I duno why a lot of people think him as a clutch player, but been a fan in LA and watched most of the game Kobe plays since he got drafted, he wasn't really a clutch player as many would think, I don't know where people get the idea that he is a clutch player, he misses most of his shot he attempt at last sec, I say Jordan and Horry is much more a clutch player than Kobe is.
He is clutch because he takes over 4th quarters, wills his team to win in the clutch, and can/has/will make last second shots throughout his career. You think MJ made every last second shot in his career? Hah just because he doesn't measure up to the lofty standards of MJ doesn't mean he is not clutch. Check yourself little boy.
Don't know what you are watching but if you saw the San Antonio series last playoffs you would've seen Kobe take over the 4th quarter in every game and finish them off by himself. Against a great team in a playoff series in the 4th quarter = CLUTCH. If you just define clutch as hitting the last shot vs. missing it then fine you can make a very good case for Horry. But as Jordan used to say: you have to be willing to take and miss the last shot if you want to make it.
kobe is a clutch player. I think it was in that SA series that he missed a shot in the waning moments, went up high to grab a follow up rebound, and then layed it in. This was the deciding basket in the game. That is clutch.
LMAO. Kobe was the least clutch player in the first 3 years or so in his career. But, now there is no player in the NBA who I'd rather have with the ball at the end of a game.
There is absolutely nothing you can do to Kobe in the 4th quarter to make him miss. I mean against SA and Sacramento he was being covered with some of the tightest D i've every seen on one person and he was still draining jumpers and getting into the lane. I remember NBC showing in slow motion the way Kobe drilled a three with out even being able to see the basket. The guy has to be the most clutch player in the NBA. Horry makes last second shots but Kobe wills his team to victory and just doesn't take no for an answer.
If it wasn't for Kobe exploding in the 4th quarter, Horry wouldn't be in the position to take those game winning shots that he's famous for.
If it wasn't for Shaq dominating through the majority of the game (and keeping LA in it) and allowing Kobe to be single covered, then he would not be in a position to take over the 4th quarter. I guess it depends on what your definition of clutch is. I know if I'm playing the Lakers and they need one shot to win, the person I would worry about the most is Horry. Then again, he is usually wide open due to Shaq....but still, I would rather have Kobe taking a shot than him. I will admit, Kobe hits some tough shots at times, right on top of defenders. Then again, ya gotta remember that this is mostly against single coverage (which true superstars usually dont get), and I dare anyone to sit down with me, look at some game tape, and show me that this dude is not single covered the majority of the time. On a side note, I am assuming you all are referring to the series against the Spurs. If so, then Kobe was hardly double teamed. And no, I don't consider driving into coverage a double team. Two players on you once you touch the ball (ala Hakeem) is a double team in my book.
Actually, the reason why Kobe doesn't get double teamed, is because he's one of the best passers out of a double team in the NBA. I can't remember how many times Kobe would drive, and find Shaq open for a dunk, when Kobe would be double teamed. Or when Kobe would pretend to take an open jumper, with 2 defenders running at him, only to find Horry or Fox open on a backdoor cut. Shaq has nothing to do with Kobe being guarded 1 on 1. Because defenses don't have to leave Shaq open to double team Kobe. They could leave Fisher or Fox open, but Kobe would find them. Did you watch any of the Lakers games over the last 3 years? Kobe doesn't benefit one iota from Shaq, other than the rings. Kobe is not a spot-up shooter who relies on Shaq to get Kobe open shots, nor does Kobe slash to the basket when Shaq has the ball. Kobe is a go-to guy who can burn double teams with his passing and vision.
kidrock8: If you really believe that Kobe does not benefit one iota from Shaq being there....then you are more delusional than I thought. That's okay though, we all have our opinions. We will just have to agree to disagree.
Kobe benefits from shaq no doubt, but he doesn't get wide open shots either. The truth is shaq carries the team with or without kobe the first 3 quarters but shaq doesnt do anything in the 4th. That is when kobe steps up. Kobe doesn't get double teams because of shaq and the spacing the triangle provides. Plus there is no need to double kobe, look at the defenders they had on him: Pippen, ruben, bowen, christie, and kidd. Certainly no slouch on D.
Kobe benefits greatly from Shaq on the defensive end of the floor. Knowing the Diesel is behind him to guard the basket and patrol the paint allows Kobe to play tighter defense and gamble more. It also allows Kobe to make mistakes on defense, knowing Shaq will be behind him to erase the mistake. When I played basketball in high school, I played with a 6'8" center who could jump out of the gym...having and knowing he was behind me helped me more than you can imagine on defense. I'll let you two discuss Shaq's effect on Kobe on the offensive side of the ball.
That's fine, except Kobe looks damned good when Shaq is on the bench, matched up against terrific perimeter defenders, or when Shaq is out injured. IMO, clutch players are generally great players that don't **** up. Kobe fits this description. Look at his assists. Sometimes, teams don't double cover Kobe even when Shaq isn't there, because he's so good at finding the open man. Oh yeah... and having Tim Duncan in the middle isn't a threat to a perimeter shooter. Right.
Yeah, but how clutch was he? Dosen't winning fit into the equation somewhere? Seems like the Lakers lose more....or at least a Kobe led team wins as many games as teams led by McGrady, Carter, etc. And I still want ya to sit down and watch game tape and count how many times the dude is doubled, with Shaq or without. I admitted earlier that he hits tough shots over people, but he is still single covered. Yeah, it's not good to drive into the big man. However, that's still not a double team. And even then, that big man (Duncan) can't commit 100% to Kobe when Shaq is in te game, or it's just gonna be a lob=slam.
man you are trippin, he is very clutch. look at the S.A sereies and see that reb, or the clipps game when he hit last minute shots, or the hornets game when he hit the game winner. Thats all i remeber.
He's very clutch in general, but I've notice that when he's having a bad or silent game, I've rarely seen him take and make the last shot. I even have negative vibes sometimes when a pretty good game goes down the wire and Kobe's having a bad night. I really like Kobe too, so I would think I'd remember him make the last shot more than he misses under those circumstances....
Yeah kobe rarely had that "storybook" game in the playoffs, yaknow he usually pulls through and guts it through. I have yet to see a game where he just thoroughly dominates and comes through in the clutch. He dominates in spurts, then has a few negative moments.
Put it this way. 4th quarter, 20 seconds to go...tie game. Who in the NBA would you want the ball to be in the hands of? To me, it would be shocking to not choose Kobe Bryant. It was MJ for the longest time, nowadays it's Kobe Bryant. You can possibly make a case for McGrady or Pierce, but there is nobody in the game right now better than Kobe. Not only is he able to stick the dagger in you by scoring, but he is just as capable using the pass should you choose to double.
