wants out..Okafor nice player but not bringing more than 5 more victories to that team the way they are currently assembled..
Tracy also brings his game every nite..His frustration level must be peaking because unlike others, he worked on his game and got better with hard work..
Yeah SportsB, no secret around here that T~Mac wants help or he wants out. Also, people forget he is only 25 too. Of all the years to land the #1 pick it had to be this year. Magic have absolutely no idea what to do with the pick. Grant Hill is also holding the team back. I have read some about how they would be hit on salary cap if he was released but cannot remember exactly. Hill definitely needs to go to free up money for another top player. If David Robinson hadn't of boarded that plane to go and talk Tim Duncan out of coming to Orlando after Doc Rivers talked him into it Orlando would no doubt be the most dominant team in the league. Shaq and Kobe would have trouble. Orlando could "reach" for one of the high schoolers, but McGrady doesn't want to wait that long. Decisions.........Decisions......
Happy birthday Michael 56 years old—
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials, MJ,[SUP][5][/SUP] is an American former professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time."[SUP][6][/SUP]
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials, MJ,[SUP][5][/SUP] is an American former professional basketball player. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time."[SUP][6][/SUP]
I know this is an old thread but McGrady has actually talked about this recently so I'll comment on it. He's said that if the Magic signed Duncan that they would've been the team to beat in the East and competed with the Lakers.
One minor, itty-bitty little detail he seems to forget is that he wouldn't have been on Magic if Duncan was, he was their backup plan. The Magic had room for 2 max contracts and were signing Grant Hill either way. If they signed Duncan then McGrady would've likely just gone to Chicago unless he was willing to take significantly less money to sign with Orlando.
I know it was almost 20 years ago and no one really cares but it is weird how over time these former players just get total amnesia.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/spo...orlando-magic-george-diaz-20180320-story.html
This article says they could've fit 3 max contracts if everything broke right, so maybe it was more of a possibility than I recall. I think that might be some selective memory on the GM Gabriel's part though. Very tough to fit 3 max contracts under the salary cap in the NBA, even back then.
This article says they could've fit 3 max contracts if everything broke right, so maybe it was more of a possibility than I recall. I think that might be some selective memory on the GM Gabriel's part though. Very tough to fit 3 max contracts under the salary cap in the NBA, even back then.
