Kobe Bryant Discussion: Mamba Out!

I splurge on Kobe videos in my spare time. The way the league is now makes me miss him so much.

 

At 37 and not as ripped as in his prime he never stopped banging the crap out of LeBron going backwards to create space. No one in league history looked more comfortable backing players down while having the ability to see the floor for passes or picking one out of his vast repertoire of polished moves to score.

 

We all do!



Game 6 against the C Bags in 2010. Down 3-2. Kobe came out and set the tone. He led us and we simply weren't gonna lose. Kobe wasn't gonna let us. He was aggressive, making plays, attacking the basket, getting deflections and getting in the pass lanes, hounding Rondo, and made a concerted effort to get Pau going which we desperately needed too.







The 2009 Finals. One of my favorite series of all time. Kobe had this immense pressure on him needing to win his first championship without Shaq. Came out in Game 1 and looked to set the tone right away. He was relentless punishing smaller Orlando defenders in the post. Did a good job orchestrating in that first half. Then in the second half he simply took over. Hitting fadeaways, mid range shots, pull ups, driving by his man to the rim, creating contact, killing Orlando in pick and roll. Was Kobe's most explosive performance of the series, but really the rest of the way each game he came out aggressive. Looking to score early and often and then when the Magic made their adjustment so did Kobe. Hit some big shots when he needed to in Game 4. Game 5 he just played a beautiful all around game to win his fourth NBA Championship. Defense was superb, rebounded well, whether it was against Lee, Turkoglu, Lewis, Kobe really did the job and even helping on Dwight. Just phenomal.



Possibly his best game that for some reason people think Kobe played bad. He shot bad, but overall to get 15 rebounds in a do or die Game 7 with everything on the line and to shut down Rondo in that second half as well doing a great job getting Boston in foul trouble. He took some terrible shots, but his ability to get to the free throw line, he was trusted his teammates late in the game finding Ron and letting Pau go to work late on the block, and he completely disrupted the C Bags rhythm with his perimeter defense.

 

Kobe > LeBron.

That is all.

 

Someone tell BSPN that 12 > 3.

 

LeBron about to lose as many Finals as Kobe has won.

 

Sorry LeBron.

 

Call me crazy, but I'm not sure there is anyone EVER that I would take over prime Kobe. If it wasn't for the Chris Paul trade being rescinded and subsequent Achilles year Kobe may have ended his career as a six or seven time champion and continuing to play at a high level up until his twentieth season.

 

Lebron will have the most ridiculous stat line of any player in history when he's done (Besides peak Wilt), but it still won't convince those of us who saw his nuts shrink in crunch time. All time great, but please keep him out of your top 5.