Was T-Mac from 2001-2005 at any point Kobe's equal during that time?

[jlip]

^Thread title^

I vividly remember talk at that time where there were serious debates over who was better, especially during the '02 and '03 seasons.

I remember watching this duel between them live. It was hype. The sequence from 1:15-1:35 was legendary.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VbcBkfokiI#t=1m15s

On a side note, watching these highlights, I hate that Grant Hill got injured again. He and T-Mac could have been a very formidable 1-2 punch. If memory serves me correctly, there were even talks of Duncan joining them around this time. That big 3, if healthy, could have dominated the East and maybe the league for a few years.

[3ba11]

2003

Maybe 01-03

He was really good for like 3 years

[L.Kizzle]

I always wondered would McGrady have developed into a HoF had Grant Hill been healthy? The original plan was for him to be 1B to Hill 1A, but of course Hill was never healthy in Orlando.

In Toronto, he was still coming off the bench as the 6th man to cousin Vince Carter.

[FKAri]

He was. But Kobe's work ethic allowed him to continue to improve. I doubt even a healthy TMac would be able to keep up with Kobe by 07. The difference between the two is mostly due to work ethic, health and maybe bball iq.

[SouBeachTalents]

I always wondered would McGrady have developed into a HoF had Grant Hill been healthy? The original plan was for him to be 1B to Hill 1A, but of course Hill was never healthy in Orlando.

In Toronto, he was still coming off the bench as the 6th man to cousin Vince Carter.
Or just imagine if Doc Rivers didn't tell Duncan he doesn't allow wives to fly with the team. We would've been seeing Shaq/Kobe vs. Duncan/McGrady battles in the Finals.

[theballerFKA Ace]

At first they said Ray Allen would end up better

Then they said VC would end up better

Then they said Tmac would end up better

Then they said Wade would end up better

Kobe left a lot of HOF *SGs in his dust

*VC did play a lot of SF

[sdot_thadon]

Yeah it was a short stretch of time,then Tmac's back said nah.

[LAL]

He had a lazy playstyle imo, but extremely talented, psychically gifted and was able to iso and chuck away for his terrible orlando teams.

Was never the same in Houston even his first season.

[StrongLurk]

For a short stretch, he absolutely was.

[eliteballer]

The game that ended that debate forever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwP7FNsAaQ8

[kawhileonard2]

2003 and maybe 2002.

[houston]

no

[ShawkFactory]

The game that ended that debate forever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwP7FNsAaQ8

2004 was a watershed year for McGrady. Not only is that when the back started acting up and he lost a step athletically, but that team was just so bad for the 4th year in a row and you could tell he was done. His overall game was so much lazier that year.

[RRR3]

Yes lol don’t let Kobe stans rewrite history.

[theman93]

I'd say yes. Those Orlando teams with T-Mac were similar to the Lakers from 2005-07 who also failed to make the playoffs or get past the 1st round. Talentless squads with an all-time superstar carrying them.

He gets knocked for failing to make it out of the 1st round but it was the same story with Kobe when he didn't have anything next to him. They both brought the eventual conference runner-up to 7 and lost (03 Pistons and 06 Suns). What's also interesting about that is that they both were up 3-1 in those series and ended up losing 3 straight.

[theman93]

I always wondered would McGrady have developed into a HoF had Grant Hill been healthy? The original plan was for him to be 1B to Hill 1A, but of course Hill was never healthy in Orlando.

In Toronto, he was still coming off the bench as the 6th man to cousin Vince Carter.

McGrady's career is one of the biggest "what-if's" in league history. What if Orlando landed Duncan? What if Grant could have stayed healthy? What if T-Mac could have stayed healthy? A McGrady-Hill-Duncan trio would have been one for the ages. Shame we didn't get to see it.