Kobe doesnt get criticized I dont think, it is just acknowledged that he has had the better players around him his entire career Shaq- Superstar Gasol- All star Artest- All star Malone- Legend although at the end of his career Payton- Same Ariza- Budding star Bynum- Damn good when healthy etc...
lol i hate Kobe... i actually like Lebron more I just don't like when people compare Lebron to MJ/Kobe .. show me the rings first..... i just love the Lebron media love fest end of last season "Cavs are the best team in the nba and their record shows it" after ECF "Lebron has nobody on his team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I'll give people the Shaq years... that combo was deadly i think they would have had 7 rings by now, if they stayed together. Mo Williams was an "All-star" heh. the cavs had boozer.... and now look what he is doing in Utah.... I'm just waiting for the new excuses after Boston beats the absolute **** out of them in the playoffs.... if they even get to play the cavs... "Shaq was too old!!!" lol no ****!
Wasnt Boozer with Lebron for 1 year? I didnt look it up but im pretty sure, MO williams was an all star due to Lebrons lobbying last yr, really good player but im not sure if he is an all star when Durant isnt (and yes I realize they are in diff conferences, just saying)
Actually I heard that OKC will make a hard push for Bosh, that would be allsome...and Lebron isnt going to NY, I highly doubt it anyway
he wants to become a billionaire! next summer is going to be crazy with free agents (Bron, Wade, Bosh, Dirk) for starters i think he will be too scared to come to the West
maybe part of the reason i hate him is he was the year after the rockets got first pick..errr 2003 NBA draft, first 5 picks Lebron James Darko Miličić Carmelo Anthony Chris Bosh Dwayne Wade
Alright I'll add my honest two cents... I went to Dallas in LJ's rookie year to watch the Cavs and Mavs...He tweaked his ankle early in the game and still went for 19 or something similar...I was very impressed with his overall game...And I met him in Indianapolis in Oct/Nov of 2003 when he came to town to play the Pacers...Seemed like a decent person.. The dude can fill up a stat sheet and was great in the playoffs last year...I just want to see if he can take this team and win a ring..then I'll crown him!
First of all, lets start by saying that Bynum, Ariza, Payton, Malone, and Artest have contributed basically nothing to Kobe's success. So basically you have two guys. Woo! There is a third big name that actually did help that you could have used, but it's top secret so I'm going to withhold this information. Secondly, who really cares what Lebron can achieve all by himself? Despite what you're lead to believe, Lebron really hasn't accomplished that much as far as a team thing. All he's ever really done aside from the Detroit series have been personal accomplishments. The Eastern conference is unbelievably weaker than the West. Winning a playoff series isn't really a big deal when you're playing a team that could barely dream of making the playoffs in the other conference. Kobe could have won several playoff series "by himself" if he had played in the East. Lebron would never had beaten the Suns by himself that had Amare, Nash, Marion, Dantoni, and those ten other guys all from different countries. Lebron played a series against a team from the West...it wasn't pretty. Even if we give Lebron credit as being a better play "by himself"...who cares? The idea of basketball is to play with others and succeed as a team. We know Kobe can do that. Can Lebron? None of the stars seem too eager to go find out.
With LeBron, as with all potentially great players, it will be a matter of whether or not he can adjust his game as his body begins to fail him. First of all, guys, he IS a physical freak. He's a legit 6'7", 6'8", and he weighs in the 270 pound range. Think of how ripped Karl Malone was. That's the same size, roughly. So, he's a fly-over-OR-through-you Karl Malone. He's got time to work on a jump shot. What will prolong his career is working on a post game. I'm not saying that he gets preferential treatment from the officials or anything -- but he does -- but, since he does, it would also be in his favor to do his work from the post so he can pick and choose who draws the foul as opposed to it being potluck who meets him at the rim. Also, with his passing ability, he could become one of the more dominant passing posts since Walton. He's got to overcome the superstar syndrome. The, I'm-launching-this-shot-from-here-'cause-I'm-a-superstar, hurts your team, not helps it, shot. When he looks for his own offense, there has to be an ultimate purpose. He can't simply think, "I haven't shot in a while. I guess I'd better." I guarantee you the Cavs would rather see LeBron drop 15 dimes a game than 15 points per game. As a fan, I would too... and he'd be that kind of threat passing out of the post. It's just a matter of changing his game to suit himself, and not his image. (high-flying, jump-shooting, etc...) Pau Gasol was an All-Star Center before he came to L.A. He was also the Rookie of the Year. I ask, again, as I am sure I will many, many more times... Do you even WATCH basketball? Geez. ^ Truth. (I mean, except for the spelling...) The Thunder are looking very seriously at offering Bosh a max deal. He would be f'ing perfect for OKC, and he'd be as close as he can get to his hometown of Dallas. Also, since he's been in Canada, ANY American attention/love is going to be better than getting no love in the great white Nort. It's not like he needs to blow up in NYC or anything. He's an All-Star now, and a good defender on a team that's so bad defensively that we may be able to sign his *ss based on giving a sh*t. Also, while it's on my mind, let's not acquiesce too much credit to Kobe for "learning to play as part of a team," etc... Fisher is a role player, designed to run the triangle and hit open jumpers. Kobe is Kobe. Odom is a passing "big man" whose primary role is to run the offense. Gasol is also a passing big man whose role is to score in the post, and control the boards. Bynum. Farmar. That whole team is there to play a role around Kobe. It just so happens that Odom, Gasol, and now, Artest, all happen to be all-star caliber talents. Bynum will be as well, if he can ever stay healthy long enough to develop some consistency. Kobe went out and learned how to play in the post this past off season to benefit his game, not his team. It just so happens that it does both, given the Lakers injuries, but he did it for him. The longer he plays, the happier he is. Kobe loves to play. I can't take that from someone by hating. As long as LeBron loves to play, I'll feel the same way about him. Also, except for the Lakers, the East is stronger than the West. The Lakers are the champs, no question, but the next three strongest teams are Eastern conference teams. (The Celtics, the Magic, and the Hawks... yeah, I said it. Bite me.) I think that any of those three could compete in the West... This whole season looks like a five or six team race... -- Boston, who is not as strong as they appear, drawing favor from a weak-as-sh*t division. However, they're not completely healthy, either, nor will they be anymore. Their core is just too old. K.G. is done, son. Finis, and you were a great one, man, but it's "go time." -- Cleveland. Even with a healthy Shaq -- which is never happening again either. He and K.G. Farewell, ballers, but GO, yo! -- I'm not buying it. Unless they can find a way to get out and run occasionally, AND still manage to play Shaq and Z. together, they're f*cked. It won't happen. It can't. Their best lineups are the "stand around and watch LeBron" lineups, and that style isn't going to win a ring. Eventually, a good defensive team will exploit it. -- Orlando. Even with Lewis out for the first 10, and Nelson out as well, they've come out of the gates pretty hot. I think that, barring injuries, and barring the eventual Vince Carter meltdown, they'll win the division, barely, over Atlanta, and that's that. But, can they win it all? Not with Dwight Howard, the 50% free throw shooter. They CAN with Dwight Howard, the 70% free three shooter, though. Won't happen this year. When do we close the book on Jameer Nelson? Also, Vince Carter is horrible, what were they thinking? I mean, Anderson almost made it worth it, but still... -- Atlanta. I think that they're learning... they're kind of like the Thunder minus Durant. Just a young, talented ball club. The difference, even though I'm not a fan of his, is Mike Bibby. OKC doesn't have that been-there, done-that (I hate that phrase, but it applies) veteran player that can also still play! I mean, Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Al Horford all have star potential, and they're athletic at their other positions as well. They can run and defend, and those are two things that give teams fits in the playoffs. I think that this season they're an upset-type team, but next season, once they develop some more consistent post scoring from Horford, et al.. they'll be a do-some-damage type team. -- Denver. I just think that, for as big as they play, players like K-Mart, Nene, and the Birdman... they're too under-sized to beat the Lakers. Aside from 'Melo and Billups, they're too inconsistent. I mean, I don't want a big game riding on a bucket from J.R. Smith, or Nene, do you? Also, even 'Melo is confusing me. He came out at the beginning of this season like gangbusters, defending the crap out of everybody. Then, just recently, he's slacked off again. Just when you think someone's "gotten it." -- L.A. They're the champs. I think that, short-term, the Artest thing is 50/50, depending on how long his leash is, and that long-term, it hurts them, because Ariza will only improve and Artest will only decline. I also think that they're not taking this "replacement for Fisher" search seriously enough. That's going to be what hurts them this season in the playoffs. They can't get favorable matchups for Fisher forever. (Like last season... the Lakers didn't have to go up against a quick, waterbug-type point guard other than the Rockets, with Aaron Brooks, who stretched them further than anybody else did. It was Deron Williams, Brooks, Chauncey, and Nelson. Nobody "speedy," really, outside of Brooks. Anyway, that favored Fisher, and, therefore, L.A. But they can't keep him on the floor against any quick guards anymore, or really any offensive-minded point guards at all. He's reached liability stage. That's my NBA $0.02. the_ouskull
Wow, didn't realize this was his 9th season in the league. Looks like he has been hurt often. Funny how the media does not make a big deal about somebody until they are a winner.. Cept that bron guy.. Hehe How bout tmac playing tonight?!3
