Real Deal

You play the game on the court, not on a football field or in the parking lot.

Let me drop back into layman's terms for you. When I said that Kobe is a better shooter than Magic Johnson, it meant at jumpshots, long range and mid-range. Do I need to type out everything with full explanations? It is absolutely ridiculous for you to ever say that any one player is a better shooter than another based on his field goal percentage, because it's untrue. Rajon Rondo's FG% is 50% or so. That doesn't make him as good of a shooter as Steve Nash, does it? No. Same with LeBron. LeBron is an excellent finisher at the rim, excellent dunker. There's a difference. If you ask any professional analyst to list the greatest shooters of all-time, you sure the hell won't find Shaq's name in there. It will be guys who actually shot at 50% or below most of the time. You need proof? I'm sure I can find you plenty.

The difference between those two Lakers seasons was Pau Gasol...just like the difference between 2008 and 2009 (for Denver) was Nene, Chris Andersen, and the absence of Marcus Camby, who sucked defensively.

So explain how it has a negative effect on LeBron's production on the court. Thanks.

How about recognizing what a shooter is, and what a dunker is...and the difference between a jumpshot (which Shaq was terrible at) and a dunk (which Shaq was excellent at). Using your logic, Shawn Bradley was a better shooter than Kobe Bryant. Go post that on any other message board and get eaten alive.

And I already told you that sportsmanship doesn't have a negative effect on the way you play, and I proved that with the current MVP of this league. Do your eyes not catch everything posted?

Kobe has more range. He's a better shooter, just as Ray Allen is also a better shooter than Magic Johnson. Do you seriously like dodging everything you throw out there with baseless statements? Shaq is a better shooter because he dunks? I'm sure most on OTR know who's ignorant on this site...

Sportsmanship surely doesn't. If Kobe doesn't have leadership, how the hell did the Lakers get to the Finals for two consecutive seasons, and win a ring?

So Shaq is a better shooter than Kobe Bryant? LOL. We're nearly done talking now.

Please stay out of the topic if you aren't ever going to contribute anything to the forums.

Sportsmanship and leadership doesn't make you a better player, necessarily. Derek Fisher is arguably just as good of a leader as Kobe Bryant, and he's not even the fourth best player on our team this upcoming season. LeBron's poor sportsmanship doesn't drop the fact that he's the second best player in the NBA. Magic didn't have to lead by himself. He had HOF'ers and all-stars on his team (Kareem, Worthy, Cooper, Scott, Nixon, Green) that were fully capable of helping in that department, and also greatly helping him win his five rings.

So stats are irrelevant when comparing Kobe and LeBron, but they are most important comparing Magic and Kobe? LeBron is nearly the same height as Magic, by a half an inch. But okay...

Magic was probably the greatest team player in the game. Most sportsmanship I've ever seen from anyone also. Guess that puts him over everyone else.

I'm asking why do you make one excuse in here, but throw it out elsewhere? See the post above about LeBron and Kobe, just another example.

Do you seriously think Magic Johnson is a better defensive player than Kobe because he intercepted more passes in the passing lanes? So you think LeBron is better than Kobe, defensively? Because I remember you saying otherwise... And LeBron also puts up better numbers, but you said Kobe is better... http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/topic/31-kobe-or-lebron/page__view__findpost__p__322 This is a perfect example of not being consistent with your arguments.

Then why did you compare Karl Malone and Charles Barkley, when Malone isn't in the HOF yet? http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/topic/5015-charles-barkley-vs-karl-malone/page__view__findpost__p__41012

He wanted more than the MLE until just recently, when everyone else had already made up their minds. Houston picked up Ariza, Charlotte dealt for Chandler and will stick with Felton, Minny took a younger Sessions. Teams are going younger and cheaper so they can still have money for this summer. They aren't dumb. For those who need money, they will just deal a good-sized contract to get that much more under the cap. If they sign Iverson for 2-3 years and $6-7 million a year, they are screwed. Contenders don't have that money to spend, especially after they blow it on Sheed, Artest, McDyess/Jefferson, and Shaq/Moon, while Iverson wants that bigger and longer deal. Instead of assuming Iverson wants to average 30 PPG again, why not assume he wants to play alongside OJ Mayo? Even Kobe said that Mayo had the potential to be a great player and superstar in this league. Mayo is a combo guard, just as Iverson was. Why would he not want to? Memphis is an all-star away from making the playoffs. I'll say this much: if Memphis didn't have Randolph, I'd mark them down as an 8th or 9th seeded team. If they were out East, they'd be in the playoffs, Zach or no Zach. Stick Marbury or Francis on your 2008 Denver Nuggets. That ruins your team, and you miss the playoffs. That truly gets George Karl fired. Put another cancerous player on there, and remove Iverson from the squad. How about Randolph? How would that go? You're labeling Iverson a cancer. You obviously don't know the impact one causes to your team. A fifty-win season marked by Iverson as the leading scorer, and Nene out for 66 games? That's a cancer?

Is Tim Duncan better than Robert Parish? Parish is in the HOF...so I guess not.

Kobe was a point-forward in three championship seasons, Magic was the point guard. It's essentially the same exact position, both facilitating the offense.

Yeah, they think that Magic won it all by himself when he was a rookie, when that was one single game...and Norm Nixon actually put up the same 17/8 that Magic did that same season, while Kareem was dropping his 25/11 and three blocks per game, as if he's not important at all.

No, Jordan's defense was superior. Kobe is as good offensively, though. And for whoever decides to come back in and talk about Bryant's "lack of defense" and that he plays it whenever he wants, again, you don't watch Lakers games, so you have no clue what he's asked to do on defense.

Stubborn because I debate something? If I didn't think I was right all the time, I guess I have no business debating anything, and I'd be irrelevant.

I don't know, man. I don't think Vince Carter is an above-average defensive player, and I'm not sure if he and Barnes replace the hole left by a playmaking Turkoglu and the defensive workhorse in Courtney Lee. I've never seen a rookie take it to Kobe like Lee did, even though he wasn't that successful in doing so...and I'm almost positive Kobe will have it easier with Vince Carter on the floor. But on the other hand, having Jameer back is certainly an upgrade over Alston, even though Rafer played better than I had expected. If I were a betting man, I see Orlando and Cleveland fighting in the second round, and I really can't tell you who will win that series. That's tough. LeBron will eat Vince Carter's children, and the defensive attention Howard will have to give O'Neal will allow James to get to the rack with ease. Assuming Orlando does take out the Cavaliers, they will fall to a superior Boston team. I would be shocked if they didn't. As much as I hate the Celtics, they will be back in the Finals. Excellent preview. Gotta go check out everyone else's now. I'm falling behind.

I'm not going to re-answer the same thing you've said twenty times already, which was that entire post, except for this part... Shy? The Clippers, Bobcats, Rockets, Grizzlies, Heat, and the Wolves were all involved in Iverson rumors this summer, all that I have read. When Kobe was wanting out of Los Angeles, it was only the Bulls and the Clippers, with a small hint that the Mavericks and Knicks were interested. What's your point? You're putting Allen Iverson in the same category as one would put Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis. I'm going to pounce on this when he proves you wrong.

Weed doesn't mess you up? So you're telling me you've smoked mass amounts to know this? Because I've been around people I can't even talk to that have lit up right in front of me.