Who do you think is better Prime PIPPEN or Present KOBE?

If you're talking about pure basketball skills, I'll take Kobe. Better handles, quicker, more prolific at creating his own shot, better in the clutch, and about as equal defensively...

Of course, to truly answer this question, we'll have to see how many rings Kobe wins after Shaq retires...

 

It depends. If you're building a a franchise around either one I wouldn't take either truthfully. Kobe hasn't proven he could carry a franchise, and while Pippen has the talent he doesn't have the mental toughness. While Kobe is a better pure shooter and scorer Pippen was a pretty good scorer, and Kobe couldn't touch Pippen defensively. I think Kobe is a good defender, but Pippen was great. Pippen could disrupt entire offenses, he did in the passing lanes defensively what Hakeem did in the paint defensively. Hakeem froze entire offenses while Pippen stopped teams from running their offense, like he did to Utah in the Finals, and his defensive work on Magic in the 1991 Finals. Kobe is no where near that effective on the defensive end. Pippen was a good ball handler and passer, Kobe is to. Pippen was also a pretty good shot-blocker. I'd go with Pippen.

 

Kobe in his prime (which is now) is much better than Pippen was. I think that Pippen is the most overrated player in the history of the NBA.

 

Kobe, easily.

Kobe has better ball skills, distributes better, and shoots better. Pippen uh... did play better team defense, though he might not be as good on-the-ball as Bryant, because he's not as quick.

 

Pippen's on-the-ball defense was far better then Kobe's. Pippen used to be one of the top players in the league in steals along with Hakeem and Payton. I think that people get a watered down perception of Pippen because of his stay in Houston. Until he acted like an @ss here I used to be a big time fan of Pippen. Pippen played awesome team AND one-on-one defense. Pippen was the best non-center defender in the NBA, and 2nd only to Hakeem. Kobe can't claim that. In a few years I would take Kobe, he has to prove to me that he can carry a team. Pippen has did it. He did it in limited time, a year and a half in Chicago, but they won 55 games. Kobe has to show me he can do that. Pippen was also a pretty good passer.

 

I have to agree with RocksM. here.

I was a Lakers fan (hey, gimme a break, I lived in L.A.) through the 1980s and early 1990s, and Pippen and Dennis Rodman were the only two guys I ever saw who could guard Magic one-on-one. Plus, I lived in Chicago in the mid-1990s and saw how Pippen carried that team without Jordan and Grant ... and since all of you have fresh recent experience watching a one-man team, I won't compare him to Kobe; I'll just say that he was clearly better than Francis. Repeat, clearly better. And like RocksM., I remember that one-man wrecking job he did on Utah.

Would he have any rings if it weren't for Jordan? Of course not. But MJ was Kevin Garnett -- out in the first round of the playoffs every year -- until Pippen and Grant were drafted. Then it was the second round in Pippen/Grant's rookie year, and the conference finals the next season.

Kobe will pass him in another year or two. But Pippen in his prime was DAMN good.

 

At the very least, Kobe will tie Pippen 0-0...

Kobe is 10X's better than Pippen in his prime.

Pippen was always an overrate defender. He made plays, but he was not a defensive stopper.

Also, the fact that Kobe takes Pippen to the cleaners every time they matchup against each other, adds more fuel to the Kobe fire. Remember the 99 playoffs? Pippen was still allegedly in his prime, and Kobe blocked Pippen so many times I lost count. Then, Kobe would drive Pippen to the hoop for dunk after dunk....

No contest here.

What is even sadder is when people compare Penny to Kobe.

 

Wow... Steals ARE NOT a stat that really says much about one-on-one defense. Pippen was the best in the NBA at playing the passing lane, but for every steal he got, he'd allow an easy bucket.

Pippen was a good defender against smaller PGs, but he got his jock taken by the elite SG/SFs in the league.

Pippen knew against PGs that they couldn't shoot over him, so he could afford to defend against the penetration, something he did very well I will admit However, when matched up against players his size, Pippen was deer in headlights.

Kobe, at times, is the best perimeter defender in the NBA. The problem is that he doesn't play defense 100% of the time. However, I can't think of a superstar who really does... T-Mac is in the same boat, a tremendous defender when he turns it on defensively.

The only ones who play defense 100% of the time are the role player like Christie or Bowen, who don't need to worry about carrying the scoring load.

 

<b>Wow... Steals ARE NOT a stat that really says much about one-on-one defense. Pippen was the best in the NBA at playing the passing lane, but for every steal he got, he'd allow an easy bucket.

Pippen was a good defender against smaller PGs, but he got his jock taken by the elite SG/SFs in the league.
</b>

What planet are you from!? Up until the Bulls broke up the guy was the best SF in the NBA. What SG/SF "handed him his jock!? Please tell me. Pippen crucified the Knicks, a pretty good defensive team. He did a great job against a good Cleveland adn Detroit teams. The guy came up big in Finals series against Phoenix and Portland. I'm not going to deny that he acted like and @ss in Houston, but I'm not going to take credit away from the guy.

<b>Pippen knew against PGs that they couldn't shoot over him, so he could afford to defend against the penetration, something he did very well I will admit However, when matched up against players his size, Pippen was deer in headlights.
</b>

Pippen rarely guarded PGs, the only time I can remember him guarding a PG was Stockton, and I guess you can say Magic. Other then that the defensive work on PGs were left to Jordan, Harper, Paxon and BJ Armstrong.


<b>Kobe, at times, is the best perimeter defender in the NBA. The problem is that he doesn't play defense 100% of the time. However, I can't think of a superstar who really does... T-Mac is in the same boat, a tremendous defender when he turns it on defensively.
</b>

Kobe has a tendency to get lit up like a Christmas tree, the guy is not the best perimeter defensive player in the NBA, I can name several players better. Bowens, Patterson, McGrady, Eddie Jones, Michael Finley, Christie I think people are overrating Kobe's defensive ability. He's good, but he can't disrupt entire offenses.

<b>The only ones who play defense 100% of the time are the role player like Christie or Bowen, who don't need to worry about carrying the scoring load.</b>

Christie is as much of a role player as a Finley, or Eddie Jones. Christie is Sacramento's most consistent scorer outside of Webber, if he isn't hitting Sacramento is in trouble, so to say he can conserve his energy for defense because he isn't a major scorer is dead wrong. Sacramento was a horrible defensive team, they plugged in Christie, now they are a very good defensive team. That's pretty much what Pippen did with Chicago.

 

<b>Also, the fact that Kobe takes Pippen to the cleaners every time they matchup against each other, adds more fuel to the Kobe fire. Remember the 99 playoffs? Pippen was still allegedly in his prime, and Kobe blocked Pippen so many times I lost count. Then, Kobe would drive Pippen to the hoop for dunk after dunk.... </b>

Pippen WAS NOT in his prime. Why do you think the Rockets traded him? His first year with the Rockets was his first season after major back surgery. He played with a severely injured back during the Bulls final Finals series in 1998, got major back surgery, and then joined the Rockets that offseason. The guy then put career low number across the board that year and has declined since, so how can you say he was still in his prime!?

<b>Kobe is 10X's better than Pippen in his prime.

Pippen was always an overrate defender. He made plays, but he was not a defensive stopper.
</b>

You're the only one on this planet who believes think that. You ask Utah if Pippen was "overrated". Then ask Magic Johnson. As much as the guy makes my stomach turn with his ego to say that Kobe is 10x the player and that Pippen was overrated on defensive is so ridiculous it's beyond words. There's a reason why the Bulls constantly had one Top 2 or 3 defenses in the NBA during the 90s, even during Jordan's first retirement.

 

Pippen was an amazing defender in the playoffs. As much as guarding Jordan frustrated other teams, Jordan and Pippin smothered other teams trying to get into their offense... backcourt pressure, forced turnovers, shot clock violations... he was a master defender.

If I were looking for someone to carry my team I would go with Kobe

He can handle the pressure and the scoring loads
To say he can not carry a team is unfair because the Lakers are built around Shaq
Kobe has no help scoring or rebounding when Shaq is out

 

Rocks Millenium-Pippen guarded Mark Jackson almost exclusively, ditto for Magic. If I'm not mistaken, he also guarded Penny Hardaway, who I think was the PG for the Magic back then. Considering that they started Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott.

He also guarded Gary Payton in 96.

Regardless, you probably won't agree with me, but I don't think Pippen was anything more than a great #2 guy. Kobe right now is a great #2 guy, and if he ever leaves LA or if Shaq leaves, Kobe can be a great #1 guy. He might not win a ring, but I guarantee you he will lead a team further than Pip. Pip did do well that 1 year, in 93-94 taking the Bulls to the 2nd round.

But, I think Kobe could make 1 Finals appearance being the main guy. Although he already does get more shots than Shaq...

Also, don't you think Pippen's comments about Barkley kind of were a reason why we traded him? We didn't trade him to get Walt Williams and Cato, I guarantee you that.

Also, the Bulls had good defensive players all around. Pippen wasn't the only guy who played defense. In case you didn't know, defense is the most team oriented aspect of basketball as there is. So don't tell me that Pippen's D had to be great since Chi played great defense.

The fact that you look at steals as being a key stat for how well of a defender you are, proves that you don't see the big picture. Iverson is among the best in the league at steals, however he is nothing close to being a defensive stopper.

If Pippen was the #1 guy like MJ was all those years, Pippen's defense suffers tremendously from the offensive load he would have to carry.

Like I said before, there aren't too many perimeter players who are great offensive and great defensive players at the same time. There are great offensive players who CAN be great defensive players.

 

Kobe is the better player, Pippen was without question the better defensive player. He probably was the best defensive small forward that I can think of, but implying he could shut down Magic is going a bit far. Magic was already going downhill when they played and didn't have a healthy squad.

As far as carrying a team, I would have to go with Kobe. We know Pippen couldn't get past the 2nd round w/o MJ, we don't know this about Kobe either way.

Another interesting comparison is McGrady. He might have the best assets of both players, but he still needs to prove it as a leader. Beating a pretty good Charlotte team (I don't think he will) would be a indication.

 

Scottie just got his ankles snapped in half by a Kobe crossover.

 

The same happened to Kobe on an open court move by Derek Anderson.

 

Well, I guess that proves it. Kobe's better.

 

It wasn't Scottie Pippen though...

 

Whoa, now there's a variable thrown into the mix. Now that means Derek Anderson is better than both.

 

lol. Ok, I've had enough.