even after 10 years of #24. Kobe is still #8 to me.

[QUOTE=catch24]
Honestly? Kobe was the GOAT sidekick in 2000 and 2002[/QUOTE]

I don't agree with that.

I mean what makes 00 & 02 Kobe better then 91 & 92 Pippen?
[B]
00 Kobe : [/B]21.1 / 4.5 / 4.4 on 52%TS (19.3 PER)
[B]92 Pipp :[/B] 19.5 / 8.8 / 6.7 on 54%TS (20.6 PER)
[B]
02 Kobe :[/B] 26.6 / 5.8 / 4.6 on 51%TS (20.5 PER)
[B]91 Pipp :[/B] 21.6 / 8.9 / 5.8 on 56%TS (22.0 PER)

Pippen produced a comparable level of offense on much better efficiency and grabbed more boards.

Even defensively the gap is pretty clearly in Pip's favor though I thought Kobe was an "elite" defender in 00 and a "very good" defender in 02.

Don't get me wrong there aren't many #2's who I think performed at a considerably higher level then 02 Kobe or 00 Kobe (pre-Finals) but I do think there is a pretty long list of #2's on the same "tier" or level with quite a few that can be argued as better (and are pretty clearly better statistically).

I judge guys based on their factual production, efficiency and performance level.
I don't like cherry picking individual games, series and I certainly don't like bringing up other years or career achievements.

Kobe was a fine #2 in 00 & 02 but his performance level wasn't all that amazing.

I mean [COLOR="DarkRed"]26 / 4.4-apg on 49%TS[/COLOR] is what he averaged against the West in the 02 playoffs.

You telling me there isn't a pretty long list of wings over the last decade or two who could put up those rather mediocre numbers playing off of Shaq?

^PER is an efficiency stat, and while I agree Pippen was more efficient than Kobe, Pippen couldn't dream of scoring the way Kobe could and did those years. That mano y mano takeover in Game 4 of the 2000 finals? Pippen couldn't do that.

Pippen couldn't bully the Kings and Spurs the way Kobe did in 2002.

PER is a neat little stat, but its not a basis to argue who THE better player is. According to "PER", Kobe is greater than both Magic and Bird (something I vehemently disagree with).

I do agree there were certain players, even from that era, that could replace Kobe and win a title or two with Shaq. No doubt.

But that's all hypothetical and we can only debate what is, aka reality, and that's Kobe being arguably the greatest sidekick of them all.

Just my 2 cents

[QUOTE=catch24]^PER is an efficiency stat, and while I agree Pippen was more efficient than Kobe, Pippen couldn't dream of scoring the way Kobe could and did those years.
[/QUOTE]

Why does it matter how they scored?
Pippen may have used a different style but if it was more effective then wasn't it better?
I mean the results are what matter.

[QUOTE]That mano y mano takeover in Game 4 of the 2000 finals? Pippen couldn't do that.
[/QUOTE]

Funny thing about that game.
Had Kobe not played so poorly during regulation there never would have been an OT.
He scored 20pts on 43%TS prior to the OT in that "famous" game.
Most people kind of ignore that or simply don't realize it.
Maybe I was the first to ever notice that.

I also think you are maybe underrating Pippen's halfcourt offensive skills.
He could break guys down off the dribble.

[QUOTE]Pippen couldn't bully the Kings and Spurs the way Kobe did in 2002. [/QUOTE]

Kobe wasn't all that great in those series.

[B]26 / 4.8-apg on 49%TS[/B] --VS Spurs
[B]27 / 3.9-apg on 49%TS[/B] --VS Kings

Maybe Pippen wouldn't score quite as much in his shoes but he might have more assists, score more efficiently and play better defense.

[QUOTE]PER is a good stat, but its not a basis to argue who the better player is. According to PER, Kobe is a better player than both Magic and Bird (something I vehemently disagree with).[/QUOTE]

Fair enough.

24 was more likeable. Not only was he a better team player, but after the rape thing he became more candid and real. 8 was a cartoon character.

[QUOTE=catch24][B]I do agree there were certain players, even from that era[/B], that could replace Kobe and win a title or two with Shaq. No doubt.

But that's all hypothetical and we can only debate what is, aka reality, and that's Kobe being arguably the greatest sidekick of them all.

Just my 2 cents[/QUOTE]

I disagree. Guys like Carter, AI, Tmac, etc. They weren't dedicated enough or mentally tough enough to 3peat like Kobe did with Shaq. Maybe like you said , win a ring or two.

None of the perimeter players named at least, Kobe was always a cut above the rest. Guys like Duncan, Dirk, KG maybe Kidd, definitely could 3peat with Shaq.