This game hurts Kobe's MVP chances. I still stand by my theory that the rest of the team is a bunch of scrubs. Kobe cant take on another team by himself, nobody can do that. In any case, the Knicks have actually played well as of late. They have beaten some pretty good teams. In fact, they have beaten the Suns twice and now the Lakers. They are doing their part in keeping us in the race. In last nights game, had Shaq played and Kobe sat, the Lakers, IMO, would have lost by more than 7 points. That team defense was pathetic.
Actually, SOME players can, that's why they get the MVP award!! Go back and look at the Spur's roster last year. Tell me Duncan didn't get those 58 wins damn near single-handedly!!
Okay, I did and he didnt. He was a HUGE part of it, but you need players that know their role and do their part. David Robinson still had a big impact. Steve Smith shot 3 pointers at a rate of 47%, the best in the league. Terry Porter and Danny Ferry also shot 3 pointers at a 40% clip or higher. That is a huge asset when you have an inside presence like Duncan. Kinda like the Hakeem days. Parker was a good rookie for them. Daniels and Bowen were keys to the defense too. In all, I think it is safe to say that Duncan didnt do it single handedly. He had some help.
Am I imagining things or did you just tell me to try waching a game? I have watched my fair share of games and I got to see first hand how bad TMac's defense from courtside at the United Center as he got lit up by practically everyone on the entire Bulls squad. I went back to the Hotel only to find ESPN making fun of him for his horrible defensive effort on Sportscenter (midnight telecast). This was brougth on apparently by Doc Rivers questioning his effort on defense. I brought ESPN into this because if everyone can see how horrible he plays on defense, including the brainless idiots at ESPN, why cant you? I think you need to try wathcing some games, Pal!!!!!!!!!!
After the last few games, TD is the OBVIOUS choice for MVP right now, he has the Spurs with the 2nd best record in the league for pete's sake. And the Spurs to have a horrid, horrid team w/o Duncan. You can make a statistically, argument for KG, Kidd and Kobe--but Kobe should be 4th on this list until he leads his TEAM past the others (TD clear 1, KG clear 2, Kobe is closing on Kidd for #3 though). An MVP (Kobe, T-Mac) should never come from a 9th, 8th, 7th seed in a conference unless they are putting up Wilt like numbers. And I don't know who in the right mind would rather have Hudson over Fisher as a PG. Hudson is a career back-up & journeyman who shoots too much for the amount he makes and doesn't play a lick of defense. Fisher isn't great, but he is very solid in the Laker system when healthy. Just as TD does with his journeymen and otherwise sucky players, KG makes guys like Hudson, Peeler, Smith and Trent look much better than they are because he covers for their deficiencies through his playmaking and defensive versatility. Kobe is piling up the stats, but like T-Mac he isn't making his teamates better (in fact he left poor Fox to get lit up instead of trying to shut down Houston--you can be sure KG would have been on Houston like glue) and his team isn't even 500--and way below 500 when Shaq hasn't played.
Yes, I've seen more than my share of Magic games. Sad really, it's like watch Rocket games except you know you have NO chance of winning. Thanks though, I haven't been called "pal" in a while. I will agree with you that his effort can sometimes be questioned early in the season on the defensive end. Has always been so since his arrival in Orlando, but much of that has to do with his team's inability to play a lick of defense. That's basically his maturity level. What seperates him from KG and Duncan, and why he isn't a MVP candidate. I will agree with you on that Bulls game, there were 2 specific plays in which HE was burned, but the rest of the times he was supposedly "lit-up" was because the rest of his teammates couldn't guard a middle school team, and they don't have the players to have any sort of solid defensive scheme. There hasn't been a single great defensive player, that didn't have average/above average defenders around him with a sound defensive scheme implemented. And the reason I laugh at ESPN is they take one aspect, in this case one game, and blow it out of proportion. Remember how AI turned his life around a couple years ago and was the greatest human being on the entire planet......Shaq-Yao II......the Jordan All-star starting issue......the Pacers as the next "Bad-Boys"......Yao before November was the biggest bust in history, afterwards he's one of the saviors of basketball Same **** different toilet. Kobe is on a roll now, but I hope for his sake he doesn't have a stretch of games where he's in a slump......a new drama story for ESPN. Again.....there are only 2 MVP candidates right now, KG and Duncan. Anything anyone else says you is BS.
True Freak, I changed by mind from KG being right behind him, what TD has done on this road trip is spectacular. Though IMO KG is still closer to TD than the 3rd guy is to him, and KG recent run has been close to spectacular as well. Of course I still think you don't give KG near the credit or respect he deserves--but I know you are holding out for Minnesotta getting out of that 1st round. If KG matches TDs playoff wins this year will you give him some love?
My top 3 contenders are KG, Duncan & McGrady. On each of those teams, it's like the '94 Rockets -- 1 superstar & 4 other guys on the court. You know who's gonna hurt you & you do everything you can to stop him, but you still can't.
I'll go with Garnett as a second choice. That's pretty clear. The thing is I'm not as convinced as you are on the futility of his supporting cast. Nesterovic is a decent player. Trent, Joe Smith, Kendall Gill, Strickland...those guys can all play. I don't see much of a difference b/t Tony Parker and Troy Hudson. I think the supporting casts for SA and Minn are extremely close.
I agree. It keeps getting mentioned that Duncan and Garnett have horrible players around them, but that is not the case. They dont have any stars around them, but still some very good talent.
IMO, you gotta take McGrady out of the equation. He could be player of the year, but he is not even close to MVP. I wouldnt even put him in the top 5. At 25-29, the Magic arent even in the playoffs out in the East. That is horrible. Even with Hill playing, they were a .500 team. That is not good. Throw in players like Mike Miller, Pat Garrity, and D. Armstrong, and it makes their record look even worse.
Okay, granted his team is atrocious. But like Duncan & Garnett, he's a mismatch with everyone he's up against. Night in & night out, he simply burns his opposition. And I wouldn't say his team's not good because he's not a good team player. On the contrary, I'd say McGrady is a good team leader in spite of his team.
your words were "so far." so far, kobe ain't on a playoff team. and time will tell if that will change...but rattling off 40 point efforts and coming up a loser isn't all that impressive. as someone else said, it's pretty clear he's not even the most valuable player on his own team. without shaq, this team is in the toilet.
in 1991, Jordan's Bulls finished the season with a championship as of February 17, 2003, Kobe is on pace to miss the playoffs entirely. pretty big distinction.
Well, yes, if Kobe doesnt make the playoffs, he wont win it. Thats obvious even to little 4 year olds. The season isnt over.
keep in mind, MVP is given at the conclusion of the regular season. i don't know the last time a guy whose team finished in the 7-8 range of seedings within the conference won an MVP award. it's the MVP of the regular season.
