Kobe on Rondo, this year

[R.H.C.P.]

BOSTON -- The Celtics have lost their court leader for the season and are clinging to the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers are battling an array of injuries (the most recent a torn plantar fascia that will sideline Pau Gasol for at least a month) and are languishing in 10th place in the Western Conference, excluded from the current postseason parameters.

Even so, good luck trying to tell Kobe Bryant that the Celtics-Lakers rivalry is dead, or that Thursday's game at TD Garden doesn't matter. Normally Boston vs. LA generates an edginess (and bitterness) that stokes the fires of this long-time rivalry, and usually Kobe revels in the misfortunes of the men in green. But Bryant takes no pleasure in the torn ACL suffered by Rajon Rondo or the uncertainty surrounding the futures of two of his most ardent foes, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

"I'm not happy about what's happening to them," Bryant said. "We're all running out of time. So I understand."


Bryant was eager to weigh in on the notion that the Celtics actually might be better off with Rondo shelved for the remainder of the season. When presented with that theory, Kobe laughed uproariously -- for a really, really long time.

The Celtics are 4-0 with a resurgence of ball movement since Rondo went down, but Bryant scoffed at the significance off the minuscule sample size.

"You don't want Rondo? Send him my way," Kobe declared. "I love everything about him. Everything. I love his attitude, I love his chippiness, his edge, his intellect, his know-it-allness. All of it. That's what makes championship players.

"What guard have you seen at his size that will get you 18 assists, 17 boards and 20 points all in one game? That's unheard of. I love that kid. I always make a point of talking to him during All-Star [weekend]. He's one of my favorites."


Both the Celtics and Lakers have been under scrutiny for their underwhelming performances and share common laments: the arduous task of implementing new players, compensating for an aging core of veterans and dealing with major injuries to key personnel.

So who would Kobe rather be right now: a Laker or a Celtic?
More on the Celtics

"I'd take the Lakers, for sure," Kobe answered. "Honestly, I like where we are. I like the pieces we have. We're still a pretty big team. If we get our guys healthy, I think we can make a significant run at it.

"So I'll take my guys. And, even if I felt differently, I'm such a die-hard Lakers fan I'd never admit to wanting to be them," meaning the Celtics.


In spite of the Lakers' current woes, Kobe still adamantly believes his team will be in the playoffs. He has only missed the "second season" once in his career, but it's becoming more difficult to impose his will on the game. If he can drag this Lakers team into postseason relevance, it could well be the finest accomplishment of his career.

Either way, the end, Kobe knows, is coming sooner rather than later.

"I think about it often," he admitted. "Quite often. I've tried to scrape the plate every year that I've played. I've been going after it every year. So I've got two years left, and I want two more rings."

His contract is up two seasons from now. He will be 35, and Bryant said he's seriously contemplating retirement.

"It could be it," he said. "There's a very high probability. It's been 18 years, man. That's a long, long time."

So much of that time has been entwined with the guys wearing the god awful green shorts. The longevity of Pierce and KG, said Kobe, has provided some perspective in their long and often heated competitions.

"If there's one Celtic that tries to talk smack to me, it will be Paul," Kobe reported. "We're similar in age, have been through some of the same things, so he feels like he can try. But he's not as good at it as I am.

"I don't talk trash often, but when I do, I go for the jugular."

The camaraderie of today's NBA players, fueled, in part, by their AAU alliances, is mildly disturbing to Bryant, who preferred it when the enemy was anyone who didn't ride the team bus with you to the game.

"They don't seem to want to talk any trash," Kobe shrugged. "I say everything to LeBron. He says nothing back. He just laughs. There's no banter back and forth. I guess it's a generational thing. When I first came into the league, the trash talk was downright cutthroat."

Full article: http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8924289/kobe-bryant-feels-pain-rajon-rondo-boston-celtics

Damn. It's gonna suck when Kobe, KG, and Pierce hang it up (along with the other older generation players). Definitely agree with him that the newer generation of players are too buddy buddy with each other.

Also, interesting to note that he trash talks LeBron but he never says anything back lol.

[bigt]

Great read, thanks for posting :cheers: have to agree with a lot he said

[rs98762001]

When did Kobe become by far the most candid interviewee in the league? This season especially his interviews are always really interesting to read. Very cool, considering for years he did nothing but speak in the most irritating cliches.

[TOUCH MY BODY]

Great read. Going to be a sad day when these old school cats hang it up :cry:

[RR#9]

Great interview :cheers:

[miller-time]

90s players are dwindling. I wonder who will be the last to go?

[TOUCH MY BODY]

"If there's one Celtic that tries to talk smack to me, it will be Paul," Kobe reported. "We're similar in age, have been through some of the same things, so he feels like he can try. But he's not as good at it as I am.

"I don't talk trash often, but when I do, I go for the jugular."

The camaraderie of today's NBA players, fueled, in part, by their AAU alliances, is mildly disturbing to Bryant, who preferred it when the enemy was anyone who didn't ride the team bus with you to the game.

"They don't seem to want to talk any trash," Kobe shrugged. "I say everything to LeBron. He says nothing back. He just laughs. There's no banter back and forth. I guess it's a generational thing. When I first came into the league, the trash talk was downright cutthroat."

Kobe is a fcukin boss :pimp:

[The_Yearning]

Lebron just laughs. Dude just doesn't have the intellect to go at Kobe mentally.

[longtime lurker]

Seriously I don't see how anybody who respects the game of basketball can hate on Kobe.

[Fudge]

"They don't seem to want to talk any trash," Kobe shrugged. "I say everything to LeBron. He says nothing back. He just laughs. There's no banter back and forth. I guess it's a generational thing. When I first came into the league, the trash talk was downright cutthroat."
Inb4 this thread turns into a Kobe vs Lebron debate...

[TOUCH MY BODY]

Seriously I don't see how anybody who respects the game of basketball can hate on Kobe.

+1

Hate him or love him, Kobe is and has been great for the league. This cat simply doesn't give a fcuk what you or anyone thinks. He keeps doin' his thing.

I also love how he gives props to his biggest rival team. A sign of respect.

This is a true competitor at its highest level.

[ripthekik]

The camaraderie of today's NBA players, fueled, in part, by their AAU alliances, is mildly disturbing to Bryant, who preferred it when the enemy was anyone who didn't ride the team bus with you to the game.

"They don't seem to want to talk any trash," Kobe shrugged. "I say everything to LeBron. He says nothing back. He just laughs. There's no banter back and forth. I guess it's a generational thing. When I first came into the league, the trash talk was downright cutthroat."
*****in bron, what a ballless beta :roll: :roll: :roll:
no wonder he had to join big brother wade n bosh, he just can't stand up for himself :oldlol:

[d.bball.guy]

This is one of my favorite traits of Kobe. He's a competitor and will never back down. He'll attack you with words and with his talent, but at the same time, gives utmost respect to his "enemies".

[SyRyanYang]

Hate him or love him. That simple

[DuMa]

i can see he trash talks lebron but never actually backs it up. lebron is 12-6 against kobe.

[TOUCH MY BODY]

This is one of my favorite traits of Kobe. He's a competitor and will never back down. He'll attack you with words and with his talent, but at the same time, gives utmost respect to his "enemies".

:bowdown:

[Magic 32]

i can see he trash talks lebron but never actually backs it up. lebron is 12-6 against kobe.

http://thomsonsport.com/sites/thomsonsport.com/files/images/event-title-images/nba-regular-season.png

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[HorryIsMyMVP]

http://thomsonsport.com/sites/thomsonsport.com/files/images/event-title-images/nba-regular-season.png

:applause: :applause: :applause:
Well maybe if the Lakers didn't get swept by the Mavs and made it to the finals Lebron could have two rings now. :oldlol:

[Clippersfan86]

Love it. Kobe is a legend that will be missed no doubt and his honesty makes him a dying breed. Once he's gone as well as KG I'm not sure who else will be left that has the balls to say anything. I suppose somebody like Cousins will have to fill that roll :oldlol: .

[talkingconch]

Well maybe if the Lakers didn't get swept by the Mavs and made it to the finals Lebron could have two rings now. :oldlol:

1) Heat lost to the mavs that year

2) still woulda had 1

3) kobe woulda had 6 if lebron could actually get there in 2008. measley 45-27

how do you manage to even post when u get destroyed?

[HorryIsMyMVP]

1) Heat lost to the mavs that year

2) still woulda had 1

3) kobe woulda had 6 if lebron could actually get there in 2008. measley 45-27

how do you manage to even post when u get destroyed?
That was my point that Mavs team was better then the Heat. And the Heat would have destroyed that Laker team. :biggums:

[talkingconch]

That was my point that Mavs team was better then the Heat. And the Heat would have destroyed that Laker team. :biggums:
ugh...

[jaydacris]

kobe is one cool dude

[andremiller07]

I suppose somebody like Cousins will have to fill that roll :oldlol: .

Cousins on why he was ejected vs Utah

[QUOTE]

[Indian guy]

Lebron just laughs. Dude just doesn't have the intellect to go at Kobe mentally.

Yeah, he just kills him with his game. LeBron has owned Kobe's soul head-to-head in his career.

Maybe Kobe should think about actually shutting up when playing him?

[imnew09]

Can't believe Lebron Stans are actually getting butt hurt.
Kobe is speaking the truth, nowadays there's hardly any trash talk in the league.

[Money 23]

Yeah, he just kills him with his game. LeBron has owned Kobe's soul head-to-head in his career.

Maybe Kobe should think about actually shutting up when playing him?
Generational differences aside, I think it's great that Bron doesn't resort to trash talking. If it's not him, it isn't his thing. Just cause Kobe is trying to replicate what he saw when he came in the league, doesn't mean Bron has to do so, too.

Now don't get me wrong, the generational buddy - buddy AAU system and antics of a lot of my generation's players is extremely disturbing. Like they all acknowledge they are apart of the millionaire's club who play ball and no one wants to step on each other's toes, but rather kiss each other's ass.

Thank god for Derrick Rose as a throw back.

But LeBron kills people with his game. He has took virtually every head to head battle from 2008 forward. Quite handily, too. KG and Pierce went for the jugular with Bron in terms of trash talk in last year's playoffs. He laughed it off. But they inspired that game 6 performance, where he slaughtered all of them.

That speaks louder than any words could possibly do.

[Magic 32]

Well maybe if the Lakers didn't get swept by the Mavs and made it to the finals Lebron could have two rings now. :oldlol:

You wanna play that game?

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2009/writers/phil_taylor/06/02/lebron/lebron11.jpg
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l2dgzyN3UH1qamewv.jpg
:rolleyes:
http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/2009/images/06/18/kobemvp608.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01660/lakers_1660698c.jpg

[HorryIsMyMVP]

I was just stating facts. You Kobe fans are disagreeing because it is a regular season record. And the only way they will ever meet is in the finals. They are in difference conferences you jackasses.

[coin24]

lebron doesn't need you sad f@ggots to prop him up everyday. Don't u guys get bored constantly comparing everything he does to the great Kobe Bryant?

5>1. U:mad:

[coin24]

And for the record, they would have met in the finals if Lebron wasn't a choking piece of shit... Lucky for him he went and formed the super best friends in south beach to carry him to the finals.. Where he even managed to fu*k that one up:lol :lol

[Money 23]

2009 was not Bron's fault for not getting to the Finals. Totally on Mo Williams.

2010 was TOTALLY Bron's fault. He went into full kunt mode and quit after game 3. LeQuit was born on that day.

2011 was on Paula Gasoft.

That was the three year window for them to meet in the Finals. None were Kobe's fault, and one of the season's was a massive quit job from LeBron, and the other was Mo Williams being exposed as a non legit 2nd option.

[HorryIsMyMVP]

lebron doesn't need you sad f@ggots to prop him up everyday. Don't u guys get bored constantly comparing everything he does to the great Kobe Bryant?

5>1. U:mad:
And Lebron has 3 MVP's whats the big deal?

[coin24]

And Lebron has 3 MVP's whats the big deal?

How many ASG MVP's?? That's the important one according to pauk:oldlol:

[Rolando]

Kobe respecting Rondo because they are both a$$holes with a championship attitude.:applause:

[HorryIsMyMVP]

How many ASG MVP's?? That's the important one according to pauk:oldlol:
How about we just count rings in which the player was actually the finals MVP in? That way Robert Horry has zero. Kobe has 2. Shaq has 3. Lebron has 1. And Michael Jordan the best player ever has 6.

[Trentknicks]

Can't base a player totally on their trash talking or lack there of. Duncan's known to only acknowledge his opponent's trash talking with a smile, if anything. Where are all the Duncan haters? Does that make him a beta ass baller too? :confusedshrug:

[Artillery]

Lebron just laughs. Dude just doesn't have the intellect to go at Kobe mentally.

Or maybe he just lets his game do the talking. Seeing as Lebron has curbstomped Kobe in head-to-head matchups...it's worked.

[Artillery]

Can't base a player totally on their trash talking or lack there of. Duncan's known to only acknowledge his opponent's trash talking with a smile, if anything. Where are all the Duncan haters? Does that make him a beta ass baller too? :confusedshrug:

Ron Artest:

[I]

[HorryIsMyMVP]

Or maybe he just lets his game do the talking. Seeing as Lebron has curbstomped Kobe in head-to-head matchups...it's worked.
Kobe is insecure about his accolades other then his 5 rings and why wouldn't he be? 5 rings with 2 finals MVP's and 1 regular season MVP. Very few scoring titles compared to who he is trying to mirror. Trash talking just comes second nature to talented players who have had more success then they deserve.

[Chrono90]

When everything is said and done, maybe Kobe would still have a better career than Lebron. We have to see what happens.

[CeltsGarlic]

Kobe is a boss. You cant hate him. I adore players like him.

[Big#50]

Bird is the greatest trash talker of all time. Followed by Jordan. Kobe and Miller are not far behind.

[Derka]

Seriously I don't see how anybody who respects the game of basketball can hate on Kobe.
He wears a Laker jersey, ergo I have to hate him on principle. After he retires, I'm positive I will feel differently for my part. Same way I felt about Magic.

As usual, Jackie M delivers an excellent article and Kobe gets points for being so candid.

[guy]

2009 was not Bron's fault for not getting to the Finals. Totally on Mo Williams.

2010 was TOTALLY Bron's fault. He went into full kunt mode and quit after game 3. LeQuit was born on that day.

2011 was on Paula Gasoft.

That was the three year window for them to meet in the Finals. None were Kobe's fault, and one of the season's was a massive quit job from LeBron, and the other was Mo Williams being exposed as a non legit 2nd option.

Gasol was obviously horrible in the 2011 playoffs, but Kobe had a bad playoffs as well. It was easily his worse playoff run since before 2000.

Kobe really shouldn't be talking about Lebron when Lebron is clearly better right now, probably currently better then Kobe has EVER been, and usually outplays Kobe whenever they play each other. Its one thing if Kobe destroys him whenever they play, but thats not even close to the case.

[BoutPractice]

Trash talk is often a sign of insecurity.
(Doesn't mean the player isn't good, Michael Jordan was clearly very insecure but that insecurity drove him to become the greatest.)

Even in the trash-talking friendly environment of street ball, I find the ones who make the strongest impression are those who say the least... like those prodigies for whom everything seems to come easy, ridiculing you with their play alone.

[Ne 1]

2009 was not Bron's fault for not getting to the Finals. Totally on Mo Williams.


I do think there were actually some areas where LeBron could have stepped up in 2009, in particular his defense. His defense was pretty poor in the '09 series vs Orlando and practically exposed. I remember people were talking about how he was a DPOY candidate that year and he showed how he wasn't even close in that ECF. They assigned him to Rafer Alston and made him sag off of him and the thing is LeBron didn't make much of an impact on help defense. He didn't really bother Dwight though it was hard to do so because of how deep he was setting up but I don't remember him pressuring the ball to take time off the clock. Kobe's help defense on Dwight in the Finals was a good bit better and often stripped him or forced a deflection.

He also wasn't that good in some of the fourth quarters like missing 5 free throws in game 3 and a whole bunch of turnovers in game 4 late in the game. Game 6 was also pretty weak, 2 points in the fourth.

It is true he didn't get much help vs Orlando although I don't think that his performance was as astonishing as some people consider it and that he dosen't deserve any criticism at all for losing, especially considering he was heavily favored to to win and had home court advantage.

[oh the horror]

When did Kobe become by far the most candid interviewee in the league? This season especially his interviews are always really interesting to read. Very cool, considering for years he did nothing but speak in the most irritating cliches.



He's nearing the end of his career. He has no reason to be "PC" anymore.

[BrickingStar]

I do think there were actually some areas where LeBron could have stepped up in 2009, in particular his defense. His defense was pretty poor in the '09 series vs Orlando and practically exposed. I remember people were talking about how he was a DPOY candidate that year and he showed how he wasn't even close in that ECF. They assigned him to Rafer Alston and made him sag off of him and the thing is LeBron didn't make much of an impact on help defense. He didn't really bother Dwight though it was hard to do so because of how deep he was setting up but I don't remember him pressuring the ball to take time off the clock. Kobe's help defense on Dwight in the Finals was a good bit better and often stripped him or forced a deflection.

He also wasn't that good in some of the fourth quarters like missing 5 free throws in game 3 and a whole bunch of turnovers in game 4 late in the game. Game 6 was also pretty weak, 2 points in the fourth.

It is true he didn't get much help vs Orlando although I don't think that his performance was as astonishing as some people consider it and that he dosen't deserve any criticism at all for losing, especially considering he was heavily favored to to win and had home court advantage.
I find it had to believe a single player can be favored over an entire team. And if you knew that you worded that incorrectly than think with hindsight about this part you said "It is true he didn't get much help vs Orlando" Then you will see being favored with hindsight wasn't really much of an upset or something to use against him.


Also lol at trash talking of lack of it to determine how good of a player to trash talk. Everyone knows kobe tries his best in national tv especially facing lebron but usually fails, that and he never takes the role to guard lebron even tho he's the so call "1v1" champ.

[BrickingStar]

Trash talk is often a sign of insecurity.
(Doesn't mean the player isn't good, Michael Jordan was clearly very insecure but that insecurity drove him to become the greatest.)

Even in the trash-talking friendly environment of street ball, I find the ones who make the strongest impression are those who say the least... like those prodigies for whom everything seems to come easy, ridiculing you with their play alone.
Trash talk should add any pluses to a players career or make any player greater than he really is.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

i can see he trash talks lebron but never actually backs it up. lebron is 12-6 against kobe.
define never.

[eriX]

as long as whatever a player does, trash talk or not, is backed up by their game does it really matter what they say or not say?

Why does every thread kobe stans and lebron stans have to gut each other over the same fking thing over and over again.

[AlphaWolf24]

So much Alpha!

http://media.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/31254/so_much_win_graphic.png

[pegasus]

2009 was not Bron's fault for not getting to the Finals. Totally on Mo Williams.

2010 was TOTALLY Bron's fault. He went into full kunt mode and quit after game 3. LeQuit was born on that day.

2011 was on Paula Gasoft.

That was the three year window for them to meet in the Finals. None were Kobe's fault, and one of the season's was a massive quit job from LeBron, and the other was Mo Williams being exposed as a non legit 2nd option.

Mo, West, Z, Varejao all played well in the elimination game (not the entire series, but they were on in game 6), but Lebron pretty much quit at half time. People "forget" about that just because he had great numbers in the first five games.

[Bandito]

Well maybe if the Lakers didn't get swept by the Mavs and made it to the finals Lebron could have two rings now. :oldlol:
yeah right because the Mavs has that lebron stopper every team lacks. Tjats why they lost. Not because Lebron quit again no...

[BlackVVaves]

Gasol was obviously horrible in the 2011 playoffs, but Kobe had a bad playoffs as well. It was easily his worse playoff run since before 2000.

Kobe really shouldn't be talking about Lebron when Lebron is clearly better right now, probably currently better then Kobe has EVER been, and usually outplays Kobe whenever they play each other. Its one thing if Kobe destroys him whenever they play, but thats not even close to the case.

They are [still] the best at their positions, and [still] bear shares as the face of the NBA brand worldwide, so why shouldn't Kobe "be talking about Lebron"?

[guy]

They are [still] the best at their positions, and [still] bear shares as the face of the NBA brand worldwide, so why shouldn't Kobe "be talking about Lebron"?

I meant talk trash. Of course, for the fun of it, fine. But he said this like he routinely punks Lebron and that he's a better player.

[longtime lurker]

Lebron stans are the biggest bitches on this forum. Kobe didn't even anything negative about him, just the differences in their generations. But here come the Lebron clowns on their white horses. :facepalm

[Heavincent]

But he said this like he routinely punks Lebron and that he's a better player.

Are you stupid?

[Fudge]

Inb4 this thread turns into a Kobe vs Lebron debate...
Called it from the beginning. :facepalm What do I win?

[Pointguard]

Generational differences aside, I think it's great that Bron doesn't resort to trash talking. If it's not him, it isn't his thing. Just cause Kobe is trying to replicate what he saw when he came in the league, doesn't mean Bron has to do so, too.

Now don't get me wrong, the generational buddy - buddy AAU system and antics of a lot of my generation's players is extremely disturbing. Like they all acknowledge they are apart of the millionaire's club who play ball and no one wants to step on each other's toes, but rather kiss each other's ass.

Thank god for Derrick Rose as a throw back.

But LeBron kills people with his game. He has took virtually every head to head battle from 2008 forward. Quite handily, too. KG and Pierce went for the jugular with Bron in terms of trash talk in last year's playoffs. He laughed it off. But they inspired that game 6 performance, where he slaughtered all of them.

That speaks louder than any words could possibly do.
What Kobe said 100. Gained some likability points.

Rose doesn't talk back either - but he does show a level of disdain that I don't see from Lebron. I think Lebron has respect for players older than him and will simply not engage. Lebron seemingly doesn't like DH. But he might see talking back as confrontational and will avoid it. I



Was it last year when Rose apparently got upset at Chris Paul's dribbling exhibition and then decided he should take the match-up personally? Lebron and Rose are the only two who don't like being showed up and get up for all of the big match-ups. Durant is nearly there.

[grilo_bruno]

Called it from the beginning. :facepalm What do I win?

People are just stupid and predictable. Sometimes trash talk is funny and does no harm. What I mean is when 2 rivals are on the field they can thrash talk what they want and still have respect for each other. Kobe has a great legacy so obviously he can say something to lebron just to get him, as probably MJ could say to Bryant.. That doesn't mean they dont respect the other player.. I say Jordan but I could say any other successful player. Now I know some players with no legacy or players like Garnett who do it every game and that's too much!

[TheBigVeto]

Tryingtoohardtopretendheisoldskoolandtoughbe.

http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh600/Rodman2124/kobeclutch.gif

[d.bball.guy]

Called it from the beginning. :facepalm What do I win?
:facepalm
Sad truth

[DatAsh]

Seriously I don't see how anybody who respects the game of basketball can hate on Kobe.

Agreed, but a lot of people do.