Until T-Mac becomes definitively better than Kobe. . . Hmm. Actually people will probably still post that just to rub it in. So I guess the answer is never. Heck, we still get "Imagine if we traded Sampson for the rights to Jordan" threads every once in a while.
For some strange reason, I've always picked T-Mac over Kobe and this was much sooner than when we were rumored to be the frontrunners in the T-Mac contest. I always picked him over Kobe in video games whenever I wanted that great player to dominate the perimeter. Of course, now I don't have to make a bunch of trades to get T-Mac on the Rockets anymore. Personally, I think T-Mac is better offensively by a bit. I also am optimistic in his defense and will. Seeing as how he already has shown the ability to block 2 shots per game and take a team pretty much by himself to the playoffs show that he is capable, IMO, of doing those things. Kobe just seems to do it more consistently, although, as mentioned, it seems as though that can be contributed to the situations each player is in. With both players in drastically different situations this year, it will be interesting to see the results. I know we are biased, no matter how much we try to be impartial, yet I once saw a similiar poll like this on a board that wasn't biased. It seemed like the majority picked T-Mac over Kobe. It was kind of strange because I almost thought that more would pick Kobe, especially when most could just point to Kobe's rings and the Magic's ping pong balls; however, that didn't seem to be really brought out, and if it did, most of them responded like we did here. Maybe T-Mac is viewed as the better player everywhere despite some of the knocks on him and the rings that Kobe has.
IHO, Kobe is more polished. He's very smooth and fluid and has abundant confidence. He uses every bit of his natural talent. T-Mac, IMO, has a much better vertical leap. He can beat his man by jumping straight up. He doesn't appear as polished but he doesn't need to be because of his physical gifts. T-Mac would kill Kobe in a fist fight though, cause Kobe is a wussy.
http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/lawr...ch/1467144.html in the article that states KB is better than T-Mac... the picture shows that KB is gettin BLOCKED by T-Mac...
Kobe. Why even talk about it? I haven't seen T-Mac prove anything other than he can score. Haven't seen him lock someone down. Haven't seen him take his team who was ahead 3-1 in the playoffs over the hump. Think Kobe would let his team lose that lead? It was like who was better? Dream or Robinson? Dream being Kobe. And Robinson being T-Mac. How'd that turn out back in the day? Kobe. By alot. In the future? Who knows.
You make it sound like it's so definitive. I wonder how great T-mac would've looked on the lakers with Shaq. Shaq dominated and intimidated the other teams...I'm sure that help Kobe a 'little bit' don't you? A lot of people here talk about Kobe like he's been the ONLY one on the Laker team the past 3-4 years. HE got them over the hump, HE wouldn't let them lose, HE dominated. But look who HE has behind him, while T-mac had the mighty Drew Gooden and Andrew DeCluck. All I know is that next year will show a lot regarding the Kobe/T-Mac arguments. Either way it'll be exciting!
Exactly. If you had asked this around December of last year when T-Mac's team was losing 19 games in a row (and before the Rockets had a chance of getting him) people would have said Kobe no doubt. But since they have T-Mac now it's not gonna come back unbiased. In my opinion, Kobe is better because he has more heart and determination than T-Mac has.
As much as I dislike Kobe, I have to say he is much better than TMac at this point of their career. In NBA, you evaluate players based on the results. TMac has done nothing but scored tons of points with a terrible team. D. Wilkis did that, Iversion did that, and MJ did that too. Only Iverson & MJ were considered GREAT players after they led their team to success. Until TMac wins something with the Rockets, or any other team, he wan't be remembered as a great player as Kobe is. On the other hand, we'll find out if Kobe truely is a great player as many think he is with a Shaqless LA team now.
I also dislike Kobe. But lets be real here. In my mind it is Kobe right now. I have to see more from T-Mac. Sure, Kobe had Shaq. But lets just look at their respective games. When you watch each play, you can HONESTLY say T-Mac is better? When I see Kobe take over games, hit game winning after game winning shot and will his team over situations that T-Mac has YET to do, I don't even see it as a serious question. Its the total package that Kobe brings to the table. T-Mac hasn't proven to me that he has the mind, body and soul. Shaq or no Shaq, I look at the individual. Not the team. All you have to do is ask yourself this. If you are on the opposite team and you see Kobe or T-Mac walk on the floor, who would strike fear in your heart the most? Kobe is an assasin. He would rip your throat out and enjoy it.
No I think Tayshaun would say Kobe. It was his defense on Tmac that helped detroit comeback from 3-1 deficit on Orlando.
He only needed 5 games when he went against Kobe. But I see your point. BTW, T-Mac had 32/7/5 on 44.8% shooting in that series while Kobe had 24.5/5/5.5 on 41.3% shooting. And their 3 pt% is heavily in favor of T-Mac.
Kobe is the guy that should know better, but can't stop himself. He has the sin of pride, and it kills him. Kobe will destroy his own team to get his. He will lose the game to win a personal battle. Will he change - Romans say - no. That's my education and I'm sticking to it. Every now and then God knocks St. Paul off a horse and people make some radical transformation to homo-erotically challenged saint from prick, bully, self-aggrandising, philistine *******, but that's a pretty rare occurance. I think the Romans are pretty much right, barring the blindness exceptions. Tmac has other-worldly talent, but is missing the game-controlling vision. Yao has that in spades. Lets hope they put it together.
