Kobe Bryant on Game 7 in 2006 Phoenix Series

[Showtime]

Phil Jackson SPECIFICALLY told him to stop shooting the ball dude. I actually heard one of the players in the lockeroom also said they needed to move the ball around more too...play "team ball" (the name of that player was never disclosed). I'm done trying to convince anyone here.

And I'm done trying to convey the point that there is a difference between making plays for others, and giving up the ball and doing nothing. You cannot seem to grasp this point. If Phil wanted others to get involved more, then there was certainly a better way then for Kobe to do nothing.

And you cannot seem to also grasp that Kobe is not Phil's lapdog. Kobe wants to do what he wants to do, and hasn't had problems defying Phil in the past.

[Solid Snake]

Kobe is my favorite player but I don't buy a word of it.

Put simply, on what OTHER OCCASION has he done this? In what other blowout situations has he NOT tried to take over a game? I'm gonna give myself a margin of error and say maybe someone can name 2 examples, but probably no more than that...

[catch24]

And I'm done trying to convey the point that there is a difference between making plays for others, and giving up the ball and doing nothing. You cannot seem to grasp this point.

And you cannot seem to also grasp that Kobe is not Phil's lapdog. Kobe wants to do what he wants to do, and hasn't had problems defying Phil in the past.

Did I not say he could of been more aggressive? It wasn't just Phil Jackson, there was a player on that team that called him out too.

[LA_Showtime]

At least he showed up for a half. Cough.

[SYM86]

all the lechoke fans just want to get back on kobe, at least kobe is still a laker, and lebron's heart is out of cleveland since 2009, can't wait till July 1st.

[Knoe Itawl]

Kobe is my favorite player but I don't buy a word of it.

Put simply, on what OTHER OCCASION has he done this? In what other blowout situations has he NOT tried to take over a game? I'm gonna give myself a margin of error and say maybe someone can name 2 examples, but probably no more than that...

Oh, but you're just a "hater"

It's one thing to like a player. It's another thing to not be able to admit even obvious negative things.

People keep coming back to "Phil told him not to shoot". Anyone that's ever PLAYED basketball (or has a decent knowledge of it) knows that there are plenty of other things a player like Bryant can do besides jack up shots (Of course, even if you buy the Jackson told him not to shoot BS, how does a player with 40 point streaks and all the rest of it shoot ONE time in the second half of a GAME SEVEN?) Bryant just stood on the perimeter the entire second half. Go back and WATCH the game if you don't believe it.

It's nonsense, and even (smart and honest) Kobe fans will tell you that.

[LA_Showtime]

I expect the second half debacle will be mentioned in Phil Jackson's new book. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Phil and Kobe's relationship is fabricated.

[catch24]

I expect the second half debacle will be mentioned in Phil Jackson's new book. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Phil and Kobe's relationship is fabricated.

Seems like they're closer than they were in the 2000-2004 circa but I agree. Almost as if their coach/player relationship is forced.

[rs98762001]

Kobe without a doubt played suspiciously passive in the second half of Game 7. Anyone objective will say that.

However, anyone who thinks that's remotely similar to what Lebron just pulled clearly has an agenda. LBJ sulked through an entire series, and stunk up the joint in at least two full games. Bryant actually played incredibly in that entire series, all the way up to the 2nd half of Game 7. Considering at that point in the game he'd scored 23 points in a half, and it was enough to only get LA within 15 points, it's at least vaguely understandable - if not defensible - why he quit towards the end.

LeBron - supposedly the best player in the world - just played an entire series like that. A series that his team was the favorite in, and which he was expected to dominate in. The two situations are on balance not even comparable.

[LA_Showtime]

Seems like they're closer than they were in the 2000-2004 circa but I agree. Almost as if their coach/player relationship is forced.

They have a cordial relationship, but they're in it together for their own selfish reasons.

[LA_Showtime]

Kobe without a doubt played suspiciously passive in the second half of Game 7. Anyone objective will say that.

However, anyone who thinks that's remotely similar to what Lebron just pulled clearly has an agenda. LBJ sulked through an entire series, and stunk up the joint in at least two full games. Bryant actually played incredibly in that entire series, all the way up to the 2nd half of Game 7. Considering at that point in the game he'd scored 23 points in a half, and it was enough to only get LA within 15 points, it's at least vaguely understandable - if not defensible - why he quit towards the end.

LeBron - supposedly the best player in the world - just played an entire series like that. A series that his team was the favorite in, and which he was expected to dominate in. The two situations are on balance not even comparable.

Kobe could have kept shooting and scored 50 or 60 points in a loss, but then the anti-Kobe douche bags would say he shot his team out of the game. He loses either way.

[CeoTypeDoe619]

Kobe's team gave up on him.

[bleedinpurpleTwo]

4 rings.
He has my support no matter what.

[LA_Showtime]

4 rings.
He has my support no matter what.

Unless he goes into the summer demanding trades, calling out teammates, etc.

[RazorBaLade]

Notice how I put 2nd half.

READ

Notice how you said "Kobe game 6 phx = Lebron game 5 bos" idiot. LA showtime pretty much hit the nail on the head though with all of his posts in the thread.