You guys owe the Lakers some thanks

[D-Dogg]

By my guys knocking off the Clips tonight, your guys clinched the division title.

 

[arthurracoon]

By my guys knocking off the Clips tonight, your guys clinched the division title.

You guys better end up as the 7 seed.

then ill thank you!

 

[D-Dogg]

You guys better end up as the 7 seed.

then ill thank you!

You won't after we beat you!!*

*The above will only potentially happen if Phil pulls his head out and plays bigs against you and stops trying to play small ball. Odds of that: 1000 to 1

 

[Yuma]

You won't after we beat you!!*

*The above will only potentially happen if Phil pulls his head out and plays bigs against you and stops trying to play small ball. Odds of that: 1000 to 1

Kobe better score 80+ a game, because 50+ against us ain't getting the job done!

 

[scotsman13]

the only way the lakers beat the suns is if they play team basketball. you know it is funny the suns take a bunch of no names and make them into special players playing with nash. the lakers take players and make them worst playing with kobe. yea no question about it that kobe should be the mvp

 

[jibikao]

You guys better end up as the 7 seed.

then ill thank you!

Yeah, I was going to say this!

 

[D-Dogg]

the only way the lakers beat the suns is if they play team basketball. you know it is funny the suns take a bunch of no names and make them into special players playing with nash. the lakers take players and make them worst playing with kobe. yea no question about it that kobe should be the mvp

Yawn.

Keep listening to ESPN and Raja Bell.

 

[Chaplin]

Yawn.

Keep listening to ESPN and Raja Bell.

You actually think that the Lakers will beat the Suns 4 out of 7 games? Seriously? I know you're a big Laker fan, and I seriously doubt we would be able to sweep you guys, but come on now.

 

[elindholm]

I would guess that the Yawn was in response to the "Kobe is not a team player" diatribe. Fans of opposing teams will hang the "selfish" label on any player who scores a lot of points. Bryant is a terrific player, and raising questions about his desire to win is a great way to look ignorant.

 

[D-Dogg]

I would guess that the Yawn was in response to the "Kobe is not a team player" diatribe. Fans of opposing teams will hang the "selfish" label on any player who scores a lot of points. Bryant is a terrific player, and raising questions about his desire to win is a great way to look ignorant.

Correct.

 

[D-Dogg]

You actually think that the Lakers will beat the Suns 4 out of 7 games? Seriously? I know you're a big Laker fan, and I seriously doubt we would be able to sweep you guys, but come on now.

And even though that's not what I was talking about, to answer your question I think they CAN, but I don't think they WILL. When the Lakers play well, they can play with anyone...we might be the only team in the league that has beaten the Spurs, Mavs, Pistons and Heat this year. However, the Lakers are too young and inconsistent to play like that for an entire series, which is what they would need to do to knock off the Suns. There is no way they get swept though.

 

[elindholm]

Given that the Lakers haven't beaten the Suns in two years, I'd have to say it's more likely that they get swept than it is that they win the series. If it is the matchup, though, I'm guessing it will be 4-2, because the Suns will lose one game to outright laziness and another when Bryant blows up.

 

[D-Dogg]

I'd say that's about right, elindholm.

 

[az1965]

I would guess that the Yawn was in response to the "Kobe is not a team player" diatribe. Fans of opposing teams will hang the "selfish" label on any player who scores a lot of points. Bryant is a terrific player, and raising questions about his desire to win is a great way to look ignorant.

Wrong.

Kobe is a great individual player but not a team player. And you cannot win entire series by yourself. May be a game or two, but not a series.

 

[Dr. Dumas]

I do think that the Suns would win this series if the two played. I think it will be 4-3 though. The way the Suns have been playing as of late, I'm worried regardless of the team we play against.

If we play Sacramento in the first round, I think it could go either way. I would just like this team to win the first round and have a shot at getting KT back. Once KT gets back, then the Suns look like a completly different team.

 

[boisesuns]

Wrong.

Kobe is a great individual player but not a team player. And you cannot win entire series by yourself. May be a game or two, but not a series.

His other post said what you just did.

 

[Dr. Dumas]

Wrong.

Kobe is a great individual player but not a team player. And you cannot win entire series by yourself. May be a game or two, but not a series.

Kobe is not in the position to be a great team player this year due to coaches decision. This team would struggle to win 25 games this year if Kobe was not putting up such huge numbers.

I think that Kobe will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Right now he's pretty much the only one on at squad to be able to get his shot off. If you surround him with other players who can also score, I believe you would see a different Kobe. We will see what happens on team USA.

In the off season, LA will try to surround him with a couple of players who can score.

 

[Folster]

You actually think that the Lakers will beat the Suns 4 out of 7 games? Seriously? I know you're a big Laker fan, and I seriously doubt we would be able to sweep you guys, but come on now.

I'm sure he does. It's just as delusional as many fans here that believe that the Suns can beat the Spurs in a seven game series.

 

[jibikao]

Kobe is not in the position to be a great team player this year due to coaches decision. This team would struggle to win 25 games this year if Kobe was not putting up such huge numbers.

I think that Kobe will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Right now he's pretty much the only one on at squad to be able to get his shot off. If you surround him with other players who can also score, I believe you would see a different Kobe. We will see what happens on team USA.

In the off season, LA will try to surround him with a couple of players who can score.

This is sort of off-topic but I wonder how Lakers did such a terrible job getting the players that can "suit" Kobe's style? They thought Lamar is the next Pippen but it turns out that he can't play up to his potential with Kobe.

So, the key question is who wants to play with Kobe, knowing that Kobe will get all the stats? I would imagine most NBA players care more about their stats than winning. If I were a young talented player, I would not choose to play with Kobe. This is the honest truth.

Is this why Lakers has all the B-list players who can't really carry a team except being Kobe's helpers?

I think that's the main problem.

 

[jibikao]

I'm sure he does. It's just as delusional as many fans here that believe that the Suns can beat the Spurs in a seven game series.

To be honest, I am hoping Mavs can beat Spurs than us beating Spurs.

 

[D-Dogg]

This is sort of off-topic but I wonder how Lakers did such a terrible job getting the players that can "suit" Kobe's style? They thought Lamar is the next Pippen but it turns out that he can't play up to his potential with Kobe.

So, the key question is who wants to play with Kobe, knowing that Kobe will get all the stats? I would imagine most NBA players care more about their stats than winning. If I were a young talented player, I would not choose to play with Kobe. This is the honest truth.

Is this why Lakers has all the B-list players who can't really carry a team except being Kobe's helpers?

I think that's the main problem.

Actually Odom is finally starting to come around and get the triangle offense. That's the problem, more than anything else. It's a hard offense to learn. Odom is playing very well this last month, and Kwame is playing much better now too. Odom is living up to his potential, and is starting to be consistent. Kwame is a defensive presence, and is slowly coming around on the offensive end. The Lakers are simply missing something that the Suns have in bunches, shooters. Guys who can knock down a big shot. They don't have any of them (other than Kobe).

BTW, don't disparage the Lakers so much. If there IS a problem, it's a combination of running the triangle offense and the very young age of the team. The average age of this team is 25, and they are running one of the most complicated offensive schemes in basketball. A few weeks ago, they were 16-17 in games decided by six points or less, a sure sign of their youth and inexperience. Yet they are the 9th best offensive and 9th best defensive team in the league. Not too shabby for a team that starts an undrafted streetballer at PG, the guy Jordan tried to ruin at C, and a 6'10" PF whose only skill is hitting completely open three point shots from time to time.

 

[elindholm]

Wrong.

Kobe is a great individual player but not a team player.

And your evidence for this is:

1. He scores a lot points.
2. His team isn't very good.

Right? Do you have anything else?

 

[nowagimp]

Kobe is not in the position to be a great team player this year due to coaches decision. This team would struggle to win 25 games this year if Kobe was not putting up such huge numbers.

I think that Kobe will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Right now he's pretty much the only one on at squad to be able to get his shot off. If you surround him with other players who can also score, I believe you would see a different Kobe. We will see what happens on team USA.

In the off season, LA will try to surround him with a couple of players who can score.

Kobe is a great offensive player, with one exception: He does not and never has shown good judgement in deciding when to pass the ball. His passing skills and court vision are also nothing special. When MJ came into the league, he did not pass well or have good court vision. MJ learned to take what the defense gives, pass when the defense dictates it, take it to the rack or shoot when the opportunity best presents itself. Kobe never learned to be an effective passer. He also dribbles the air out of the ball, making it difficult for his teammates to keep moving and expect a pass. Its what separates Kobe from MJ skills wise(also MJ's D was a little better). This was true when shaq was on the lakers and is true now. Players cannot just decide to be a good passer, its learned. Kobe is now where AI was for so many years. Kobe will be in the league 10 years next year and does not pass the ball well. Its such a waste of talent lost on the doorstep of selfish play.

 

[D-Dogg]

You are terribly wrong about him being a poor passer...he is a very good passer.

However, you are very correct in him overdribbling...if there is one area to bash his game is that he dribbles far too much, and doesn't realize he'll get even more open looks if he simply passes and gets it back on rotation.

If anything (and apparantly so, given your contention otherwise) Kobe is a very underrated passer.

 

[nowagimp]

You are terribly wrong about him being a poor passer...he is a very good passer.

However, you are very correct in him overdribbling...if there is one area to bash his game is that he dribbles far too much, and doesn't realize he'll get even more open looks if he simply passes and gets it back on rotation.

If anything (and apparantly so, given your contention otherwise) Kobe is a very underrated passer.

Kobe is so out of sinc passing that he looked uncomfortable passing in the all star game. As for being underrated, yes its obvious that the other all stars thought he was a poor passer as well, they didnt move without the ball. He didnt make one good pass, and he had alot of talent around him. Passing is about location and timing, and Kobe just couldnt bring himself to pass at the right time. Also when you are such a ballhog, other players just dont want to move around when youre dominating the ball. When shaq was with the lakers the ball distrubution went through other players, now kobe handles the ball almost all the time. Bad habits are often hard to break, you cant just turn them off. I do think Kobe is best utilized on the wing, I dont like him creating offense for other players, as he struggles with his timing. Putting this all into perspective, its just that his passing skills are not nearly as developed as MJ's were or as developed as his other offensive skills. Magic must be disappointed in Kobe's progress in this area(but as a laker exec he, of course, will not say anything).