Lakers Thread

[StarBoyz83]

clearly the 3rd

Durant?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

It really is too bad. Lakers were coming on strong, 14-6 since Feb. 1st and 8-2 in their last 10 games.

Was clearly a foul on Jones but nothing was called. There is history between these two players.

 

[khiladi]

cHeat for the repeat. :laugh2: I think they end up playing the Spurs and beating them in 6. The only reason I give it 6 is cause POP is coaching the other team lol. That team actually may do a 3 peat. Especially now with Ray Allen and Birdman. How do u stop Lebron and Wade and Allen ? U do not. They have stifling defense on the perimeter and not so bad inside as well now.I put money on the Heat again. Its easy pickins

The Heat have the last two years had a cake walk through the East. This eastern conference is the weakest in decades. It is disappointing that they have it so easy. The east doesn't have a legitimate healthy Pg that can put pressure on Miami perimeter defense, since Rosé has been injured.

If Parker and Duncan are healthy and aren't caught in a series where their opponents are playing absolutely ridiculous basketball, like the thunder when they weren't missing a shot, it won't be a cake walk for Miami. Parker constantly puts pressure on a defense and unlike Westbrook he doesn't lose sight of getting people involved. Plus his coach isn't a bum like Scott Brooks.

 

[ghst187]

Was clearly a foul on Jones but nothing was called. There is history between these two players.

The correct call was made. No one would've said anything about it had Kobe not gotten hurt and cried like a baby about it. Think the NBA said what they did just to get him to shut up about it. Fact of the matter is, if Jones was able to anticipate where Kolbe's wild legs were going and intentionally plant his foot under there first then his is easily the most amazing athlete in history, possibly god-like even. The other fact is....Jones has played Kolbe a number of times and everyone with half a brainstem knows Kolbe was going to take a fadeaway. ITS THE LAST SHOT OF THE GAME!!!!!!!!! Jones knew the fade was coming and was anticipating it just trying to contest it as tightly as possible because as I mentioned....ITS THE LAST SHOT OF THE GAME!!! Was Jones supposed to back off and let him shoot? If this was only the second time in his career he has sprained his ankle then he's the exception rather than the rule. Coming down on someone's foot happens to everyone who's ever played.

 

[MC KAos]

Kobe is arguably third as far as best player I'm the world goes. Funny thing is he was never the best player in the world in his career

 

[khiladi]

Kobe is arguably third as far as best player I'm the world goes. Funny thing is he was never the best player in the world in his career

Yes he was. The fact that Lebron is the latest love child of ESPN doesn't change that reality. Kobe could have taken that same Cavs team to the finals playing the Wizards, Nets and aging Pistons to get there, only to get swept by the Spurs. There is a reason Lebron bolted, I.e. the next two years he lost to orlando and Boston, meaning when the east got a little tougher he had to save his rep and bolt to Miami.

Kobe has been the best player in the league longer than Lebron ever was. It's amazing how quickly people forget based upon one championship. There is a reason why NBA players consistently said they would take Kobe over Lebron one on one.

Kobe is playing on a broken knee and horrible elbow pretty much the whole season. If Lebron was playing with those injuries, I would venture to guess that Lebron would lose plenty of his 'edge' cause he wouldn't be able to bowl people over and there is no way his fade away and jump shot is one Kobe's level.

Lebron has never averaged over 30 a season and has never even scored fifty in a game, let alone four games in a row.

 

[khiladi]

In all honesty, if Howard went to the bulls and rose was healthy, I would put my money on chicago. Miami had trouble with orlando when Dwight was healthy, with scrubs all around him. With rosé putting pressure on that perimeter defense and Howard operating in the middle with tubs coaching them, provided Dwight's head was on straight.

 

[MC KAos]

Since Jordan retired, Shaquille/Duncan were the best players, then it was just Duncan, then you could say it was Kobe when he was missing the playoffs, but, you know, he was missing the playoffs. I don't think you can say he was better than lebron at that point when the latter was taking a crap team to the finals. Lebron would have won those titles Kobe won with the lakers in 09 and 10, Kobe wouldn't have taken the cavs past the first or maybe second round, because of his style of play

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The correct call was made. No one would've said anything about it had Kobe not gotten hurt and cried like a baby about it. Think the NBA said what they did just to get him to shut up about it. Fact of the matter is, if Jones was able to anticipate where Kolbe's wild legs were going and intentionally plant his foot under there first then his is easily the most amazing athlete in history, possibly god-like even. The other fact is....Jones has played Kolbe a number of times and everyone with half a brainstem knows Kolbe was going to take a fadeaway. ITS THE LAST SHOT OF THE GAME!!!!!!!!! Jones knew the fade was coming and was anticipating it just trying to contest it as tightly as possible because as I mentioned....ITS THE LAST SHOT OF THE GAME!!! Was Jones supposed to back off and let him shoot? If this was only the second time in his career he has sprained his ankle then he's the exception rather than the rule. Coming down on someone's foot happens to everyone who's ever played.

It was a foul but it was not called. That's not just my opinion. It's the opinion of basically everybody I listened to comment on it but whatever.

 

[MC KAos]

It was a foul but it was not called. That's not just my opinion. It's the opinion of basically everybody I listened to comment on it but whatever.

I think It was a foul, but it was one of those things you don't often see called at the end of a game. Kind of like lebron taking 5 steps

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think It was a foul, but it was one of those things you don't often see called at the end of a game. Kind of like lebron taking 5 steps

I understand letting them play at the end of games but moving under somebody like that, that's one of those things that you can't really let go IMO. If you do, then players get the idea that you can do that on a jump shooter at the end of the game and get a no call. I think that's one of those deals where you have to make that call no matter what point in the game. Too easy to get injured and as we all know, the NBA is a star driven league. Many times, at the ends of games, your going to have a star in some kind of isolation play so the chances that it will be a star in that position is pretty good.

 

[MC KAos]

I understand letting them play at the end of games but moving under somebody like that, that's one of those things that you can't really let go IMO. If you do, then players get the idea that you can do that on a jump shooter at the end of the game and get a no call. I think that's one of those deals where you have to make that call no matter what point in the game. Too easy to get injured and as we all know, the NBA is a star driven league. Many times, at the ends of games, your going to have a star in some kind of isolation play so the chances that it will be a star in that position is pretty good.

I kind of think the refs looked away after seeing no foul up top to look at the battle for a possible rebound and didn't see the latter part of it when Kobe landed.

 

[Biggems]

I think It was a foul, but it was one of those things you don't often see called at the end of a game. Kind of like lebron taking 5 steps

he always travels.....also, against Orlando, Wade got all arm on that late block, but no call. In fact, on 3 straight possessions, the Heat committed obvious fouls, but the refs swallowed their whistles. The winning streak was preserved.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I kind of think the refs looked away after seeing no foul up top to look at the battle for a possible rebound and didn't see the latter part of it when Kobe landed.

I think it was a foul but nothing was called so it is what it is. No sense crying over it now, Lakers are going to have to do what they can do and hope he can come back or get ready to go home.

Sucks but that's the deal.

 

[jterrell]

Yes he was. The fact that Lebron is the latest love child of ESPN doesn't change that reality. Kobe could have taken that same Cavs team to the finals playing the Wizards, Nets and aging Pistons to get there, only to get swept by the Spurs. There is a reason Lebron bolted, I.e. the next two years he lost to orlando and Boston, meaning when the east got a little tougher he had to save his rep and bolt to Miami.

Kobe has been the best player in the league longer than Lebron ever was. It's amazing how quickly people forget based upon one championship. There is a reason why NBA players consistently said they would take Kobe over Lebron one on one.

Kobe is playing on a broken knee and horrible elbow pretty much the whole season. If Lebron was playing with those injuries, I would venture to guess that Lebron would lose plenty of his 'edge' cause he wouldn't be able to bowl people over and there is no way his fade away and jump shot is one Kobe's level.

Lebron has never averaged over 30 a season and has never even scored fifty in a game, let alone four games in a row.

Kobe is a legend.

All that said he hasn't been as good as LeBron in a few seasons.
Don't bring weak scoring stats in here because that is a simple childish measure of players.

LeBron is FAR better as an all-around player. He rebounds better, passes the ball better, defends better. Is simply brutally efficient.

Right now Kobe is maybe the 4th or 5th best player in the league.

Truly a great career and yes perhaps a great choice as a 1 on 1 player. Where you can remove passing the ball and team aspects.

But LeBron is on another level right now. Over 26 PPG on a team rolling people, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and true shooting percentages that are unheard of for non-centers.

 

[khiladi]

Kobe is a legend.

All that said he hasn't been as good as LeBron in a few seasons.
Don't bring weak scoring stats in here because that is a simple childish measure of players.

LeBron is FAR better as an all-around player. He rebounds better, passes the ball better, defends better. Is simply brutally efficient.

Right now Kobe is maybe the 4th or 5th best player in the league.

Truly a great career and yes perhaps a great choice as a 1 on 1 player. Where you can remove passing the ball and team aspects.

But LeBron is on another level right now. Over 26 PPG on a team rolling people, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and true shooting percentages that are unheard of for non-centers.

Lebron has been the best player the last two years and I don't give him 3 years ago, because he got utterly abused by Dirk in the finals. In fact, Dirk's play-off performance was legendary and is often downplayed, simply because of Lebron. That Dallas team also totally crushed the Lakers, which included Kobe, on the back of Dirk. That vaunted Miami defense couldn't do anything to stop him and they consistently blew large margins in the fourth quarter against Dirk and the likes of Jason Terry, with Lebron covering them. It was that same year that Lebron bumped his own coach and went off on his little 'cough, cough' routine with Dwayne Wade. The year prior, he was horrible in game 6 when all was on the line against the Celtics.

When it comes to Lebron these days, the media jumps over Kobe and has the audacity to compare him to Jordan as in the category for GOAT.

But none of that changes the point, which is Kobe has been the best player in the league way longer than Lebron's last 2 years. On his broken knee and elbow, since the all-star break he's averaging 30 plus points with 8.8 assists. And Kobe plays in the West, not a weak Eastern conference that has been as divorced of competition that it has ever been. When your talking GOAT, Lebron doesn't even come close and it's downright disrespect to a Kobe, let alone Magic, to include him in the picture. Far-better player, my foot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvWxE97FwAI

 

[khiladi]

he always travels.....also, against Orlando, Wade got all arm on that late block, but no call. In fact, on 3 straight possessions, the Heat committed obvious fouls, but the refs swallowed their whistles. The winning streak was preserved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8WL-oIgcPY

Despite Brooks horrid coaching, it's obvious that if the Thunder won this game, the finals would have been different. Even Lebron knew it was a foul based upon his expression. He wasn't even guarding Durant.

Don't even get me started on Chris Bosh's high pick and rolls, where he just dances all day. There is a reason why Collison played that series better then Perkins, i.e. the former at least was quicker, where they had a better chance at defending such an illegal move. Too bad Brooks essentially benched him from game 2 and 3 onwards.

 

[khiladi]

But LeBron is on another level right now. Over 26 PPG on a team rolling people, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and true shooting percentages that are unheard of for non-centers.

George Gervin's shooting percentage was over 50%, over a career that spanned 12 years in an era of hand-checking, averaging 25.1 points per game. His first 8 years, he was averaging around 6-7 rebounds a game.

In Kobe's 50 point streak of 4 games, was only matched by Wil Chamberlain and during this run, he shot over 50 or 60%, I can't remember off the top of my head. He is second only to Chamberlain in 40 point game streaks and had a 9 game winning streak in which they won, 7 of 9. He did this when Shaq was with the Lakers, meaning he wasn't heisting. The Portland Trail Blazers of that era would run Miami, let alone that Lakers team. The Orlando team with Shaq, Penny and Dennis would have put this Miami Heat team to sleep. Miami struggled against an orlando team with a hleathy Dwight Howard and a nunch of scrubs, because they can't defend a decent big man. Too bad there isn't a decent big man around these days, with a set of skills.

'Rolling people' is really subjective, especially against such a crappy conference and when refs are swallowing whistles and letting Chris Bosh dance all day, way worse than Kevin Garnett, on the high-pick and roll. I'm never seen such horrible high-pick and rolls in my life, i.e. just horrible basketball that teams like the Heat get away with.

 

[khiladi]

BTW, Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double the whole season.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Kobe is a legend.

All that said he hasn't been as good as LeBron in a few seasons.
Don't bring weak scoring stats in here because that is a simple childish measure of players.

LeBron is FAR better as an all-around player. He rebounds better, passes the ball better, defends better. Is simply brutally efficient.

Right now Kobe is maybe the 4th or 5th best player in the league.

Truly a great career and yes perhaps a great choice as a 1 on 1 player. Where you can remove passing the ball and team aspects.

But LeBron is on another level right now. Over 26 PPG on a team rolling people, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and true shooting percentages that are unheard of for non-centers.

I would probably agree that James is better at this point but I would not agree that James is a better player now then Kobe was in his prime. Kobe was a much better defensive player and probably a better scorer, although this last is very close. James still has more seasons to go so this could change but over the past few seasons, LeBron's scoring has been going down so I would say that it's probably not likely that James will increase his scoring averages in the upcoming seasons.

JMO