with 14 assists!

and 28pts and 10rebs

[Edited by - gunsnewing on 12/18/2004 00:52:00]

one would'nt think that someone who's argueably the best player in the nba is hated by so many people. what a turn around in image in what like 2yrs?

too bad he can't play ball in a way that makes his team win. yes he passes, but he doesnt pass at the right time, he prolly only passes because if he chucks up a shot being double teamed or triple teamed, he'll look too much like crawford the clown and not like a max deal player whose looking to win the MVP award

Posted by daddynel:

one would'nt think that someone who's argueably the best player in the nba is hated by so many people. what a turn around in image in what like 2yrs?

Arguably? I'll give you 3 players that are better than Kobe and there can be no argument about it. Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. Shaq and Lebron are also better than Kobe. Kobe is a top 5 best player in the NBA.

You might be right about Lebron but I will take him on my team today over Kobe.

Posted by teslawlo:

KG/TD/Shaq, they're all perennial mvp candidates, but I don't think you can compare them to kobe just because of what positions they play and their different effect on the game.

Ok fine, if I cannot compare Kobe to those players then I cannot call him one of the best players in the game. You can call Kobe the best player in the league at his position and I will not argue.

Duncan, Shaq and Garnett are the best players in the NBA.

Just to mention Lebron, a 2nd year player, together with veteran stars like Duncan, Garnett, Shaq and Kobe tells you who may become the best player in the league in maybe just another season...

Posted by teslawlo:

As evidenced by Lebron's meltdown vs the pistons, he is putting up the MVP numbers but is not QUITE there yet. Probably next year he will be even better/maybe surpass kobe. But Kobe has the much more refined jumpshot/clutch ability over LBJ imo right now.
KG/TD/Shaq, they're all perennial mvp candidates, but I don't think you can compare them to kobe just because of what positions they play and their different effect on the game. I have seen a lot of people hate on kobe the MAN, which is fine, but I don't like it when people hate on kobe the PLAYER.

kobe should be hated on because he's a selfish player and yes he gets the assists but only when he cant shoot a fadaway 20 footer bc if he does it'll drop his fg% from 39% to 33%. he's all about numbers, not W's. he got his rings, now he wants the recognition of being the next jordan. and i hope it wont happen, because he's far from it. lebron on the other hand, will be compared to either jordan or magic very closely by the time he's 21.

Posted by Vmart:

Kobe is one of the better players today. But there have been better and there will be better players than Kobe.

I completely agree with you...

*cough* Michael Jordan *cough*

But this thread is about who is great and is playing today...the bigs run this league right now - when Shaq, TD and KG are on the decline it will become Lebrons league. I dont think it will happen before that and I dont think Kobe has the ability to change his game and help his team - he is too selfish.

Posted by daddynel:

one would'nt think that someone who's argueably the best player in the nba is hated by so many people. what a turn around in image in what like 2yrs?

there has always been hatred of Kobe, his anti-fan club just got way bigger.

I actually hate Shaq more than I do Kobe. But, I do want KOBE and his team to lose in the Playoffs, or better yet, NOT EVEN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS! :)

When you talk about "great" NBA players, you have to consider what the player has done for the team. 'Cause that is where it's at brother. This is supposed to be a team game, as evidenced by the last Olympic games in which some of the most gifted basketball players got beaten and badly by good (not great) teams.

Here we have Kope, who if had any smarts at all would have talked to Shaq, swallowed a little pride and taken the Lakers to the level of greatness that players like Russell, Bird, Kareem, Jordan, Magic and others did for their teams in recent years. These are the truly great players. Kobe doesn't come close.