Kobe Bryant Discussion: Mamba Out!

Well, he was just praising him saying how hard he worked in practice, he's the closest thing to Jordan we've ever seen, etc. It was really just lame because Jon hates Kobe and has made that clear on multiple occasions. He has taken so many opportunities over the years to drag him down. Then on Kobe's celebration night, he washes his balls to a beautiful shine.

 

Today is the last time Duncan and Kobe - two legends - will face one another.

 

Just make sure it includes the 9-Time NBA All Defense 1st Team awards Kobe has. That's one of the things I am most proud of that Kobe has to his name.

 

In the 1980s and 1990's the MVP was always about who the best player in the league was, but in the 2000 and even today, its changed from not really the best player but the most valuable and your team needing to be one of if not the best team in the league.

I forgot the year but there was a year when MJ won MVP and the Bulls had a very low seed. Never will you see that happen today.

 

Depends what criteria that media wants to push so they can give it to whom ever they want, but Kobe was the clear MVP from 2005 to 07. He should have at least 3 MVPs.

 

my hand hurts just watching this

February 19, 2016 - Spurs vs. Lakers - Kobe Bryant Dislocates Finger And Gets It Popped Back In

 

It's funny watching that fan covering her ears as Vitti pops it back in place.

 

He's the toughest I've ever seen. Period!!

 

any normal human being would've flinched more than just a knee bend

 

This normal human being won't even watch the video

 

I'm so spoiled by Kobe that I was actually upset he let the ball go out of bounds still. He could have gotten to it!

Then I realized that's a pretty unreasonable thing to ask of 99% of basketball players these days and definitely a lot to ask of a 37 year old man.

 

lol

 

yes that was really funny to hear from Pop, he's got a good sense of humor

 

Popovich Praises Bryant's Career

Few people outside of the Lakers organization can appreciate Kobe Bryant as much as San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

After facing each other in nine playoff series over the past 20 years, Popovich got an even closer look at his longtime foe when coaching him in the All-Star Game last week.

During a practice, Popovich guarded Bryant and called foul on some of his tactics.

“He got competitive and he elbowed me so he could get by me, because I’m so quick (that) I was staying in front of him,” Popovich laughed before Friday’s game between the Lakers and Spurs. “He’s a slow, old dog and I’m quick, so the only way he could get around me was to cheat. So he raised that elbow up.”

But that’s not how Bryant remembers it.

“I can handle his quickness just fine,” he said postgame. “I just felt like throwing an elbow at him.”

Despite the playful barbs exchanged, the relationship between the league’s third-highest scorer and eighth-winningest coach is clearly built upon mutual respect.

When the Lakers visited San Antonio on Feb. 6, Bryant caught fire and scored 16 third-quarter points to help the Lakers take a late lead in the following period.

Said Popovich: “With every (shot) I almost giggled and elbowed (assistant coaches) Ettore Messina or Ime Udoka on the side and say, ‘Check it out. He’s still got those moments when he does it.’”

Bryant’s display was so compelling that Popovich had to consciously keep himself locked into the game.

“He was taking the game over and I was having fun watching, kind of like the way you would do with Michael (Jordan) when he would play,” he said. “If you weren’t careful, you’d stop coaching and you’d just start watching because they were so incredible.”

Despite his respect for Bryant, Popovich expressed relief in not having to face Bryant again. He called preparing for the 18-time All-Star “a lot scarier” than vice-versa, saying “there’s really no defense” for his ability to rise up for a jumper over any type of coverage thrown at him.

“The final fear was, even if we did that, he’s gonna rise up and still get that shot off,” Popovich said. “And he did that against a lot of people, including us many times.”