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- 06/05/2012, 11:46AM ET
Kobe Bryant is still the best player in the NBA.
Doc Simps said 06/05, 11:46 AM
Kobe Bryant's work ethic makes him the nest player in the NBA. He has a positive impact on everything and anyone, oncourt and offcourt. Kobe is 33 years old and his body is still at peak performance, averaging almost 30 ppg at his age is rare, only few have done that. He constantly challeneges his team in every facet. Kobe excels at everything on the court he can shoot, post up, play defense, rebound. He does it all, and he still is the leagues best closer.
Hyped78 said 06/05, 12:06 PM
Kobe is still one of the top players in the NBA, no doubt about that.
But I don't think you can still call him #1.
I saw a more selfish Kobe Bryant this season.
And while this may draw negative reactions, the truth is that he had more minutes this year than last season, while posting one of the worst FG% seasons of his career.
He shot 43%. You'll have to go back to 1997-98 to see him shoot that low.
And with 3.52 turnovers per game, he had one of his worst seasons in that category. Plainly speaking: he did more errors that what he usually does.
And these were regular season tendencies which also carried through the playoffs.
While Kobe is still one of the best - I am emphasizing that again - I would argue the likes of LeBron James (MVP) and Kevin Durant (scoring champion) over him right now.
Perhaps (perhaps!) even Chris Paul, even though Paul plays at a different position, which makes comparison a harder task.
Doc Simps said 06/05, 12:19 PM
I agree with you on the fact that Kobe posted one of his lowest FG%. But Kobe was the more consistent player on his team, unlike others that didn't show up to play. That's why he had to put up more shots than normal. More games were won this year because Kobe put up more shots.
The only reason Kobe had that many turnovers per game is because his big men have NO HANDS!
Lebron has been in the league for a while now and still hasn't developed a constant mid-range game, and Lebron is a terrible closer, fans don't remember what happened in the previous three quarters only what you can do in the 4th to win basketball games. Dwayne Wade is a better closer than Lebron.
Kevin Durant, in my opinion is better than Lebron he has a far better work ethic and is a better leader than Lebron, but Durant lacks foot work, a post game(he's 6'10", he already creates mismatches).
Kobe Bryant is a leader he will praise you if you do something right, but he will get in your butt if you mess up. His impact oncourt is far greater than Lebron and Durant. Kobe has matured into a better decision maker. He knows when he's on, and he knows when to get his team involved,when they showed up for games
Hyped78 said 06/06, 04:05 AM
Of course you agree that Kobe had one of his lowest FG% ever. That's a fact!
To say that Kobe played worse because of his teammates is a bit simplistic. It's not like he doesn't have quality players playing besides him.
No, what happened is that - while still being a tremendous player - he went back to his ball hogging ways.
The same ways he had before winning his last rings. The ways he abandoned in those championship years, becoming more unselfish and getting his teammates involved.
Not so much this year.
Don't use the other players to justify why Kobe's shortcomings.
While he is indeed a leader, truth of the matter is that Kobe did some whining this season, and that included the playoffs.
Check yourself before you check others. He didn't do that.
Both LeBron and Durant had more MVP votes than Kobe, with LBJ winning the award.
And the difference in FG% is telling: Kobe had 43%, Durant had 49,6%, LeBron 53%.
In these Playoffs - and bear in mind LeBron and Durant are still playing - Kobe shot 44%, Durant 50%, LeBron 50%.
Forget the hate that some players generate and realize that Kobe is still up there, but he's not #1.
Doc Simps said 06/06, 09:29 AM
Ok, let's get back to my orginal argument, I'm getting a little off topic here, I apologize. Kobe does everything that Lebron and Durant don't.
Kobe can shoot from anywhere on the floor, he can post up, he has the best footwork since MJ,(for the record I'm not saying he's better than MJ by any means) he has the heart of a champion, he makes other around him better, he rebounds on both ends of the floor, he is a go-to-guy in the clutch, he is still a perennial perimeter defender, he more mentally stronger than both Lebron and Durant, and his basketball IQ is far greater than Lebron's.
Lebron, has been to the Finals before, he is no stranger to the post-season. However, he has yet to show qualities that put him above Kobe Bryant. The word clutch and Lebron have never been in the same sentence. When he has the ball in his hands in the 4th quarter he may score 14 points but when the game is on the line with 20 seconds to go, he chokes.
Kobe is the only superstar on his team, so his field goal percentage will reflect that. Kobe has to put up more shots than normal. Like any shooter, you always have to keep shooting
In my opinion, clutch performance puts Kobe above both.
Hyped78 said 06/07, 02:37 AM
You failed to address the fact that his FG% was one of the worst in his career.
You also didn't address the fact that his turnovers went up.
You didn't address the issue of relatively short team (Lakers) success this season.
If there's something he didn't do this year was make everyone around him better, I am sorry.
You also "forgot" about his ball hogging this year.
And yes, all of this because we're talking about now, not about 3 or 4 years ago. That's why the TD is called "is still".
LeBron won the MVP, Kobe didn't... with the Heat having more team success than the Lakers.
Durant had more MVP votes than Kobe, and won the scoring title from him... with the Thunder having more team success than the Lakers.
And, if something, when the time came, he showed little patience and some whining in the playoffs, not the type of leadership you mentioned.
No doubt that Kobe is still one of the world's true elite players. But he is no longer number 1.
And I do think you exaggerated in the way you've criticized the likes of LeBron, Durant, Gasol and Bynum.
You made them seem like amateurs.
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Comments (78) Add A Comment
Doc, isn't this kinda a no brainer? This is the set-up for the idiot picked LeBron.
[whispers: Is speaking negatively about LeBron enough to get whacked?]
Lightly Salted Nuts
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This guy is trying to argue against Brian Scalabrine...
DetroitFan*: It Is?!
Total Comments (30950)
I know LeBron draws a lot of negative heat, but what he does inside the court shouldn't.
And I also mentioned Durant and Chris Paul.
Hyped78
Lisbon, Portugal, EU
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Kevin Duran IMO. < Mavericks, Lakers & soon to be Spurs Killer >
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So Hyped, you think Lebron, Durant and CP3 are all better than the Black Mamba now?
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Total Comments (3797)
Durant, Kobe, and Lebron all draw a lot of negative heat. Lebron let the heat get to him, remember when he said he hopes the Cavs will let him come back to the team someday. Durant got heat when he received criticism for Westbrook ball hogging, Durant answered in a positive way as well. But Kobe has been embracing the heat for such a long time, he loves the pressure. Durants time is coming.
Doc Simps
Total Comments (142)
Kobe takes way to many shots away from his teammates, way to much ball hogging IMO.
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TMI IMO
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Total Comments (3797)
Kobe takes more shots because everyone else isn't consistent. He tries to get his team involved in the First half of every game. When that doesn't work Kobe does Kobe.
Doc Simps
Total Comments (142)
I see it a different way, but I'll leave that alone until all arguments are in - good luck Doc.
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*is
Doc Simps
Total Comments (142)
Leave that for the TD **** to correct, it's his job.
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agreed
foovill
Total Comments (2416)
that didn't happen
SloppyJaloppy
Total Comments (1318)
No he is not. He routinely throws up bricks in the 4th quarter, and his stats bear that out. He is darn good still, but not on top, no way.
ILUVPUSSY-KATS
Total Comments (297)
This is really a tough, tough question because all of the top players have glaring faults.
Lebron is most frequently stated as best in the league, but if you care about clutch performances then you can't pick Lebron. He also lacks basketball IQ, a consistent post-game, and a consistent mid-range shot. The reason I say he lacks basketball IQ is because 9 out of 10 times at the end of a game, he's going to dribble, dribble, dribble, fade-away outside brick instead of going to the basket or going inside to get something easy. His free throw shooting is sub-par in the clutch too. Because he's so good at everything else, but has those flaws, I'd put him number 2.
Durant is emerging as a sometimes unstoppable scorer. However, he also sometimes can't even get the ball. He lets good defenders deny him the ball too easily. He's improving on it, but in the past he has settled for a makeable, but bad outside 3 at the end of games instead of getting an easier shot when he has enough time to get a better shot. He's improved his defense, but he's not on LBJ's defensive level yet. He's not as good of a passer either. His rebounding has greatly improved.
Kobe has lots of times when he looks like he's still the best in the world. When he's on he is unbelievable. He doesn't have a weakness as far as where he can be effective from on the floor. He's great in the post, in the mid-range, and on the perimeter. However, he rarely trusts his teammates enough (sometimes deserved and sometimes not) to allow them to contribute appropriately. He appears to refuse to take a smaller role in the offense in order to utilize the talents of the bigs around him. It appears to be a stubborness of thinking only one playing style can win instead of being adaptable. He has poor shooting nights more and more frequently as he gets older and his reputation for clutchness is less and less deserved with each missed game winning shot attempt. He has lots of turnovers and rarely acknowledges his weaknesses or occasions when he performs poorly. Too often he is blaming his teammates for his performance. He's got a whole career worth of repuation for being clutch that I think are based off of about 3 seasons worth of being the NBA's featured player (2007-2010).
Just my opinion, but with all that said
I still would go Kobe 1st, LBJ 2nd, Durant 3rd.
However, Durant has been the most impressive this post-season. I'm going to wait for more arguments before voting.
SloppyJaloppy
Total Comments (1318)
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