Kobe Bryant Discussion: Mamba Out!

Anyone have Ireland's call of Kobe's makes?

 

A little late to the party. There's really nothing else to say that you guys haven't said, that was absolutely epic and something I'll never forget in my life. Thank you for all the memories Kobe. YouTube will be my saving grace whenever I need a fix.

 

Wrote this right after the game, was published today due to exit interview coverage. What an incredible night.

Kobe Bryant's Unforgettable Final Performance: http://www.lakersnation.com/kobe-br...ne-last-unforgettable-performance/2016/04/15/

 

Nice Trevor. Was worthy of Kobe's epic performance.

 

Awesome!

 

that video though...

 

I could really watch his final minutes all day long. By now, I know them by heart, but I still get impressed each time. I still get goosebumps

 

gives me chills every time i watch those last few minutes.

 

I wish I could just donate my relatively young tendons and joints and muscles to Kobe.

 

Hard to imagine that when TWC Sportsnet does a "Top 10 Kobe Moments" (already done one) - this one now has to be on the list. Who would have thought - Kobe's last game would be TOP 10 of All Time. Still loving the feeling.

 

It is a crime that Kobe won a single MVP award. Then people have the audacity to say Chris Paul deserved it over him in 2008. I mean c'mon now this guy was the best player or in the conversation for basically fifteen years. In his seventeenth season he had one of his most efficient years and led a team that was left for dead to the playoffs. If he hadn't gotten hurt I think we could've at least taken San Antonio to seven. If we managed to beat them we could've gotten to the Finals that year with Westbrook's injury.

Just go back to those back to back championships. How dominant and how many games he took over down the stretch. LeBron couldn't dream of being that good in the clutch. Game 3 against Denver. Game 2 and 3 against Houston. Game 4 and 5 against Orlando. In 2010 basically the entire Utah series. Was unbelievable against Phoenix. Can't forget that epic Game 6 which I'm sure still gives Grant Hill nightmares. Against Boston people say he struggled and he still averaged just under 30 a game. Had that epic Game 5. Really had big scoring explosions in every game except Game 7 when he had 15 boards.

2006 is the one that gets me. He was clearly the best player that year. I've heard people say Dwayne Wade was better that year. Are you kidding me? Why just because he was gifted a championship by the refs? Even a past prime Shaq was still a top ten player in the league yet Miami stans act like Wade won by himself. Don't get me wrong he was phenomenal in his prime, but he couldn't touch Kobe. Kobe had epic performances within like a month with the 62 in three quarters against Dallas and of course 81. I mean that's just unreal. He was brilliant against Phoenix in the playoffs. He made a concerted effort to get his teammates involved and still exploded when necessary. Game 6 was epic yet people still said he quit in Game 7 because he only took 16 shots. Really? Dude can't win with some people. He's either selfish or too passive and a quitter.

06-07 I believe the Lakers got off to like a 17-7 start, but Lamar went down and the rest of the team was garbage. Kobe once again left out to dry by some sorry teammates. Seriously to get them to the playoffs twice in a row in a Western Conference where Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio really were at their peak is amazing. No lineup with Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and Luke Walton has any business being anything then a bottom feeder. What was it five straight 50 point games in 2007? If that's not MVP worthy then what the f*** is?

What irks me is how everyone pins 2004 against him as well. It was a tough year off the court for brutal reasons and there is no question Kobe made some mistakes with the Shaq comment to Denver police, but does that mean Shaq had to show up to camp fat and out of shape? No it doesn't and we know that wasn't the only season that transpired. Shaq let a 6'6 dude single cover him in the Finals. Yet haters point to his numbers as why Kobe was solely to blame. Some people consider that a down year for Kobe and he still averaged 25, 5, and 5. Then of course Shaq apparently was run out of town. Same guy who told Jerry to pay me mother******. Not caring about anyone else, but himself.

Shaq couldn't accept the fact that Kobe was better than him and was out to prove he didn't need him to win and I don't blame him. All these people who don't know anything about basketball saying Kobe was just a sidekick and rode Shaq's coat tails. Why would Shaq constantly call Kobe the best player in the league if that were true? Sidekicks don't dominate an entire Western Confernce like Kobe routinely did in those runs along with close games effeciently and effectively. Kobe had so many incredible postseason performances during those three peat runs. Game 7 against Portland helping spearhead that comeback. Playing great defense and had a fantastic overall game. Game 4 of the Finals taking over when Shaq fouled out. 2001 and 2002 against San Antonio. I was there for some of those games. He absolutely obilerated the Spurs. In 01 we won game 1, but was Kobe satisfied with one win? No and that's why he willed us down the stretch. He was out for blood. His Finals numbers may have not been gaudy, but his impact was. Again he was the closer, not only that made it almost impossible to consistently double Shaq. What's most impressive about those years is how quickly he grasped the triangle offense which isn't exactly the easiest to learn. Two years in many of the Knicks still haven't learned it.

The support has been great for Kobe during the farewell tour, but still plenty of haters out there. I've seen some people even hate on his epic finale. How can you hate on that? 60 freaking points in his last game. What more needs to be said? He took 50 shots. How many players can even do that? He still shot a decent percentage. He scored like our last 20 points. They kept giving him the ball. No s*** it was his last game and it's not like he shot every time. He still passed up plenty of opportunities. Whatever though. If some people really can't appreciate Kobe then it's just sad and pathetic. This man is legendary personified. A warrior. A champion. An icon. Whether MJ fans wanna admit it or not Kobe is right up there with him. With anyone. They should be glad the NBA rescinded the CP3 deal. Otherwise Kobe would've passed MJ up. Kobe is simply the best. I won't ever let anyone tell me different. I've watched him for so long. I've seen how he matured. How he grew and improved every season. His non stop work ethic. His unbelievable competive drive. There is nobody like him. There never will be again.