As the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship for 2010, Kobe Bryant picks up his 5th Championship ring. Members of the media continue their talk about Kobe Bryant being an all-time great, but when they start saying he’s better than Michael Jordan, they’re dead wrong.
I don’t care what happens in the first half of any game in the NBA Finals, because usually it doesn’t really matter (unless it’s the Lakers getting a blow-out win). I typically turn the game on for the last third of the action, and what have I seen this series?
Kobe Bryant missing shots.
Even when he has a high scoring game, Kobe Bryant doesn’t have the great clutch game that Michael Jordan did.
Michael Jordan never had a dominant player like Shaq to help him get any of his six rings. Sure, he had Scotty Pippen, but don’t tell me that Pippen has the same kind of affect on a game that Shaq did. Not even close.
Has Kobe won without Shaq? Absolutely, but plenty of players have multiple rings without having a guy like Shaq on their team, and they aren’t talked about in a discussion of whom is considered the best NBA player of all time.
I wouldn’t have been surprised if Ron Artest had been given the MVP for this year’s playoffs.
Sure, Kobe Bryant was the leading scorer in most of the games, but who had the most impact on the series? I’d say you could make a compelling argument for Ron Artest due mostly to his defensive play.
Yeah, they could’ve won without Ron Artest, but it would’ve been a lot more difficult.
Another huge factor for the Lakers this post season was Pau Gasol, who almost looked like a completely different player than in previous post-season series.
In fact, if you look at his fourth quarter numbers and look at the number of shots he took, you might even be able to make a compelling argument that Pau Gasol deserved the MVP more than Kobe or Artest.
Michael Jordan never went to Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Never needed to. He always took care of business. Always.
Kobe? His resume has an appearance in the NBA Finals where he didn’t end up with a ring. Michael Jordan knows nothing of that sort of defeat.
Michael Jordan had more will to win in the regular season than Kobe ever did.
1995-96 – the Chicago Bulls won 72
1996-97 – the Bulls followed up the awesome season with 69 wins
1991-92 – the Chicago Bulls hit 67 wins
1997-98 – the Bulls won 62 games
1999-00 – the Lakers won 67 games, but that was Shaq’s team, and Kobe was just starting to emerge as a good player. Kobe was a 2nd stringer on the All NBA team that year.
2008-2009 – the Lakers won 65 games
That’s it. The Lakers with Kobe Bryant never won more than 60 in a season other than those two times. For failures, I point to 2004/05, 2005/06, and 2006/07.
This year? Only 57 wins. Sure, that’s a lot, but that’s not all-time great leadership. Two seasons ago the wins were in the 50’s also.
You also have to remember that most of Jordan’s teams were the same cast and characters throughout all of them. Really, the only person other than Kobe to be on his championship teams was Fisher, and even he is starting to get old and struggle. Jordan had the best supporting cast a person could ask for, and that’s why he was being single covered, at best double covered. Kobe gets triple, quadruple teamed all the time. When the Lakers stunk after Shaq left, it’s because Kobe wasn’t passing the ball. Why wasn’t he passing the ball? His inside threat was Kwame Brown. Now that Kobe has Gasol, Odom and Bynum, he has a great cast around him. Last year with Ariza and this year with Artest solidified his cast, and that’s what put him over the top.
Jordan, while ‘clutch’, was clutch because he wasn’t getting covered like Kobe is today, and Kobe isn’t clutch because he has other people he can depend on.
Jordan never went to game seven because the times were different, the teams were different, and the game was different then. There weren’t the cheap fouls, the three seconds in the key and other rules to help offense. It was all about defense then, and he had defense around him.
To say that they could’ve won without Artest is a lie. Artest brought a new level of intensity to the team that only Kobe rivals. Everyone calls Gasol soft, but when you have guys like the best defensive player in the league and one of the most prolific stars in the game (I’ll let you decide which one is which, because you could replace either of them with each other), you learn to bring the intensity up a notch.
If not for the Lakers supporting cast, just like Jordan’s supporting cast, the Lakers wouldn’t have won anything.
I’m not saying Kobe is better than Jordan, nor am I saying he’s worse.
The only consistent supporting cast member Jordan could ever rely on was Scotty Pippen.
Kobe’s 4th title might be of high quality, but in all the other ones, he was helped out a TON by Shaq, Gasol and Artest.
And to say that Kobe gets covered more heavily than Jordan did is just crazy. Not to mention the fact that when Kobe was missing shots late in the game against the Celtics this year, he found the opportunity to take the shot, he just couldn’t drain it.
You have no clue what ur talking about. Kobe is the closest thing to Jordan have seen. The comparasions are ridiculous. Same type of game, same personality, same swagger. And now Kobe has 5 rings. did you happen to watch the Suns series? Kobe had the most ridiculous series ever, better than any Jordan perfromance. Yes Celtics made it tough for him in the Finals, by triple teaming him every time. But he is a champion and found a way to win. No Kobe is not better or as good as Jordan, but he is the only player you could ever even compare to him. PERIOD
“Yes Celtics made it tough for him in the Finals, by triple teaming him every time. But he is a champion and found a way to win.”
I didn’t see those triple teams in the Finals. What I saw was Kobe missing shots late in the game.
“No Kobe is not better or as good as Jordan, but he is the only player you could ever even compare to him.”
That’s part of the point of my article.
Anyone who disagrees that Jordan is better didn’t see Jordan play.
“No Kobe is not better or as good as Jordan, but he is the only player you could ever even compare to him.”That’s part of the point of my article.
MJ shot bad in his close out games go check the stats, maybe not as bad but they werent playing boston defense either. If its part of your point, i dont think this point distinguishes who the better player or greatest player is cuz better shooting doesnt make u a better player than the next guy. Skillset counts. Dwayne Wade shoots better than Kobe i believe pct. wise but does that make him better than Kobe? cuz we are looking at skillset. So when u say that statement , the only thing i agree is that MJ is a better shooter but not agreeing that he is the better player. I mean cmon now theres some things Kobe has done that Jordan hasnt done ok. Kobe has records to prove it. Defensively, kobe is a great defender but MJ is better. However, you can argue that Kobe was a better offensive player. I mean i dont see jordan score 62 points in 3 quarters, 81 in a game. I dont care what year MJ played but he never accomplished this and dont want to hear this crap about OH HE DIDNT HAVE TO ..or HE COULDVE IF HE NEEDED TO. Whatever! Coulda woulda shoulda, it doesnt matter cuz he didnt.
What i think is the problem is that this generation watched MJ play and then Kobe play but they never watched the older players play back in the older days when NBA started. Most of the people debating are in a era where we have seen MJ era and Kobe era but not any other previous eras so they are biased because they are going by what they’ve seen not to mention the entertainment factor. I mean would we want to see Wilt play or Jordan play, i mean who is going to give you the crazy highlights?
Must be nice to make it to 6 finals to win it all but hey kobe has made it to 7 finals and won 5. Oh MJ 6 MVP finals forgot, but wait Kobe has 2 mvps (when he his focal point) and 3 rings when he is second focal point. (however in end of game he is the FOCAL POINT. Dont forget the spurs won 4 titles and we had to beat these guys so many times to make it to finals and lets face it, on most occasions THIS was the championship series because it was either spurs or lakers that would win titles during those times. I dont remember kobe being a sidekick on this series, last time i remeber its Kobe thats torching the spurs defense and obviously shaq is doing his job but to say shaq was the mvp of that series and kobe wasnt is b.s. Sure when u reach finals and u play centers like smits (pacers) and todd mccullough(nets) you dont need to be scientist to figure out Lakers best option …hmmm Smits/Todd vs Shaq and jalenrose/miller/kidd vs kobe. we should give the ball to shaq everytime. Phil gameplan wouldve been same if it was Shaq and MJ . Give ball to shaq! etc. If the gameplan is to give the ball to Shaq so how do u expect Kobe to give you Jordan stats. So why is that a negative. A great player can only be as great as the role they have been given. If MJ job was to be the main man , thats what he did. Kobe’s job was to be the director of offense and take 2nd option role, and thats what he did not to mention throw in some 30 and 40 point games. Then when shaq left his job was to be main man and BAM!! thats what he did 2 more titles, 2 mvps, 3 final appearances in a row. So my point being if Kobe was ordered by coach to be the main man he would but its not Kobes fault he wasnt the focal point. Put MJ in here and same thing, MJ isnt first option it would be Shaq. Strategy wise you go inside to outside not outside to inside.
Also, man wheres the love for MJ teammates? I remember Scottie being ummm best 50 all time greatest, is he non existant? I mean hmmm take out his 20 points a game average in playoffs and hmm u think Bulls going to win….no…but u take MJ out most definitely no but does that mean we just say MJ did it by himself. What BS. They say Kobe did it with Pau. WTH? Pau average 20 pts a game to but he is getting alot credit to Lakers success by Lakers, media, fans. However, only true fans that understand basketball know what pippen meant. Then u got horace grant, this guy is a great defender and gives u double doubles. You take that core 3 and u take the 2nd core 3, MJ/pippen/rodman. Oh rodman all he did is won rebounding titles 7 years in row which included the 3 bulls championship seasons and ohh he is also 2 time defensive player of year and u match that up with defensive player of year MJ and first all team scottie and horace grant, you got a damn good defensive team. Also, hmmm did anyone forget Dennis had like 20 rebounds a couple times in the seattle sonics finals and has to guard karl malone. Forget the other guys, they are important too but i just want to refer to the core 3. Its so sad when u hear MJ did it by himself and Kobe had Shaq and now its Kobe had Pau. Listen, back then the most popular team was the bulls and worldwide it was bulls lakers. So, i can see how MJ fans would not be keen as to give Kobe the credit he deserves…OK some do ok dont get me wrong and they still think MJ is better..fair enough thats ur opinion but remember this:
MJ never won a ring until Scottie came. Shaq never won a ring until Kobe came. Neither MJ or Kobe won a ring until Phil Jackson came.
Who would u think is the greatest of all time if Jordan only won 3 rings and 3 final mvps and there was no Kobe? Is it now Magic? (im a laker die hard fan but i disagree id still pick MJ and alot to do with that is the offensive skillset and defending. My point being since MJ won these hypothetical 3 rings is that enough to be in the debate of greatest player and now it boils down to skillset and accomplisments/stats? If u think its still MJ, then the rings factor shouldnt be an issue for the greatest player debate. Im thinking skillset or stats right? Kobes skillset is equal to Jordan i dont care who disagrees you wont change my mind(some may argue better but im not cuz when i see them both play they have similar game and im not going to pick which skillset is better) Now u going to base on defense. The only reason MJ won def.player of year is cuz he is already first team defender and he ave over 3 steals a game. Usually centers get this award but with 3 steals a game and being first team MJ did. Therefore im going to downplay his def.player of year award(its just voted by damn media bias anways) and upplay if thats even a word hehehe about his 9 or ten time all defensive first team. Man thats crazy but kobe has been first team and second team quite a few times so when u compare both its not like MJ crushes Kobe in this stat. Everytime ive seen kobe play D when in the crunch time he plays great so did MJ so i dont care if one gets awards and other doesnt cuz thats media bias i care only about what i see with my eyes how they play defense.
so in all forget stats ok what is 25-35 poings a game during title years with 45 pct shooting (kobe) vs 30-35 with 50pct shooting title years (MJ) this is rough estimate, point being MJ is better shooter but skillset wise both are equal and skillset and rings with equavable or close stats would be, in my view, who the greatest is.
This is why i say they are equal. Two greatest players of two diff eras and if u compare both then id say equal skillset equal greatness!!!!
Maybe MJ had a bigger global impact in NBA but this doesnt determine greatest player. People just dont like Kobe cuz they think hes ignorant and has an attitude. Hey man! MJ talked shit all the time to opponents so when Kobe does it, hes asshole?He used to cry about calls too, everyone does all nba players do so whast the big deal? Oh and also cuz maybe Kobe doesnt represent himself the same way as MJ and that whole denver image.
On side note regarding this, man, let me tell u something, if my daughter got raped i would take the accused to court and wont settle for money and hope he goes to jail for life and gets raped by ppl the size of charles barkley (now). The D.A. drop case and usually when D.A. drops cases it has to do alot with not enough evidence. This is why they used a civil suit where they settled for money. As far as kobe saying “i see now how they could be a miscommunication..” forgot what he said but something similar. He only said that because he does have to admit to something so they can settle and he said the safest thing there was a miscommunication. Forget, the 3 other guys semen in her panties, yeh this chick got issues.