yeah i don't know why people want to conflate clutchness with determination. even if we concede that kobe works really really hard and maybe harder than everyone else, it's not like lebron just slacks off. he comes into every season in great shape and he's played something like 40 minutes per game 79 games per year for his career. he's much better at D and much better at jumpers than when he first came into the league. and he somehow won 66 and 61 games with a supporting cast that won 19 without him. they didn't win 60+ because lebron was just on cruise control all year, they got there because he brings about as much consistent effort as anybody night in and night out over the long slog of a season. does that mean he's the hardest worker ever? i doubt it. but it certainly doesn't imply he hasn't been trying.
Hissy fit and demand a trade? Rofl. Where did you get that from? http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/Bob_Licht_In_the_Lane-242199-31.html Your argument is based on speculation and ridiculous assumptions. LBJ plays with not one but two All-Stars (one of which is also a top 3 player in the game) and so far, all he has done is choke.
James responds to Bird's assertion: James also referenced Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird telling ESPN's Bill Simmons on "The B.S. Report" that, while James is the league's best player, Bird would prefer to play with Bryant. "It's simple, (Kobe) has five rings and I have none so it's easy to say that," James said. "If I had five rings and Kobe had none, it'd probably be the other way around." Well duh....
Larry Bird's quote from the podcast: [rquoter] “I think you should sit back and enjoy [LeBron] because I think he’s one of the greatest to ever play our game. As far as playing basketball, you’ve got to enjoy this guy. If you’re a basketball fan, you got to sit back and go, ‘wow, how’d he do that?’ But LeBron James is by far our best player in this league.” [/rquoter] Funny how the story became "Larry Bird would prefer to play with Kobe!" instead of "Larry Bird thinks LeBron is 'by far' the best player in the game".
ive been thinking the same thing. anyone who took the time to listen to that podcast will realize how the media and bron haters have flipped bird's statements into a negative
Because the majority of people who follow the NBA is aware that Lebron is the best player in the game. That's a non-story.
Don't know how many saw the Laker/Celtic game tonight, but it was a perfect example of how often those bigs save Kobe's ass with his bricking.
because nobody questions lebron's talent. they question whether or not he can win and with that much talent (of course) questions of "how does he stack up against the previous best" come up. it says a lot that he would rather team with kobe over lebron the best player in the league. lebron also shouldnt take offense but re-examine his game and attitude to finally start winning when it counts.
Right, KG doubled Kobe on every P&R and Gasol just couldn't hit those open jumper. No wonder Kobe had to force himself and Gasol was free under the rim.
No, he didn't. Kenny Smith had a perfect halftime breakdown on how the bigs help him and vice versa. He wasn't being doubled everytime towards the end of the 4th and in OT. He had PLENTY of 1-1 looks. Just missed....bigs played big. If LeBron missed the tying points with 10 ticks left and went 1-5 in OT you would be calling him a choker, lol.
thats bc lebron does that pretty often, and not only that, he doesn't bail it out with extremely clutch games, it seems he just turns it off in clutch times so many times nad it seems to have gotten worse rather than better over time.
You need to have a better pair of glasses. They didn't go to Kobe in the end of the 4th. Blake handles the ball and he couldn't hit Kobe or create anything. For OT, KG doubled Kobe on every drive and P&R, on one possession Gasol missed an open jumper, another possession he got the open in the paint and he passed out to Blake, who converted a long 2, most other possessions he hesitated and passed back. Barnes and MWP both got open 3 and they couldn't make it. Their offense was stagnant because they didn't have any shooter, Fisher was 0-7 for the night. Fortunately KG's help defense put Gasol in good position to get those rebounds. It wasn't like Gasol jumping over KG, he got the inside position when Kobe threw those bricks.
I seen it. AS always, kobe was tryna play hero ball and kept jackin up circus shots to try to look good. Last one he throws up, lakers down by 2, if he misses its game over. Sure enough he bricks it but guess whos there for the putback? Of course gasol, jist like when he saved his ass against okc in the playoffs. Kobe is only as good as his bigs.
Just listened to the podcast and yeah. Bird said Lebron is the best player by far in the NBA. No one else has his skillset. Kobe is the proven winner though
In the podcast Bird says there are no PGs in this year's draft. Has a laugh, that if you have a PG, you better hold onto him.
