# Kobe Bryant...



## The Outer Limits (May 19, 2002)

This guy is the MVP so far...he has been absolutely Jordanesque throughout these playoffs...I can't believe how high he got in the first half for a couple of dunks...

But he's been more than a highlight reel. He's truly a leader, and the Lakers are his team to lead to the promised land this year.


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## raptors32 (May 19, 2002)

It seems that with Shaqs injuries, Kobe has stepped up. No more laughing and joking around on the court. He seems to be developing that killer instinct that helped Jordan win his titles.
I've never been a huge Kobe fan, but he has impressed me these play-offs to the point of earning respect.


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## Shaqs big toe (May 21, 2002)

Personally, I believe that Kobe can only ever gain the respect of the majority is if he steps out from underneath Shaq's ominous shadow.

I know that Kobe is supremely skilled and all, but Shaq does provide quite the distraction, doesn't he?


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## raptors32 (May 19, 2002)

He definately does, and if LA pulls it out again this year I think Kobe will be more than deserving of MVP honors.


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## TheRifleman (May 20, 2002)

Well, it certainly was an interesting game tonight! I think we almost have that series I was wanting, right? Right.

Shaq was still dominant and I think he had like 19 rebounds. 

Kobe played so-so for 3 quarters and then started hitting, but he waited too long. As for MVP, that could still go to anybody, but Kobe has looked pretty good, but his shooting percentage isn't too good. 

I still think Shaq will win the Finals MVP - that is if they make the finals.


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## fir3fox (May 13, 2002)

*OMG*

Kobe is an absolute drama queen. There is nothing in this world that would please him more than to be, “Like Mike”. When in reality he couldn’t even sniff Mike’s Nikes!

As long as Kobe has Shaq to burden most of the load he’ll never prove that he can shoulder the responsibilities of being “Like Mike”. I’ll go as far as to say that if you were to substitute Kobe for either Tracey McGrady, Vince Carter, or even Allen Iverson the Lakers franchise wouldn’t skip a beat. On the flip side, there is no substitute for Shaq and he has proven he could carry a mediocre team to the NBA finals.

After Kobe was drafted straight out of high school by the Charlotte Hornets and then demanded to be traded, I lost all respect for him as an athlete. But as ungrateful as Kobe was, it just wasn’t enough just to demand a trade, he had to force Charlotte’s hand (and the league’s) to trade him to the Lakers and no one else. What a role model...what ever happened to earning your stripes? making your own footprint?

Dont get me wrong, I recognize that Kobe is an excellent player. He's probably top 5 in the league in both skill and arrogance.

~Mitchell Gant


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## TheRifleman (May 20, 2002)

I like Kobe's game, especially his offensive game. His defense is overrated to me, as he really doesn't have any great swingmen that he has to defend out there is gunslinger territory. Most of them are lucky if they even take 10 shots a game against any and all teams, so the defense thing isn't impressive to me.

I don't think he is a drama queen, whatever that means(imitating Mike?), and I love his athleticism and his overall game. He is even starting to nail some threes, as that is a part of his offensive game that is inferior to Carter's offensive game.

He is definitely top 10, maybe even top 7 in the league.


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## TheMatrix31 (May 28, 2002)

Kobe is the *Franchise*


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## Sick (May 28, 2002)

yeah sure kobe is good, but there are a bunch of guys who are more talented than he is.
(vinceanity, the answer, t-mac)
plus both the richardsons jrich and q, are upcoming guys who could be great.


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## Shaqs big toe (May 21, 2002)

Liek I said, Kobe is in a very unique situation in as much as he gets to play his game with a huge distraction a few feet away from him.

None of the others have that.

I believe if T-Mac or Carter or Pierce were Kobe's shoes, they would get the same adulation. Once he has to carry the Lakers, without the influence of Shaq, we'll see just how god he is. Maybe he'll surprise us all


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## BizzyRipsta (May 25, 2002)

*kidd*

maybe i'm just saying this because the nets are my home team, but jason kidd deserves a lot of credit too. he made the nets go from zeroes to heroes in one season.


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## John (Jun 9, 2002)

Kobe plays a sidekick role prefectly, but that doesn't mean he is the MVP candidate at least imo.

He is a great sidekick which we cannot take anything from him but he is nout the soul of the team.


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## Home Court (Jun 9, 2002)

Kobe and Jordanesque in the same sentence? I swear that some of the people on these boards watched a Jordan highlight video then watched Kobe trying to imitate him and feel they are the same.

When Jordan was in the playoffs you knew where he was, he was always involved offensively and defensively. Kobe seems to disapear for long periods and you forget he is on the floor. He manages to keep from being exposed because other people are stepping up. Jordan was the focal point of his team and the focus of opponents defense. Shaq draws the defensive attention for the Lakers.

For a guy in this situation do you think that these shooting percentages are Jordanesque?
1st round - .353
2nd round - .455
Conf Finals - .419

He is shooting better in the finals but he didn't carry them to the finals. He is actually now hitting at a "jordanesque" rate of .537

Against Sac there were games he disappeared down the stretch or ended the fourth quarter 1 for 8. He might get there some day but right now he should be tearing it up with Shaq drawing the attention.


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## MacDanny 6 (Jun 7, 2002)

There is no way Kobe should get MVP over Shaq. Shaq is getting 37 ppg and 15 rpg. If they give it to Kobe, it would be totally unfair to Shaq Diesel.


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## Silk (May 21, 2002)

> Originally posted by *Sick *
> yeah sure kobe is good, but there are a bunch of guys who are more talented than he is.
> (vinceanity, the answer, t-mac)
> plus both the richardsons jrich and q, are upcoming guys who could be great.


I don't think there are a 'bunch' of guys more talented than Kobe.

As for the players you mentioned, I don't think Vince is more talented than Kobe. He's close, but I don't think he's above him. He doesn't have focus to the degree that Kobe does.

I think McGrady has the greatest potential of all the younger players at becoming the next NBA megastar. However, he's not there yet. He needs to show a killer instinct more consistently.

I don't like to compare Iverson to these players due to the extreme height differential.

JRich and Q are nice players, but they have not been in the league long enough for us to gauge them against the likes of Kobe, McGrady, and Carter. They are not anywhere near that level yet. Let's check them out a couple more years down the road.



> Originally posted by *Shaqs big toe *
> Liek I said, Kobe is in a very unique situation in as much as he gets to play his game with a huge distraction a few feet away from him.
> 
> None of the others have that.
> ...


Paul Pierce does not have the passing skills of a Kobe. They are a good comparison, but Pierce is not quite at his level. I think he would probably make a great second option for the Lakers after Shaq, but I don't think he would perform at the level that Kobe has.

I said my piece on Carter.

I think McGrady would go nuts in that kind of a role. I don't think he would complement Shaq like Kobe does. What I would really like to see is how good of a duo T-Mac and Duncan would make on the Magic. I think that is the potential duo that could halt the Lakers' dominance. The only problem is that it is extremely unlikely to occur in reality, so it looks as if we will never know for sure.


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## RunninRaven (Jun 5, 2002)

*Re: kidd*



> Originally posted by *BizzyRipsta *
> maybe i'm just saying this because the nets are my home team, but jason kidd deserves a lot of credit too. he made the nets go from zeroes to heroes in one season.


I am pretty sure they don't give Finals MVP to players on teams that are swept in the finals.


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## Lope31 (Jun 11, 2002)

Only once has the Finals MVP ever gone to the losing teams best player. I thin kit was Jerry West.


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