Phightins

Kobe's 1000 games played is finally taking it's toll on him and he is becoming brittle with all of these injuries. Better order that LeBron jersey soon! How about a shot chart for his game against the Magic on Monday? LA was a superior team without him on the floor and that’s when LA made it’s big run with Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar leading the Lakers to victory. Anyway here is his shot chart from that game where he shot an atrocious 4-19 to complete your collection. http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/philsphan1210/KobeShotChart.png So yeah, a shot chart is supposed to show me he doesn't post up? Posting up doesn't only mean shots around the basket, it can culminate in free throws, shots at the basket, and players can post up 10 ft away as well. Kobe had a good first half against Cleveland. Nowhere did I say he didn’t. However I am going to look at the big picture here including his 4-15 shooting 2nd half. Only 4 more misses and he would have matched the Orlando game! Kobe was healthy enough to play through the injury so I don’t want to hear it. If he’s so hurt he can sit out. However I’m not giving him a break because of it. It’s part of the game. Effective Field goal%? Not even the NBA cares about that stat. I don’t rely on statistics when I’m talking about defense. The only evaluation tool I use is my eyes. I have seen both Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza and their roles with the Lakers. Trevor Ariza is quicker and more disruptive. This is a fact. As someone who actually watches the games (if you can believe that!) I can confirm this. Effective field goal %? That takes all kinds nonsense into account such as a guy missing a wide open jumper and other things that the defender doesn’t affect at all. I wouldn’t be so quick to pull “Effective Field Goal %” when deciding who’s a better defender. Settle down there John Hollinger. But still give me the Rockets everytime. Show me these stats at the end of the year after LA doesn’t have 75% of their games at Staples and then we’ll see if they keep that up. Yup it isn’t out of the question for this year's Kobe. Did I not recall the point in the Orlando game where Kobe posted up and then Gasol came over with a pick and then Kobe passed it to Gasol for an easy bucket? One of the few good plays by Kobe in that game. Better late than never, eh?

New starting lineup tonight. Jrue Holiday and Elton Brand in, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young out. It's about [expletive]ing time.

That is such a cop-out. You are discrediting my opinions before I even post them because in your mind I do not know what I am talking about. It's fine that you feel the way you do about Kobe Bryant, many people agree with you, just as I am sure many agree with me. That is the beauty of arguing sports. But the way you are manipulating this is pretty laughable, and you do it ALL the time. I now realize why most arguments with you end after 2 or 3 posts (if the thread isn't locked before that). So yes, you are going against what you claim OTR is. If you find that annoying, tough [expletive], but it is the truth. If His Greatnesss or N4S or any of a variety of other guys would have posted the same things I did, would you respond the same way? Well, you probably wouldn't since I know you respect all of their basketball knowledge, but I do know you'd find some other way to drag them down to make them look like fools and make you look like you come out on top. I will reply to your most recent Kobe-related post as soon as I can sit down at the computer for a solid 20 minutes, so don't take this as me quitting that debate.

Where did I say I know more about the Lakers than you? I am simply pointing out some of my observations. I happen to think LeBron James is better than Kobe Bryant. Well, so do a bunch of other people. I am not embarrassed at all, I stand by what I said. Also, there is plenty to discuss. I also realize that this is a futile fight, since I can't recall one instance of you changing your opinion on something or admitting you are wrong, but that is the beauty of arguing sports. You telling me I am not allowed to post my opinions or civilly argue with you is hypocritical on so many levels and goes against everything you claim to want OTR to stand for. But I guess the rules are a bit different when it comes to discussing Kobe Bryant.

I have to leave now and will respond to the technical stuff later when I get more time, but I take issue with you saying I "don't watch games" and am "only doing this to rile up the fans". False and false.

Oh yeah and you can't forget Kobe's blown layup that would've tied the game and his 1-6 fourth quarter shooting.

The Phillies signed Jose Contreras to a one year contract today.

Oh really? Alright since you are obviously smarter than Phil Jackson regarding matchups why didn’t Kobe play this “good defense” on LeBron all game? Yeah I saw that Kobe jumper, I also saw Kobe miss nearly 20 shots shooting 12-31 for 31 points. Cleveland turned him into a volume shooter. The amount of positive plays Kobe made off the dribble can be counted on one hand. In fact there aren’t even any memorable enough to come to mind. His entire game consisted of posting up and getting owned by the help defense, and shooting jump shots. LeBron on the other hand won this game with his play off the dribble including the easy lay-up with the game tied 87-87 where he blew right by the entire “LA #2 ranked defense”. LeBron showed who the best player in the NBA is. And Houston of last year easily > LA this year defensively. Ron Artest looks really bulky and sluggish this year. He is clearly a downgrade from Trevor Ariza as he isn’t nearly as quick and disruptive forcing turnovers. Ron Artest doesn’t even look half as good as he did last year defensively. Andrew Bynum needs to learn how to play defense without fouling and Gasol got destroyed by Shaq last night. Kobe is nice when he tries, but he is often guarding someone like Michael Pietrus on the three point line who just stands there and waits for his shot. Fisher tries, but he is no match for fast point guards. I don't think it's any question that last year's Houston team is superior to this year's version of the Lakers on defense. The only time Kobe doesn’t post up is when he’s on the same side of the court as Bynum….. Also, feel free to come to the Sixers forum and trash them any time you'd like. It's not like you'll be hurting any feelings, we trash them plenty ourselves.

I would hope for a first round pick, obviously haha. Also I don't know why a team like Cleveland or St. Louis would be interested. They are so far off from competing, I don't know why they'd want to pay Donovan the money he is going to want when he probably won't make much of a difference anyway. I'd think he'd be a good fit on a team like Carolina, that could be decent but is clearly lacking a good proven quarterback. But I also heard somebody suggest that Mike Vick would be better for Carolina. Who knows. It will be interesting as hell to see the Eagles pretty much control the QB market this offseason though, lol.

Kobe is looking slow, he is injured, and has lost explosiveness and quickness. Did you see him trying to guard LeBron only to get completely owned, steamrolled, and pick up the Blocking foul? You like to complain about Artest guarding LeBron, but Kobe got owned just as bad. Kobe posts up with Gasol and Bynum in the game. He seems to post up on roughly half of his touches. I can recall an instance where Kobe posted up right next to Gasol, Gasol came over for the pick LOL, and then kobe passed it. I believe that was against Orlando, but Kobe only posting up without Gasol or Bynum in the game is laughable. LA always has at least one of them out there. Kobe is posting up because of his nagging injuries, showing age is catching up to him and he can't use his quickness to blow by guys anymore. As far as referring to the Houston games, no team has a duo like Battier/Artest which is way better than Kobe/Artest also. They also had a prime guy in Yao back there backing them up as well as a great cast of players that all know how to play help defense. Just a terrific defensive team overall. How about we look at how LA's double teams worked once LeBron stormed into the paint? Pretty pathetic honestly and LeBron made the Lakers look like a middle school team with his 37 points, 9 assists, on 50%+ shooting. Anyway I am done for tonight, we can continue this tomorrow sweetheart.

Are you actually seeing where these guys are catching the ball? Kobe posts up a lot now and the double comes because he is posting up closer to the rim. LeBron doesn't post up half as much as Kobe and when he does he is a lot farther from the rim. The majority of the time LeBron catches the ball is at the top of the key outside the three point line which is just foolish to send a double at him there as the offense will just pick the D apart with crisp passing. The doubles come on LeBron once he makes his move, but because of his amazing quickness and strength the double usually has little impact on what LeBron wants to do and he will get something going anyway. LeBron is too athletic and strong for these doubles to negate his impact unlike your man Kobe who is starting to look like an old man.

Nice. I enjoyed that.

I also have no clue why none of his teammates got him out of there. His teammates must hate him. Also I didn't realize what a [expletive] Brandon Dubinsky is.

Shane Victorino signed a 3 year $22 million deal today as well. Carlos Ruiz is up next.

Apparently an off-duty cop was sitting nearby and sent a text to the cops working at the stadium. Said the guy was drunk, acting disorderly, etc. As it turned out, the guy was barely drunk (he had a drink or two in his system from hours earlier), and it looks like the off-duty cop who started all this is going to be suspended indefinitely. But yeah, the break in the video was a bit suspicious, but the fact that literally every Charger fan was sticking up for him is what convinced me that the cops were in the wrong. It was an NFL playoff game with alcohol flowing all over the place...people love seeing this kind of stuff happen, especially to an opposing fan. So the fact that literally nobody in the section supported the guy getting tossed told me all I needed to know.

Not sure if anybody caught Sammy's chat with the media after the game, but it was very moving. He was talking about his trip to Haiti and basically begging fans for help. He was in tears for some parts of it.

Yeah the most annoying part about this season is that as bad as the Sixers have been they are still 10 games better than the Nets. We will just need to count on some ping pong balls bouncing our way I suppose.

Eh, "contenders" is pushing it, but they should definitely be a hell of a lot better than they are.

Lol the Flyers are auctioning off the chance to sit courtside at the Sixers/Lakers game next week with Scott Hartnell and Arron Asham. I will already be at that game with "Diesel", however. That would be pretty freaking awesome though.

Joe Blanton signed a 3 year $24 million extension today. The Phillies now have Roy Halladay locked up through 2013, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton both through 2012, and JA Happ is not even arbitration eligible yet. All at very reasonable prices too. Ruben Amaro has done a hell of a job.

Yawn

Poor Mets.... Bengie Molina is staying in San Francisco, and Joel Pineiro signed with the Angels.

Lol @ this even being a story. Wow, the media is so desperate to drag somebody down and trash their reputation.

Yeah, I will hate the guy if he ever amounts to anything with the Devils. But yeah I was reading he didn't have much of a dirty reputation until recently, but still those elbows were about as bad as I have seen.

Haha, from what I have seen dirty is an understatement. I was talking to one of my friends who lives in Canada who said that everybody up there was puzzled when he was named captain of team Canada and not many people like him.