Kobe is completely and utterly overrated defensively, and has been for years. People jumped at the idea of "he takes on the other team's best player!" in 1999-00 because it's what they want to believe, but it's utter tripe. He's played some of the worst D I've ever seen in 2004-05. That said, he's also played some of the best. He turns it on when he wants to, and when he has to. He, very often, doesn't have to. He's a fantastic player. He's the best SG of our generation. But he's nowhere near MJ, and he was only even close to the best player in the NBA for one year (2005-06). But Kobe has been overrated so much that, when you try to take him down a peg (if MJ is a 10, Kobe's a 7, but people think you hate him when you don't consider him a 9 or a 10), you get branded a "hater" that dislikes him for reasons beyond basketball.
There's no way Kobe's left off of the first team All-NBA. He should be, but he won't be. Same, even more so, with the All-Defensive team. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he wins another MVP award.
The guy is just a really enthusiastic fantasy basketball player, nothing more. I doubt he so much as played high school ball. That's not exactly the type of guy I want to get analysis from.
If Kobe is such a dominant defender, why did he never guard Paul Pierce in last year's finals? Was he saving himself for the Olympics or something? Kobe is a good help defender, lazy on-ball defender(almost always guards the weaker perimeter player) and is in no way superior to LeBron or Wade on that end of the court. I watch almost every Laker game and Kobe gambles more than LeBron and Wade do. I'm not saying that he isn't capable of great defense, but in the last 3 years he has been merely above average.
In Kobe's defense, I do recall him guarding Pierce at least at the end of game 5 last year. And as you note, rather than playing great on the ball defense, he made a stupid gamble on one of the last plays of the game, got lucky and picked a steal and got a breakaway dunk to seal the game.
Kobe is a great defender, especially when he tries, but as a great offensive player, he obviously focuses most of his energy to his offensive game, i don't think kobe's defense is overrated at all, but honestly, MJ is overrated on everything, including his defense
As an aside, remember when the champion Lakers turned to Teisha Lue to try to slow down an in his prime AI, not Kobe? I see when have some of our two biggest KBLs (lickers) around here back after their nice post game 6 finals hiatus, ImmoralD24 and UCEnvy . There is no way he breaks in with Paul and Wade having the guard spots--it would be too obvious of crime. Unless Kobe wants to start playing forward so he can join Lebron there. But like I said, just wait, the media will trump up "his defensive focus" and "commitment to the team 1st" as reflective of him giving up the MVP pursuit to "share the rock" and being 2nd team all NBA. Until of course the road gets a few bumps in the playoffs and he goes AWAL from his team again.
