The next few games may define KG's career. Is he just another great regular season player who can't raise his game for the playoffs--like David Robinson, Karl Malone, Grant Hill, Pat Ewing or Chris Webber, etc., or is he a guy who can raise his game to epic proportions in the playoffs like the Big Fundamental (99, 03) or Barkley (03--yeah he lost to Jordan but Barkley was unbelievable that playoff stretch). (Note: I didn't even mention Hakeem or Shaq or Jordan because those guys are another level in their top form). We will see whether this Big Ticket is just a good show or a can't miss show? If his team needs 30 or 40 points, plus 20 rebounds, to steal a game in LA or deliver game 7 the way Barkley strapped his team on his back KG needs to do it. The other true playoff great have. Game 4 will go along way to determine if KG has a special legacy int he league.
He looks pretty good to me. He has not disappeared, not choked nor received consistent support from 'his guys'.
the problem with him is that, as i've been saying for a long time, he defers too much to his teammates. granted, if a guy gets hot, like wally, he gets the ball. but in crunch time, KG has to step up. and i can't believe that he isn't out there destroying malone 48 minutes a night. Malone has the bulk...so what? KG can handle the ball better than average so when he's dribbling the ball up, why doesn't he just blow right by Malone? It baffles me. Like when Malone does that 'reach in real fast so ppl think i can defend' routine, all KG has to do is just cross over once and it's over. Garnett needs to realize and believe that Malone can't stop him. Turn around jumpers? sure. Fadeaways? alright. But i want KG to just take it to the hole and jam that **** down.
all kg does is shoot jumpers all day; he needs to get down in the post and draw some fouls and get to the line. he was like 9 of 21 last night.
You know I was watching last nite and when ever KG took the ball to the hole one of two things happen, he scored or he got fouled. I just don't understand why he doesn't do that at will. Maybe a couple of shots get blocked or a he gets a non call but come on! Just take the freaking ball to the hoop, he is so long that it would be very difficult to stop him. I agree, this series, Game 4 may define KG's legacy. I think he has the passion just please, for the love of God, attack the basket and beat the SOB Fakers!! Last nite was a very winnable game.
why is there still doubt after kg's game seven against sacramento? the dude owned that game utterly and completely. 32/21/5/4 while his team only scored 83. he stepped up as big as you can. how does your legacy change 1 week later? lets face it, the lakers at their best, when they are really trying, are the best team in the league. kg is overmatched if that happens, especially if cassell is down like he is. even hakeem, barkley, jordan, and shaq lost playoff series where they didn't put up 40/20 every big game.
I totally get that but I would like him to put up 40 pts, I think everyone remembers how Hakeem was like during 94’ and 95’. Even in losses, he came up big, KG has to do the same.
By the same token, how can your legacy be formed in one game? Mind you, it was an unbelievable game, but it, nor any one game should define a legacy. Reggie Miller isn't considered clutch in the playoffs cuz he it one game winner, he has that legacy because he has done it over and over again. Since KG's "legacy" is based on Game 7, it is eaisly changed until a consistant pattern of dominance, or choking, is established.
I agree with you guys about KG facing up and going to the basket. There is no one with the length and quickness who should be able to stop him if he decides to just bring it to the rim. While mixing it up is good, he should do two face ups moves for every post up fade away--because even if he is good at the latter it puts less pressure on the opponents and is hard to sustain. Face up Karl more and blow by him off the dribble, negate Karl's girth advantage. KG should never allow himself to be stopped one on one, and then once Shaq and everyone else has to double early in the sets other guys will be open. But he needs to have that mindset of I can't be stopped and match his talent with his will to win. That just it, the epic greats don't just "not dissappear", they elevate. Ewing, Robinson, Karla, Webber, etc, those guys could do the normal things they did in the regular season, but could never put a team on their backs and take their individual games another level in the playoffs. Those guys are great players, no doubt KG is a great player too, but can he be an epic player on the stage where the greatist dinstiunguish themselves? We all know KG was the best player last regular season, and we also know he is among the 3 most dominating players this year (TD and Shaq are the others). But is he the best in the world? He needs to beat the Lakers to prove that. Only KG he can answer them.
He has got to do much more in game 4 if Minnesota wants to get this series back home tied at two. No MVP should be held scoreless for over 10 minutes in a close game in the 2nd half of the Western Conference Finals. KG refused to take over again in the 4th quarter and that was very disturbing. Nothing against Spree or Wally, etc, but KG is the MVP, and the best all around player in the league. He needs to take everyone on his back in crunch time and if they fail, so be it. But Garnett was passing the ball out to Wally or Spree or Martin every play and the game was within 10 points at the time. That bothered me much more than the fact Minnesota lost to be honest.
This reminds me of an article written by someone on ESPN's Page 2 that said that KG might be the best 2nd banana in the history of the NBA. And now i get what he's saying...it's not a knock on KG but it's just how the guy is i guess. He doesn't have that 'yea, it's time for me to basically destroy anything that tries to stop me' mentality. That game 7 against the Kings? Granted it's pretty damn good, but if he and his team would have seen that Webber was barely walking throughout the whole series, that series in itself should have gone no more than 5 games. Garnett should have just destroyed Webber. Just like how he should destroy Malone. There isn't a single person outside of Shaq on the Lakers that can stop KG. Unfortunately, I don't think KG knows or believes that.
Let me defend KG a little bit (even though I've always believe he is more Pippen than Jordan). 1. The Lakers have four hall of famers who have all made it to NBA's first defensive team. Fisher is also a tough defender. When they put their minds to it, their defense is impenetrable. 2. With Sam gone and Spreewell's game being so streaky, Kobe and Payton often surprise KG with quick double teams. They did this a lot in game 1 and completely messed up his rhythm. 3. Malone is a good face-up defender. Despite his bulk, Malone has quick hands (or claws) and he KNOWS how to play team defense. Yes KG can beat him off the dribble 9/10 times, but Malone knows how to direct KG to The Big Eraser. 4. KG still has to face Shaq after he beats Malone. The TW centers are not scoring threats inside, so Shaq feels comfortable leaving them to pick up KG once KG blows by Malone. The rest of the Lakers play good rotation defense this series, therefore no weak spots are created. 5. The other TW players are more spot up shooters than cutters. When a team cuts to the basket, you create good spacing and motion for KG to exploit. When your team just stand around the three point line waiting for something to happen (which is what the Lakers did before Phil Jackson came to town), then everyone knows exactly what KG is going to do. Unless you are Michale Jordan or Shaq, it is hard to score when everyone knows your game plan.
some times i just think KG can be so much better, but the guy is to damn passive just take the ball and put it in the hole. he gots all the tools to give u close to 30 a game but he doest, he decides that he should pass.
Vwiggin, some very good points. But is this not also true of Hakeem or Barkley or Duncan, yet nobody stopped them at their peak (TD for whatever reason was not as dominant as before even before he met up with the Lakers). No one is questioning if KG is great along the like of Pippen, D Robinson, Webber, Ewing, etc.. But the epic playoff performers can score even when the whole team knows the ball is going to him and he is option #1. KG did show this in game 7, but that was with a pretty weak Kings team in terms of interior defense--can he do it versus a stout defense? The legends found ways to do it.
