# Around the NBA: Kobe buzz



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Around the League (what I gathered): 

Celtics Great Larry Bird:
"That's wild. That is really wild. That's a lot of points, I'm telling you. There's no question how good he is, but when you start throwing numbers around like that, it's unbelievable. It would be hard to believe if you didn't know it was true."

Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley:
"Anybody who's got the kind of energy to try to hoist up (nearly) 70 shots is going to score a lot of point. It's remarkable, the execution and the efficiency, but we've got a lot of guys in this league, if they took 70 shots, they'd score a lot of points." 

Miami Heat G, Dwyane Wade:
"Everybody was calling. Everybody called every player in the league."

Miami Heat F, Antoine Walker:
"I think with the 81 now, no other team or other players will let that happen. Now guys will foul out trying to stop him from doing that. If someone gets 81 on me, I'm going to clothesline him." *On Shaq:* "He told us to get him 50 shots."

Tex Winter, Ex-Assistant:
"It was quite an exhibition. It's what the fans love. I don't think you can win a championship playing that way and so, consequently, I would be concerned about that. But it was a great victory and I don't want to take anything away from Kobe because it was one of the greatest I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of exhibitions."

Lakers Great, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:
"Kobe's range is unreal, and he does it his way. It was a real treat. His ability to shoot from long range and also attack the hoop, split the defense and get in close for opportunities near the basket is unique. He's made a niche for himself, and he deserves it."

New Jersey Nets PG, Jason Kidd:
"How many minutes did he play, 42? If he had an overtime game, maybe (100 would be possible)"

New Jersey Nets F, Vince Carter:
"It is great for the league, for him, just because of the buzz it has created. The only bad thing about it is younger kids, whose minds are easily warped, are going to think, 'Ohhh! I am going to go out there and do it' instead of the team concept first. That is what is missing, guys understanding how to play as a team. They [the NBA] want scoring, they want ratings, you are going to get that. You are definitely going to get them now with the amount of 50-60-point games . . . I just hope kids and young guys understand that yeah, special guys can do that. But . . ."

Detroit PG, Chauncey Billups:
"If you have it going, you're supposed to keep it going. ... Unbelievable."

Indiana Pacers Coach, Rick Carlisle:
"I don't feel so bad about the 45 he got on us now."

Golden State Warriors Coach, Mike Montgomery:
"I wish we had King Kong (to guard him). Anything we can do, we'll do."

Bulls Great Scottie Pippen:
"It's superb, definitely. Something that is new to me, that is shocking. I got the news last night about 3 in the morning, and I don't think I even went back to bed."

Ex-Bull and now-Analyst Steve Kerr:
"I'm always one to credit the guys who win. I don't know if I would have given Kobe the M.V.P. last week. But what he did in the game last night, he's so clearly the best player out there."

Hubie Brown, Analyst:
"For Kobe Bryant to do this as a guard, it is a testimony to his athletic ability, incredible endurance."

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations, Joe Dumars:
"I think it is an awesome feat what Kobe did the other night, and I tip my hat to him. The one word that comes to mind when I think about what he accomplished is SPECIAL."

Utah Jazz Coach, Jerry Sloan:
"Kobe brought his team back from a big deficit to win the game, so you like to see that. That means quite a bit more than getting points with no competition." 

Cavs Guard, Eric Snow:
"Hats off, he's the best. It's hard to get 50 in a game. He did it in a half. It takes a tough player who works really hard. I think he's one of the best ever."

Celtics Ricky Davis:
"That was a great game. It surprises you, but the guy was hitting shot after shot."

Celtics Forward, Paul Pierce:
"It's impressive,. He's probably playing the best basketball of anyone in the NBA right now. When you’re taking jump shots, you’re going to get more tired. Wilt got all layups. With the athletes that are in the game today, no, it wouldn’t happen. You would have to put more minutes on the clock. Well, maybe Kobe could do it. If he shot every time down the floor.” "

Celtics Coach, Doc Rivers:
“What was lost in all of that was that he got it going when they were down by 18 points. The other amazing part was that he didn’t get tired at the end.” 

*George Gervin:*
"To compare it to anybody would be useless. He set himself apart from everyone else. Everyone looks for another Michael Jordan, and there probably won't be one. What Kobe did was establish himself as one of the greatest scorers of all time at an early age. He's a phenom. I'm a believer, man. Now we've got to sit back and wait and see if anyone scores 82." 

76ers Guard, Andre Iguodala:
"How does the other team let him get that many points? Once a guy gets 50 points, you double him every time down the court. They weren't doing a good job of trying to keep the ball out of his hands so I was actually rooting for him.

Chicago Bulls G, Ben Gordon:" That should put all the questions to rest who's the most talented and who's the, you know, best offensive player in the league. You know if he would've had a decent first half, he might've got 100 points last night. I mean if anybody can go out there and score 25 points a quarter I would definetly say it's Kobe."

Chicago Bulls G, Chris Duhon: "I'm just amazed he got up 46 shots. That's like, uh, five games worth for me. After eight shots I'm already having to ice my elbow. You know, 46, that's just amazing on it's own."

Chicago Bulls F/C, Tyson Chandler: "We're witnessing greatness right now. We need to understand that. (asked: "Is he the best of the best?") Yeah, definetly."

Detroit Pistons Coach, Flip Saunders: "I think the most amazing thing about Kobe scoring 81 is about how easy he made it look. It's not like he made a lot of difficult shots. A lot of the shots he took were like open shots."

Phoenix Suns F, Shawn Marion: "Is that for real? You know. That's what people will probably go around saying today. Did he really have 81 points? Is that possible?"

Miami Heat Center Shaquille O'Neal:
Declined to comment.. 

Jeez that took me a bit and I'm sure I could find more.. Want me to go look? :laugh:


----------



## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

> Miami Heat Center Shaquille O'Neal:
> Declined to comment...


LMAO.


----------



## thrice911 (Jul 15, 2002)

> Jeez that took me a bit and I'm sure i could find more.. Want me to go look?


Great post man! I just wanted to acknowledge your effort in putting together all these quotes from all these NBA players and executives. I was curious what people were saying about Kobe's amazing performance and I stumbled unto your thread so thanks.


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

EHL said:


> LMAO.


Well that's what it said for him where I found the Walker, Riley quotes :rofl:

Anyways, I'm searching for more stuff..


----------



## Tyrellaphonte (Feb 21, 2004)

LOL SHAQQQQ wat an idiot i bet he feels like ****


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Elgin Baylor:
"Scoring 81 points is a truly amazing accomplishment. Of course, the most important thing is that his effort contributed to a victory for his team."

Mavs GM, Mark Cuban:
"It's amazing. Beyond amazing. He's on another level from any other player at this point. It's like he is toying with teams. If you push up on him, he just takes two steps back and shoots from further out. I hope the NBA adjusts its TV schedule so we all can see him play more. It would be fun to watch and fun to debate how far a one-man show can drag four other players in a team sport."

Mavs Guard, Darrell Armstrong:
"Imagine if our game had been close. "

Mavs Guard, Jerry Stackhouse:
"How many times did he get to the line? You'd think the Super Bowl would lead 'SportsCenter' tonight. But you know it won't. It can't. Kobe will. He has to."

Mavs Forward, Dirk Nowitzki (on if he could get 81):
"I don't think that would be good from a team standpoint."

Mavs Forward, Keith Van Horn:
"How many assists?. He didn't have any against us."

Mavs Guard, Devin Harris:
"He took 47 shots?"

Ex-Lakers Guard, Ty Lue:
Listen to Lue interview

Atlanta Hawks Captain, Joe Johnson:
"With Kobe, he takes shots that look bad, but they're not bad shots for him. He was on fire. On fire."

Atlanta Hawks Coach, Mike Woodson:
"It was just a special, special night. And I'm sure Kobe felt that way. Because 81 points is, well, 81 points, and I don't care how you cut it up. It's amazing."

Atlanta Hawks Radio Analyst, Dennis Scott:
"The most points I ever scored was 65 in the Urban Coalition summer league in D.C.. I had something like 16 3-pointers, and I'm telling you, I was dead tired when it was over. I saw the highlights of Kobe, and he looked like he could have played another game."

Orlando Magic Guard, Keyon Dooling:
"It's not just a buzz about Kobe, it's a holler. That guy is incredible. That's why he's the best player in the league."

Orlando Magic Assistant GM, Otis Smith:
"Whether you like him or dislike him, Kobe is a special player. He has the killer instinct in him that a lot of the talented players don't have. When he smells blood, he goes for the jugular. That's a (Michael) Jordan-like quality."

Orlando Guard/Forward, Grant Hill:
"I guess they say records are made to be broken. You wouldn't think it could be done, but if anybody could I guess it would be Kobe. It's just incredible. There's not much really you can say. Wow."

Orlando Coach, Brian Hill:
"Forget about 81 points. To be able to get up that many shots and still play defense at the other end of the floor, that's a pretty incredible physical accomplishment."

Hornets Guard Kirk Snyder:
"I heard about it after I had finished hanging out with David West, and he called me and said that Kobe had scored 81. My first thought was is that I'm in the NBA with probably one of the best players ever to play in the NBA."

Hornets Coach Byron Scott:
"I think Wilt's record is pretty safe unless a player like Kobe goes into four or five overtimes. I think this is the closest you'll see anybody get to it."

Hornets Guard J.R. Smith:
"The first thing that came to my mind when I heard about what Kobe did was the amount of shots he go. If anybody's going to score, it's Kobe. He can take as many shots as he wants, and nobody says nothing. Of course when you take 46 shots you are going to score, but he's good enough to make more than half of them. He's good enough to take good shots, and he just had one of those nights."

Jerry West:
"I don't know if anyone could have stopped him last night. It's so senseless to me to say he shouldn't take over like that. You give the same amount of shots to everybody else and they're not making that many, I know it. Players are jealous of greatness. Kobe is a unique talent and a unique person. His belief that he can jump to the moon is never going to change. But I admire him, what he's been able to overcome. You would think he would be a fair-haired man of the NBA with what's he's already done. But he's taken a fairly good battering."


----------



## One on One (Dec 12, 2004)

Iggy brings up a good point, though. The Raptors didn't exactly start doubling and tripling like you'd expect.


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

More:

Richie Guerin, played in 100 pt game:
"I thought the game in the second half was set up to try to have Wilt score as many points as he could. And I told Wilt this personally. Kobe's, I think is a little more special because of his size and he played in a game that was significant and meaningful. Taking nothing away from Wilt. . . . If you play a game a normal way, I think it's just about impossible to score that many points.''

Miami Heat Coach, Pat Riley:
"He might get 100. If you can get 81 . . . absolutely. He has the mentality to do that and conditioning. He's one of the best conditioned athletes in the world.''

Miami Heat Guard, Dwyane Wade:
"Not at all." - If he thought 80 points was possible 

"Give him overtime and he might have got there. Now, it's possible." - On the all-time record

"Maybe if I go home and play my video game I'll hit 80." - If he can make a run at Kobe

New Jersey Nets F, Richard Jefferson:
"He's the first person to ever get to 80 (since Chamberlain's 100). Is 100 doable? You'd probably have a better chance of winning the lottery but there's always a chance.''


----------



## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

That's some great stuff that B34C. Thanks for taking all the time to compile those quotes.


----------



## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Yeah, good thread. Very interesting stuff. I like these ones. 


Chicago Bulls G, Chris Duhon: "I'm just amazed he got up 46 shots. That's like, uh, five games worth for me. After eight shots I'm already having to ice my elbow. You know, 46, that's just amazing on it's own."

Hubie Brown, Analyst:
"For Kobe Bryant to do this as a guard, it is a testimony to his athletic ability, incredible endurance."

Celtics Coach, Doc Rivers:
“What was lost in all of that was that he got it going when they were down by 18 points. The other amazing part was that he didn’t get tired at the end.” 


Atlanta Hawks Radio Analyst, Dennis Scott:
"The most points I ever scored was 65 in the Urban Coalition summer league in D.C.. I had something like 16 3-pointers, and I'm telling you, I was dead tired when it was over. I saw the highlights of Kobe, and he looked like he could have played another game."

Orlando Coach, Brian Hill:
"Forget about 81 points. To be able to get up that many shots and still play defense at the other end of the floor, that's a pretty incredible physical accomplishment."

Miami Heat Coach, Pat Riley:
"He might get 100. If you can get 81 . . . absolutely. He has the mentality to do that and conditioning. He's one of the best conditioned athletes in the world.''

I think it's a common theme in a lot of the quotes that Kobe is just in incredible shape. That's why all these numbers where people say "Give so and so 46 shots and they'll score a lot too" are kind of silly. Once most players pass 30 shots, the efficiency takes a hit at a rapid rate. Even great athletes just get too tired. Kobe simply doesn't get tired. 

Aside from that, just a lot of respect for Kobe all around the league. He is the most feared player in basketball.


----------



## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Brian34Cook said:


> Jerry West:
> "I don't know if anyone could have stopped him last night. It's so senseless to me to say he shouldn't take over like that. You give the same amount of shots to everybody else and they're not making that many, I know it. Players are jealous of greatness. Kobe is a unique talent and a unique person. His belief that he can jump to the moon is never going to change. But I admire him, what he's been able to overcome. You would think he would be a fair-haired man of the NBA with what's he's already done. But he's taken a fairly good battering."


Hmmm... I've always considered Jerry West as one of the brightest minds in basketball, and i find this quote reassuring.

In one quote, he says:
- it's stupid to diss a once-in-a-life-time achievement;
- people who say they could score like hell if given 46 shots are clueless;
- players who smirked on the feat are just jealous;
- Kobe's drive is humongous.

Why did you have to go, Jerr?


----------



## BBB (Jan 19, 2005)

Awesome thread! 

I really appreciate the effort. 
*repped*


----------



## HallOfFamer (May 26, 2003)

Allen Iverson:


> "It was an amazing night for Kobe. Just unreal. Like watching a video game. He's the best player in the game.". Asked if he will try to top the performance #3 wasnt so humble "We play Toronto in March. I'm going to go for 100."


TMac:


> "I don't think I could score that many in a video game."


Wally Sczerbiak:


> "He's just one of those guys I have a lot of respect for. He's strong-willed and he believes in himself to the core."


Ric Bucher:


> I've never thought of him as selfish, so it's hard for me to know how what I considered a flawed view might change. I saw someone who was emotionally conflicted and immature at times. Someone who was supremely confident in himself but not always in his teammates. That's not selfish, by my definition or Webster's. A selfish player is someone who pursues his own glory at the expense of everything else, including winning. I've never known Kobe to do that. Ever.


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Houston Rockets, Tracy McGrady:
"I'm still in awe of what that kid did. It was just a hell of a performance for him to shoot the ball only 46 times to score 81 points. But not just to be able to shoot it 46 times, but to shoot it 46 times and hit well over 50 percent. There are nights I'm in the 30s of shots taken and I've been fatigued. To take 46 and 20 free throws and end up with 81 points, I didn't believe it.

"We were on the bus and Luther ( Head) yelled out, 'Kobe's got 70-something and there's four minutes left.' I said, 'Luther, stop lying.' I hurried up and got my key and went to my room and called one of my boys to put on the game and Kobe was at the free throw line with 79 points. I said, 'Are you serious?' I don't think I could score that many in a video game. I talked to Mike ( James) after the game. He said they didn't double team him — not one time. You would think after he hit 40, send two or three guys at him. When he hit 50? When he got 70? What are you doing: playing him one-on-one?"

Nuggets Forward, Carmelo Anthony:
"I don't think (Bryant) saw himself doing it. That's crazy."


----------



## Ghiman (May 19, 2003)

What a great thread B34C! Thanks for compiling all those quotes. I wish i had enough room in my signature to put all of 'em on 

BBB.net loyal poster, Ghiman:
"Yea, i was on vacation that weekend, so i didnt hear or watch the game. When i got home and logged on to basketballboards.net to the NBA General forum and read all the posts. It was just like i was at the game!"


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Here's my quote: 'Holy ****'


----------



## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*No more great debate about Kobe Bryant*

Bryant's incredible 81-point game surpasses Chamberlain's effort and leaves no doubt about his greatness.

By KEVIN DING, The Orange County Register

Everyone is entitled to his opinion. And when it comes to Kobe Bryant, perhaps more than any other athlete of our time, everyone has had one.

Yet one thing trumps opinion: fact.

And 81 is fact. It is history. It is not up for debate.

Whether cold and hard, warm and fuzzy or he-said and she-said, 81 points are 81 points, and what Bryant has done is instant sports legend. For someone whose career has been shrouded by controversy and confusion, Bryant in one Sunday night clarified there can be no doubt to his basketball greatness.

That is now documented, which is a quantum leap for someone who last season was third-team All-NBA, with this vote for him to be on the first team the onlyone he got among 127 voters.

The discussion surrounding Bryant now is nothing short of his place in NBA history. When open-minded people are presented with new information - especially previously unfathomable facts such as scoring more than anyone but Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in the NBA's 59-year history - they form new opinions.

Here is one: What Bryant did is actually greater than what Chamberlain did.

more...
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/pros/lakers/article_962464.php

======================================================
01:15 AM PST on Tuesday, January 24, 2006

'Greatest show on Earth'

Words can't describe Bryant's 81-point game

Eighty-one points!

Let it roll off your tongue. It's ridiculous.

But you have to say it because Kobe Bryant painted his ultimate masterpiece so far, orchestrating an 81-point work of art, the second-highest total in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100.

You could see fans at Staples Center taking out their cell phones to take pictures of Bryant and his historical night.

You could see the reactions of fans, their jaws dropping, mouths wide open and saying things like:

"Oh my God!"

"Whoa!"

"Can you believe this?"

"Wow!"

It was as if Bryant were in another universe, and his teammates and the Toronto Raptors were just little earthlings.

You can say what Bryant did was impressive, unbelievable, incredible, and still no words can adequately describe what he did Sunday night.

Think of any superlative you want and it hardly does justice to the magic Bryant produced.

Ron Harper, a former teammate of Bryant's and now an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons, watched the game Sunday night while at home outside of Detroit and even he was in awe.

"I was like, 'Wow! Is this for real?'" Harper said in a phone interview. "He put on a great show." 

more...
http://www.pe.com/sports/basketball/lakers/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_turner_24.df0c29b.html


----------



## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

*Re: No more great debate about Kobe Bryant*

Why did Mike James say he wasn't double-teamed one time all night? That's bull****.


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

*Re: No more great debate about Kobe Bryant*



Bartholomew Hunt said:


> Why did Mike James say he wasn't double-teamed one time all night? That's bull****.


:laugh: He probably wanted to say that so TMac wasnt as impressed or something..


----------



## One on One (Dec 12, 2004)

*Re: No more great debate about Kobe Bryant*

Let's be honest...Kobe was not doubled all that much considering what he was doing. Sam Mitchell pretty much let him do what he want. He said he tried a lot of different Ds including a box in one, but when a guy is that hot you just send 2 or 3 guys at him and leave everyone else open. They didn't really do that.


----------



## essaywhuman (Aug 10, 2005)

*Re: No more great debate about Kobe Bryant*

Thanks to Brian34Cook for the great thread. I still can't believe he got to *81* points.


----------



## Serg LeMagnifique (Aug 23, 2005)

James is lying. They did tried to double team, but kobe was finding the open space to make his shots. He should look at the tape and stop being a hater.


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

New York Knicks Coach, Larry Brown:
"That's a lot of points. He only took 46 shots. ... And he took 20 free throws, so just think about that. I think teams are made certain ways. The thing I realized is that when you have an Iverson, or a Carter, or a (Tracy) McGrady or a Bryant, they usually can get themselves good shots. But the big thing is they won the game. If you score 81 and win, that's great."

New York Knicks PG, Stephon Marbury:
"The guy's phenomenal. It's not like anyone didn't know he could do it."

Paul Silas:
"I think it's great for the league that you can have a player that can do that, but I hope it doesn't lose the focus on winning, and that seems to be getting lost a little bit and individual exploits are becoming more important. This [Bryant's performance] seems to override the fact that Detroit has only lost five games. That's more important than whether a guy can score 81 points."

Antoine Walker:
''Gary [Payton] called and told me to watch it. I caught, like, the last three or four minutes when everybody was just on their feet and he was making free throws down the stretch.''

Minnesota Guard/Forward Wally Szczerbiak:
"It was awesome. I've got a lot of respect for that guy. All the criticism he's taken over the years, I don't think it's warranted at all. He puts himself out there, he wants to win, you can see it in his eyes. Everyone criticizes him for shooting too much but he's just doing what he feels he needs to do to help his team win ball games."

Milwaukee Bucks Guard T.J. Ford:
"I think he has a lot to prove. I'm curious to know if he's trying to average 40 points a night for the season."

Milwaukee Bucks Forward, Bobby Simmons:
"That's pretty impressive. I just couldn't believe the Toronto team let him get 81. He would not get 81 on me, no way, and I wouldn't let my teammates get away with that. You know, that's a team effort. For one guy to score all those points, I think the coach should have made a change. You've just got to get the ball out of his hands. If you don't have the ball, you can't score."

Milwaukee Bucks Forward, Toni Kukoc:
"I mean, it's obviously hard to score 81 points. I watched the end of the game and the other four guys from the Lakers didn't touch the ball past halfcourt. When someone scores 40 on you, maybe you should pay more attention to the guy. When somebody scores 50, maybe you'd say we should triple-team him. When somebody scores 81, I don't know. . . . But all credit to Kobe. Watching those last seven or eight free throws he had, you could see he was seriously determined to make all of them and score as many points as he could."

Milwaukee Bucks Coach, Terry Stotts:
"Eighty-one blew those out, and that's remarkable. "It's not to say it won't be done again, but it sure is unlikely."

Houston Rockets Coach, Jeff Van GUndy:
"Eighty-one, the second most all-time, is in a different stratosphere. He's having a wonderful year. He doesn't need to be compared right now to anybody. He's doing things right now that are off the charts."


----------



## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*Kobe may be despised, but still good for NBA*

Randy Hill / Special to FOXSports.com


The more conservative-minded watchdogs of sporting and cultural protocol have placed Kobe Bryant in a category also occupied by Lee Harvey Oswald:

Kobe, they say, is acting alone.

It's a notion that's difficult to dispute. Bryant, the relentless scoring machine employed by the Lakers, put up 81 points in Sunday night's victory over the Toronto Raptors.

According to longtime Raptors insiders, Kobe seemed even more unstoppable than Isiah Thomas at the trading deadline.

But in making 81 represent more than the neutral-colored jersey number of Terrell Owens, Bryant has raised some interesting questions.

Here's one: Is the lone-gun approach good for the Lakers?

Here's another: Is Bryant's assault on the scoreboard good for the NBA?

At the calculated risk of alienating alleged purists who also whine about the league's post-and-stand philosophy, I'll offer an emphatic "yes" to both questions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
These knuckleheads have attempted to seize their upgraded basketball-knowledge certificates by reminding us that Jordan became a true champion after Phil convinced him to give up the ball more often.

Really?

Well, a review of the numbers reveals that in the three years preceding the Chicago's Bulls' first three-year title spree, MJ checked in with just over 1,900 field-goal attempts per season.

In the Bulls' first three championship campaigns, Jordan — averaging fewer minutes, by the way — still managed to squeeze off 1,886 shots per season. In Chicago's second, three-year title run, MJ launched another 1,880 per year.

What a difference. This statistical blitzkrieg is not attempted to discredit Jordan, who happens to be the greatest player in basketball history. It does attempt to prove that sometimes offensive balance is less important than offensive efficiency. It also doesn't attempt to make the case that Kobe will reach MJ-caliber greatness.

more...
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5272520


----------



## madskillz1_99 (Dec 5, 2004)

*Re: Kobe may be despised, but still good for NBA*

Great work B34C!!! :cheers:

I think the Jerry West quote is the best of them all.


----------



## ShowTimeLakers2005 (Oct 19, 2005)

great compilation.


What about our folks.. Odom, Smush,Mihm,brown,devean, Bynum, Luke, cook, Sasha etc..


----------



## Unique (Apr 13, 2005)

Rip hamilton claims to be the best fit player in the leauge, I think he is WRONG! Kobe IMO is the most physically fit.


----------



## The One (Jul 10, 2005)

Now, all Kobe needs to do is win one more champoinship.


----------



## Shady* (Jul 3, 2005)

Some interesting comments...hmm...

I hope I can watch that AI-Raptors game.

Another great thread B34C!


----------



## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

That Tyronne Lue interview is pretty funny also. "The time and effort Kobe puts into making himself better is just unbelievable" 

Question: Tyronne, last few games you've been out, has it been tough for you sitting on the bench? 

"Even when I'm playing I'm sitting on the bench, haha" 

Lue is funny.


----------



## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Cleveland Cavs Coach, Mike Brown:
"I was shocked. That's just the type of player he is, he is an extremely talented player. If you let him get going he keeps coming and doesn't know how to stop. He has that killer instinct." 

(asked about how hard it is to shoot 61% on 46 shots) 
"You think if a guy gets 81, takes a gazillion shots and shoots 40% that's still a good night, but if he is shooting 61%, you tell the guy to keep shooting."

(asked how hard it is to score 81 points in the NBA)
"It's hard, everyone has played peewee basketball, even in a 3 hour pickup game it's hard to score 30 points and that's when it's not competitive without the preparation and defenses. People prepare for Kobe by double teaming him and for him to still get 81 on 61% shooting in the NBA is just... I don't know"

http://mfile.akamai.com/12176/wma/cavaliers.download.akamai.com/12176/practicequotes_060123.asx

Starts talking about it at about 5 minutes through the interview. I summarized a lot of it so check it out if you want to hear the full thing.


----------



## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

Magic talks about Kobe's 81 pn Power 106, LA Radio station.

"Greatest performance I've ever seen in my lifetime."

link


----------



## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*Not A Big Deal*

NOT A BIG DEAL

Bryant said scoring 81 points, second to Wilt Chamberlain's record 100, doesn't rank among his top five greatest accomplishments as a basketball player.

*He pointed out that winning three championships was bigger, as was winning Game 7s in the playoffs. Even making winning shots and getting drafted as a 17-year-old ranks higher.*

"Those are the things that mean more to me than scoring," he said. "I mean, two days ago it was just one of those things. It's not something you think about, it just happens. And when it happens you go with the flow and move on from there."

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/pros/lakers/article_964131.php


----------



## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

*Re: Not A Big Deal*

More: 

Orlando Magic, Kelvin Cato:
"It'd take me 16 games to get that many."

Detroit Pistons Coach, Flip Saunders:
"Phenomenal. Amazing. (Sunday) was an NFL day. But the NBA stole the show ... I think the most amazing thing about Kobe scoring 81 was how easy he made it look. It's not like he made a lot of difficult shots. A lot of the shots he took were open shots. ... I was going crazy on the bench here trying to hold (Tracy) McGrady to 43 (Sunday), and Kobe had twice that. I said, 'I hate to see what I would have been like with a guy going for 81.' But I mean, he has the ability. He's a phenomenal player. He has a great amount of competitiveness, and I think the No. 1 thing, he said it after the game, was not about scoring 81, but that's what he thought he needed to do for his team to get the win. So I think he did what he had to do in order to get wins."

Detroit Pistons Guard, Chauncey Billups:
"That was unbelievable. I saw some of the game. It was great. I've never seen a performance like that ever ... He had it going. If you've got it going, you're supposed to keep it going. And I think people on his team should feel the same way. If you get someone on your team who's having a special night like that, it's only right to try and let it be as good as it can. You'll never see my 80. I'm not in that kind of shape to score that much. That's crazy. I think in high school one time I had 56. And my arm and my shoulder were so tired, I had to ice that thing down. That really takes so much energy to score those kind of points. ... No way I could do that."

Detroit Pistons Guard, Lindsey Hunter:
"See a guy score 81 points and nobody fouled out? That was my concern. I'm going to be fouled out of the game or something. Something has to give. My most ever was probably 48 in college and that was a big deal. It didn't even look right. I'm a defensive guy, so I look at the box, and say, 'Who fouled out?' Because if a guy is just scoring like that, I know I'm using my six (fouls)." (Raptors Chris Bosh fouled out and Morris Peterson and Matt Bonner each have five fouls.)

Detroit Pistons Forward, Dale Davis:
"No matter what type of game it is, to get 81 says a lot of his talent level. I don't think it's selfish. If a guy gets it going, if you're trying to win, you should want to get him the ball. He's the key to their team, so he's going to have to make shots for them. I scored in the 40s. I can't imagine getting up 40-some shots."

Minnesota T'Wolves Forward, Kevin Garnett (On Kobe -sorta- and Billups):
“Both he and Kobe (Bryant) are playing at high levels right now. They both have their teams on their backs. Chauncey is playing at an unbelievable level in games that, it doesn’t really signify that he’s scoring a lot, but he’s getting everybody the ball where they need it. He’s the general, he’s playing defense, he knows how to shift momentum. When they need a big shot, he’s there. He’s my MVP candidate.”

Cavs Forward, LeBron James:
“It’s kind of unbelievable these days with the way we play to score 81 points. The key point is they got the ‘W.’ ” Asked if he could score 80 or more, James shrugged. “That’s not my game to score 81 points.”

Future Laker (or not), Ron Artest:
"Right now I'm a Pacer. I've only been watching the Pacers and Kobe Bryant."

Miami Heat Coach, Pat Riley:
"I don't think so. That was a unique situation. I don't know if many other guys are capable of doing that."

Indiana Pacers Forward, Jermaine O'Neal:
"The only player of this millennium that you think could do something like that is maybe Shaq. But due to his free-throw shooting, that may be impossible for him."

Los Angeles Clippers Coach, Mike Dunleavy:
"I'd be sitting on the bench with my six fouls." (asked if it would have happened against him!). I thought Wilt's 100 points was untouchable. Now, obviously, it's probably not. If anybody could do it, I'd think [Bryant] would be the guy that could do it."

Toronto Raptors Coach, Sam Mitchell:
"No one I know saw Wilt Chamberlain score 100. But I can say, `Damn, I saw Kobe Bryant score 81.' I know everybody's saying this guy can't win a championship without Shaquille O'Neal. His thing is, `I may not, but I'm going to die trying.'"

UCLA Head Coach, Ben Howland:
"I watched that and I was astounded. Yeah, I think (he can get 100 points) if he takes enough shots. But I don't think it will happen."

Washington Coach, LoRenzo Romar:
"It's phenomenal that, while he took 46 shots, he made 28 of them and didn't make a lot of 3-pointers. I thought those days were history when a guy could go out and score 80."


----------



## shobe42 (Jun 21, 2002)

*Re: Not A Big Deal*



> Future Laker (or not), Ron Artest:
> "Right now I'm a Pacer. I've only been watching the Pacers and Kobe Bryant."


that's classic.... hilarious


----------



## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

What's the word from His Airness, MJ?


----------



## Shaolin (Aug 6, 2004)

Thanx for the thread, BC. With so much hate out there, its good to see that some folks appreciate Kobe for what he's done.


----------

