KOBE

[GEORGIA DOMER]

If the Lakers win game seven thur night, will that be enough to call kobe the best of all time. I think with seven western conf championships and 5 titles it would be a good debate. Any thoughts?

 

[fitz_bu47]

There is no debate, he is not, and will never be Michael Jordan. The same goes for Lebron, I'm sorry, but MJ is the best ever, and it's not that close.

 

[Freeman Ara]

Micheal Jordan = 6 titles, no Finals series losses. I don't get how Kobe winning 5 titles is better then Jordan winning 6? Plus,Jordan never had a dominate C on his team to draw defenses away from him, which Kobe had for his first 3 titles. Then there's always Bill Russell....

 

[Ben E.]

Hey robert horry won 7 rings is he better than Jordan? lol!

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

where on the list would kobe be? for me it is jordan2.kobe3.kareem4.russell5.magic

 

[Ben E.]

1. jordan
2. kareem
3. bird (its ok to put a white guy on the list)
4. chamberlin
5. o neal

realy i think there is #1 and then the other #'s 2-20(or maybe up to #50) are pretty much interchangeable based on postion and era!

 

[TDHeysus]

if Kobe wins at least 6 titles he will surpass Magic Johnson as the greatest Laker. If Kobe can win 7 titles, he would put the lakers past the celtics for most championships, and putting himself above jordan in the process.

keep in mind the core team* that won a title last year, has a shot at game 7 this year, is signed thru the year 2013. so the framework is there for Kobe to be the best ever, he just has to go out and do it.

*unfortuneatly part of the core team is brittle bynum, but maybe they can get rid of him with a sign and trade and get Chris Bosh for the dynasty run

 

[ACamp1900]

If Kobe becomes the greatest in a sport no one really watches... does it ever happen????

 

[NDinL.A.]

1. jordan
2. kareem
3. bird (its ok to put a white guy on the list)
4. chamberlin
5. o neal

realy i think there is #1 and then the other #'s 2-20(or maybe up to #50) are pretty much interchangeable based on postion and era!

Beneboy, no way does shaq belong on that list. Not even close. Could've been the greatest, but had no work ethic. He got in shape for one year as a Laker. If you watched the Lakers as closely as I have, you'd know that the 2nd and 3rd titles in L.A., Kobe carried them in the playoffs, not Shaq. Then when Shaq went against those weak centers from the East, it was men against boys, and he obliterated them, and got the Finals MVP. But Kobe carried them against the Kings and the Spurs, believe that.

KObe is not on Jordan's level yet, but he's about as close as we've seen, and may just get there yet. He's also the greatest shot maker this game has ever seen.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Kobe is not the best ever. I don't ever remember the Jordan Bulls taking nights off mentally the way L.A. does. They looked like they had no shot to win game 4 or 5, and look like world beaters in game 6. Great teams dont have those types of swings that frequently, and great players don't allow them to. That happens to L.A. all the time. He is, however, a cold blooded assassin and the #2 all-time closer behind Jordan.

Best closer: #2
Best player: mid top-10 (great talent, takes way too many tough shots)- MJ, Magic, Bird, Oscar Robertson
Leader: probably top 20. I think players like Olajuwon and David Robinson were better leaders than Kobe is. He's a great player that wills his team to win.

I am definitely pulling for my Lakers to close the deal tomorrow night.

 

[fitz_bu47]

Go Celts!!!! Kobe is a great shot maker, and an awesome talent, I just think the intangibles of leadership, and competitive fire MJ had, combined w/ his overall hoops talent make him damn near untouchable.

 

[Ben E.]

Beneboy, no way does shaq belong on that list. Not even close. Could've been the greatest, but had no work ethic. He got in shape for one year as a Laker. If you watched the Lakers as closely as I have, you'd know that the 2nd and 3rd titles in L.A., Kobe carried them in the playoffs, not Shaq. Then when Shaq went against those weak centers from the East, it was men against boys, and he obliterated them, and got the Finals MVP. But Kobe carried them against the Kings and the Spurs, believe that.

KObe is not on Jordan's level yet, but he's about as close as we've seen, and may just get there yet. He's also the greatest shot maker this game has ever seen.

with those two it allways going to be the chicken or the egg argument. did kobe benefit from the floor spacing due to the attention shaq got or did Kobe's perimeter game reduce the double teams effectivenss shaq saw due to hesitation. i seem to remember shaq always getting double teamed (even this year he was doubled alot at 38) so i have always leaned to the shaq side of the argument. i absolutely agree you have definately seen them play alot more than i have, that said, i am always drawn back to what kobe accomplished(or lack there of) without a domminant big man(or two talented semi dominant big men).

as far as shaq's place among the greatist i believe that there is MJ and then there is everyone else(including Kobe)! im 29 and he is by far the most dominant center(possibly player) of my lifetime so for me that puts him near the top.

there are just too many different things to consider in the argument. for instance competition, alot of the dominant early big men played against suspect competition(chamberlin) just as shaq did at times. who was better pippen or magic? barkley or malone? russell or kareem? just no way to quantify imo.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. Jordan
2. Jordan
3. Jordan
4. Jordan
5. Jordan

 

[Ben E.]

1. Jordan
2. Jordan
3. Jordan
4. Jordan
5. Jordan

agreed!

 

[nd1]

kobe will never surpass mj. mainly because mj made people who were not basketball fans start watching the game. kobe is probably the second greatest player but will never surpass mj.

 

[IrishMoore1]

Kobe is not the greatest player yet. Maybe if he gets more than 6 titles, then we can start debating.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

C'MON!!! I can't believe you people!!! There is a "Greatest of ALL TIME" discussion and there hasn't been one mention of Mike Smrek?!? WTF?!!?!!!

 

[Ironman8]

bill russell anyone?

 

[IrishMoore1]

Calvin Cambridge anyone?

 

[TDHeysus]

kobe will never surpass mj. mainly because mj made people who were not basketball fans start watching the game. kobe is probably the second greatest player but will never surpass mj.

most ppl feel this way....but there is a big 'IF-list' that Kobe can do to be better than Jordan, and its all tied together in one big knot.

If kobe wins game 7, and then the next 2 nba championships, he will have accomplished:

undisputed greatest laker of all time (no small claim)
4 str8 titles, jordan never did that (retirement or not)
7 titles to jordans 6 (kareem 6)
he would elevate the Lakers to 18 titles, while the Celtics have 17
more titles then any nba superstar since the Celtics of the late 60's (and they only had 8 teams then)

because alot of ppl have a certain level of disdain for kobe, he will never be able to pass jordan in their eyes, but unbelievalbe as it sounds, Kobe can surpass jordan statistically. He just has to win game 7 tomorrow, and 2 of the next 3 NBA titles, heh. If he can do that, Kobe would crash the 'who is the best player ever party'

 

[IrishAddiction]

Kobes not there at the level of jordan, dont think anyone ever will be, but he is definately the best basketball player in the world right now. Lebron is the most athletic bball player, but kobe is the best basketball player.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Dr. J. Julius Erving

YouTube - Top 10 Dunks Career Julius Erving

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Pistol Pete Maravich

YouTube - Pistol Pete Maravich - The Greatest

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[IrishAddiction]

The Pistol! Putting up 68 before there was a three pt line! Nice! Definately the best of his time.

But the game has evolved, had he played against kobe now or mike in his day, he woulda got beat... Mikes gonna have it for along long time IMO. We havent seen a player dominate in all facets of the game like he did since he retired... the first time.

 

[dyrtdogg]

As a long-time Laker fan, I say not just no, but hell no! Uwe Blab, on the other hand, deserves your consideration.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Worst half of basketball in the defining moment of his career.......still only down 6.....

 

[military_irish]

i know its barely midway through the 3rd but this argument.should be put to rest with this performance or lack there of

 

[Riddickulous]

Speaking of the Finals, does anybody else notice the remarkable resemblance between Rondo and Shaq Evans?

 

[TerryTate]

Hahah, Ron Artest is the f'ing man. He thanked his hood, his psychiatrist, and promoted his new single. That was awesome.

 

[PatsandBostonfan1975]

1.Jordan
2.Russell
3Chamberlain
4 Magic
5 Bird

And Im from Mass.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

The Pistol! Putting up 68 before there was a three pt line! Nice! Definately the best of his time.

But the game has evolved, had he played against kobe now or mike in his day, he woulda got beat... Mikes gonna have it for along long time IMO. We havent seen a player dominate in all facets of the game like he did since he retired... the first time.

And the game evolved because of players like Russell, Dr. J., Maravich, etc... Now put M.J. or Kobe back in the 50s, 60s, 70s, etc, under those circumstances and coaching and overall style and philosophy of the game, would they have excelled as much? Kind of an impossible comparison.