Kobe Bryant Discussion: Mamba Out!

I enjoy Kobe as much as any Laker fan, but it's because his numbers aren't mind-blowing in the Finals.

1999/2000- 15.6 points 4.2 assists 4.6 rebounds 1.0 steals 1.4 blocks 37% FG 50% 3PT 91% FT
2000/2001- 24.6 points 5.8 assists 7.8 rebounds 1.2 steals 1.2 blocks 44% FG 33% 3PT 84% FT
2001/2002- 26.7 points 5.3 assists 5.6 rebounds 1.5 steals 0.8 blocks 51% FG 55% 3PT 81% FT
2003/2004- 22.6 points 4.4 assists 2.8 rebounds 1.8 steals 0.6 blocks 38% FG 13% 3PT 92% FT
2007/2008- 25.7 points 5.0 assists 4.7 rebounds 2.7 steals 0.2 blocks 41% FG 32% 3PT 90% FT
2008/2009- 32.4 points 7.4 assists 5.6 rebounds 1.4 steals 1.4 blocks 43% FG 36% 3PT 84% FT
2009/2010- 28.6 points 3.9 assists 8.0 rebounds 2.1 steals 0.7 blocks 40% FG 32% 3PT 88% FT

Here's his season averages from those years:
1999/2000- 22.5 points 4.9 assists 6.3 rebounds 1.6 steals 0.9 blocks 47% FG 32% 3PT 82% FT
2000/2001- 28.5 points 5.0 assists 5.9 rebounds 1.7 steals 0.6 blocks 46% FG 31% 3PT 85% FT
2001/2002- 25.2 points 5.5 assists 5.5 rebounds 1.5 steals 0.4 blocks 47% FG 25% 3PT 83% FT
2003/2004- 24.0 points 5.1 assists 5.5 rebounds 1.7 steals 0.4 blocks 44% FG 33% 3PT 85% FT
2007/2008- 28.3 points 5.4 assists 6.3 rebounds 1.8 steals 0.5 blocks 46% FG 36% 3PT 84% FT
2008/2009- 26.8 points 4.9 assists 5.2 rebounds 1.5 steals 0.5 blocks 47% FG 35% 3PT 86% FT
2009/2010- 27.0 points 5.0 assists 5.4 rebounds 1.5 steals 0.3 blocks 46% FG 33% 3PT 81% FT

I'd say only the 02 and 09 Finals did he embrace go above and beyond his norm. His FG% is routinely worse than normal and generally is awful outside of his 02 year. He also never really had that standout performance game in the Finals. He had a bunch leading up to the Finals, but outside of the Orlando series he didn't have those "Michael Jordan" moments. It's unfair to judge him that way, but that's why the general population doesn't think he's a Finals performer.

 

It's not an anti-Kobe post. I think the casual fan is unfair when it comes to Kobe's numbers and in the end he's got the hardware so they can say whatever they want.

 

Just curious, has anyone ever bragged that they beat Kobe one on one?

We keep hearing that he was the king of the one on one game, but it would be truly amazing if he never had an off day in 20+ years of basketball.

 

I've heard stories that whenever he lost, he'd make them stay there until he beat them more than once. I forget who told the story though.

 

Thought they had left out the hanging forever shot over Dwight and dunk on MacCulloch but then they popped up near the end. Some of my favorite plays from that video are his passes though, he used to drive and draw 2 or 3 defenders and then find Shaq for the easy dunk so often I don't know how defenders didn't see it coming. Also that spin move in the paint and dish off for the Pau bucket vs the Magic. We needed that bucket immediately and he manufactured it like it was easy. Cut the lead to 3 and allowed Fisher to tie it up with a huge shot next time down.

 

Prime Jordan was physically stronger, better one on one defender and had a post up game. Prime Bryant can score at any angle, any spot on the floor, much quicker with better handles. Too close to call. In the end, the only way either one will win is that the other is dead as Doug Collins once morbidly said if a match-up were to happen.

 

No...that much stronger but has a bigger overall physique with fast hands that can strip the rock. Bryant was leaner though not exactly a twig by comparison. 1A and 1B in my book as 2's of all time.

 

Warning: NSFW cold blooded Kobe language