Kobe's fingers and hand after games

[Nitro]

You stated otherwise in this post, dude...

 

Bryant driving more to the rim would result in more physical damage. It's not up for debate, it's a fact that has been proven by many, many players over the years.

 

Put what I said into perspective...I said IF he had better shot selection, specifically throughout his prime, he would have had a higher peak. Like I said in my last post, he probably would have been shooting around 48-50% from the field at least, which would have increased his scoring production without increasing volume. Also, like I said in my last post, once he started losing his legs his play would have reduced to what we see now, at least when it comes to efficiency. That constitutes as a drop-off. It is marvelous that Kobe has maintained such fantastic consistency over the years, but HE ROBBED HIMSELF of being the player he could have been for a good 5-6 year span simply because he had poor shot selection.

 

And yes, driving to the rim more would likely have resulted in more physical damage, but you can't use that to justify poor shot selection. Using that logic, it'd be fair to not criticize LeBron for taking 5+ 3's per game last season. And once Kobe started to pile up some injuries, that's when he should have adjusted his game to a style we're accustomed to seeing from him.

 

Developing a consistent jumper throughout practice and hard work? Did Kobe never work hard enough?

 

What are you talking about? I said Kobe having better shot selection during games wouldn't have affected how his jumper eventually developed. AI is a horrible comparison because he never developed a great jumper in the first place, and he didn't have the size to be an effective SG once he lost his speed. MJ is a much better comparison because he and Kobe have virtually the same build. Jordan had terrific shot selection early in his career and during his prime, gradually adding a jumper and some post moves to the mix. After he came back and the Bulls got bounced by the Magic, he spent the summer adding muscle and developing his jumper and post game. Because those were naturally lower percentage shots than what he used to take when he had his prime athleticism, his efficiency dropped to about what you see from Kobe now (even if you factor in pace and different era's between the '80's and mid-late '90's, Jordan was still going to be a 50% scorer from the field when he had that athleticism).

 

But, of course, it's Kobe...and you'll be in the topic no matter what it's about, right?

 

Only when you make some ridiculous claim regarding Kobe, specifically when someone says something that doesn't favor Kobe and you put the blame on his teammates, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers Dancers or whoever. Sometimes you're right, like in regards to your posts in the Knicks topic about Kobe's trade demands, but other times you are wrong. And you play it off like you're a die-hard Lakers fan, yet when Gasol was playing the best basketball on the Lakers earlier this season you'd pounce on people for that assertion. When the Lakers succeed, it is all Kobe. When they don't succeed, it is Kobe's fingers and everyone else's fault.

[Real Deal]

Put what I said into perspective...I said IF he had better shot selection, specifically throughout his prime, he would have had a higher peak. Like I said in my last post, he probably would have been shooting around 48-50% from the field at least, which would have increased his scoring production without increasing volume. Also, like I said in my last post, once he started losing his legs his play would have reduced to what we see now, at least when it comes to efficiency. That constitutes as a drop-off. It is marvelous that Kobe has maintained such fantastic consistency over the years, but HE ROBBED HIMSELF of being the player he could have been for a good 5-6 year span simply because he had poor shot selection.

 

And yes, driving to the rim more would likely have resulted in more physical damage, but you can't use that to justify poor shot selection. Using that logic, it'd be fair to not criticize LeBron for taking 5+ 3's per game last season. And once Kobe started to pile up some injuries, that's when he should have adjusted his game to a style we're accustomed to seeing from him.

 

 

 

What are you talking about? I said Kobe having better shot selection during games wouldn't have affected how his jumper eventually developed. AI is a horrible comparison because he never developed a great jumper in the first place, and he didn't have the size to be an effective SG once he lost his speed. MJ is a much better comparison because he and Kobe have virtually the same build. Jordan had terrific shot selection early in his career and during his prime, gradually adding a jumper and some post moves to the mix. After he came back and the Bulls got bounced by the Magic, he spent the summer adding muscle and developing his jumper and post game. Because those were naturally lower percentage shots than what he used to take when he had his prime athleticism, his efficiency dropped to about what you see from Kobe now (even if you factor in pace and different era's between the '80's and mid-late '90's, Jordan was still going to be a 50% scorer from the field when he had that athleticism).

Dude, his knees would be giving out much earlier if he was driving to the rim more often. How many years did Jordan last again? That's right...13 full seasons, two of which he was not contending and a leader at the end of his career with Washington.

 

Kobe is on his 15th, leading a contender to what could be his sixth ring.

 

Bryant and Shaq were done, no matter what Kobe was shooting from the floor. Kobe, driving to the rim and in his prime, would still be ousted in the first, second or conference finals (which would be insane if he got there with the team he had) post-Shaq and pre-Gasol.

 

It's no surprise you bring Jordan back into the discussion. I'd be surprised if people aren't sick of hearing about him by now. If there's any way I could ever start to hate arguably my favorite player of all-time, this would have to be the way to go about it.

 

Only when you make some ridiculous claim regarding Kobe, specifically when someone says something that doesn't favor Kobe and you put the blame on his teammates, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers Dancers or whoever. Sometimes you're right, like in regards to your posts in the Knicks topic about Kobe's trade demands, but other times you are wrong.

What claim? For one, this topic is NOT about his shooting percentages from back when he was young or in his absolute prime. It's not about Michael Jordan, just like it wasn't about LeBron James earlier. Not about any of that. It's about his injury, creeping back into the picture when we don't need it to.

 

Yeah, I wanted Kobe to average 40/10/10 on 60% FG and shoot 90% from FT and 50% from three, but I'm pretty happy with his five rings, his 35 PPG average, his 81-point game, his four-consecutive 50's, his defense, and the rest of his scoring.

 

It's obvious none of that is good enough for you, so I'm sorry you're drowning in the Jordan love-fest again.

 

And you play it off like you're a die-hard Lakers fan, yet when Gasol was playing the best basketball on the Lakers earlier this season you'd pounce on people for that assertion. When the Lakers succeed, it is all Kobe. When they don't succeed, it is Kobe's fingers and everyone else's fault.

For one, I actually represent a team under my avatar, and I've been repping them even through the 2004-05 34-win season, and the two first-round losses without Shaq. I've wrote countless season previews that are longer than what anyone has ever written, that I've seen on a message board, for the Lakers. I also moderated one Lakers site for two years, and now I've administrated one for another two years (and put up the forums as well).

 

Don't bother ever telling me I'm not a die-hard fan of this team. Just because I don't live in Los Angeles and didn't have my parents telling me who to root for doesn't mean I'm not a fan. I had to find someone to root for, and some reason to do it.

 

As far as me not giving credit to Gasol...

 

http://thelakersnation.com/forums/index.php?/topic/44938-who-would-you-give-mvp-to-on-the-lakers/page__view__findpost__p__808197

 

That was when he was playing out of his mind...and I even stuck Odom over Bryant.

 

Please, get out of the topic if you're going to do that garbage, dude. That's a complete slap in the face, and you have no ground to stand on.