June 16, 2000 NBA Finals Game 5

[SexSymbol]

Yup I take nothing away from Kobe. He's a tank and his work ethic/motivation is probably 2nd to only MJ's. But the fact remained, he had a 8pt finals game.

I just want to point that out to posters like ripthekik, 9erempiree and kennethgriffin.

2nd to MJ?
MJ's work ethic isn't top 5, maybe the volume is, but not the ethic.

[MichaelCorleone]

it was all shaq all the team were playing to stop shaq not kobe

Exactly.

The sole reason Kobe could perform well in those finals was because Shaq was doubled/tripled EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY GAME. Kobe wasn't the focus of the opponent's defense.

[Warfan]

lakers vs sacramento game 2 2000 playoffs - kobe bryant: 32(12/20), 3/3(three pointers) 4 rebounds, 2 steals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx4K47En3eo
^"kobe bryant. 15 points in the first 12 minutes of the ball game. an incredible display. leading the lakers to a thirty five - twenty four lead at the end of 1."

Im not sure what you're trying to get at, he had some nice performances in the 2000 run but shaq was putting up something like 30/15 while anchoring the defense, kobe wasn't even close to a 1B role like the following two years. Again not sure what you're trying to prove, so sorry if im going at you for nothing.

[MichaelCorleone]

2nd to MJ?
MJ's work ethic isn't top 5, maybe the volume is, but not the ethic.

You have got to be kidding with this bs...

[PsychoBe]

I like how PsychoBe is posting all these Kobe performance and saying things like "leading the lakers to..." and "help lead his team along with Shaq" but in the end Shaq won ALL THREE FMVPs.

there is only 1 FMVP trophy. however, that doesn't mean kobe wasn't the primary contributor along with shaq for those 3 titles. shaq in the 2001 playoffs called kobe "the greatest basketball player in the world." and went as far as to call kobe his "idol" during the san antonio series. history will remember the 3-peat lakers as "shaq and kobe's team", or the "1-2" punch. "if the right don't get you the left will" combo. never have i ever come across anyone who even insinuated that kobe was not the primary contributor along with shaq for the 3-peat.

[Marlo_Stanfield]

2nd to MJ?
MJ's work ethic isn't top 5, maybe the volume is, but not the ethic.

makes zero sense

[Marlo_Stanfield]

Kobe Bryant after the game:

[PsychoBe]

Im not sure what you're trying to get at, he had some nice performances in the 2000 run but shaq was putting up something like 30/15 while anchoring the defense, kobe wasn't even close to a 1B role like the following two years. Again not sure what you're trying to prove, so sorry if im going at you for nothing.

kobe lead the team in steals and was second only behind shaq in blocks. so there goes the "anchoring defense" theory as if shaq could shut down the perimeter too, which we both know he cant. kobe was by and large the laker's best perimeter presence on defense.

lakers vs sacramento game 3

kobe bryant: 35 points (13-25) while shaq had 21(8-22) in a overall losing effort. shaq had a bad game and it happens but kobe made his presence known during this game putting up 14 more points than shaq with only 3 more shot attempts. if that doesn't scream 1B then i dont know what does. remember in the year 2000 kobe was not a well known name yet. he was just a 21 year old kid who should have been in college. instead he was playing on the grandest stage in the world and dominating along with his partner and the greatest big man at the time shaq.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ0RFja2znY

[Warfan]

kobe lead the team in steals and was second only behind shaq in blocks. so there goes the "anchoring defense" theory as if shaq could shut down the perimeter too, which we both know he cant. kobe was by and large the laker's best perimeter presence on defense.

lakers vs sacramento game 3

kobe bryant: 35 points (13-25) while shaq had 21(8-22) in a overall losing effort. shaq had a bad game and it happens but kobe made his presence known during this game putting up 14 more points than shaq with only 3 more shot attempts. if that doesn't scream 1B then i dont know what does. remember in the year 2000 kobe was not a well known name yet. he was just a 21 year old kid who should have been in college. instead he was playing on the grandest stage in the world and dominating along with his partner and the greatest big man at the time shaq.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ0RFja2znY

So kobe was as important defensively as shaq?

Come on man, you're telling me 21/4.5/4.4 is 1B to 31/15.4/3, don't be ridiculous. I already agree with you that kobe had some nice games.

[jzek]

Luckiest man on the planet. Without shaq's 3 ring gift, he's no top 10 all time.

[MichaelCorleone]

I can't believe I'm saying this about a Kobe fan, but PsychoBe you actually make some sense and actually discuss basketball in an intelligent way.

None of your post contain insults or some lame shtick that Mr. Jabbar, ripthekik, Magic 32 and kennethgriffin uses. At least you can actually stand a chance to make some case for Kobe.

As I said, Kobe is the greatest scorer of all time and probably has the 2nd greatest work ethic.

[SexSymbol]

You have got to be kidding with this bs...

He often stayed up late at night partying and/or gambling before games, how is that good work ethic.
It's great genetics. I'm not saying he didn't work, he worked his ass off, but to say that it was the best work ethic ever is kind of blasphemous. If you hear anything about Kobe at night is that he's on the track at 4 AM and shooting bball multiple hours a day, all stories about MJ ant night time involve gambling, cigar smoking, or partying in general.

[PsychoBe]

So kobe was as important defensively as shaq?

Come on man, you're telling me 21/4.5/4.4 is 1B to 31/15.4/3, don't be ridiculous. I already agree with you that kobe had some nice games.

considering he lead the team in steals and was second only to shaq in blocks in the post season, yes.

and yes that is exactly what i'm saying. kobe was the primary playmaker, the biggest perimeter presence on defense, hit two game winners during the 2000 post season run, all the while having those great games as we both know. kobe was asked to do a lot for the team as well as shaq, a lot more than fisher, samaki walker, brian shaw, and rick fox were that's for sure.

it's okay to give him his props. we're talking an all-time great and the top 10 player in nba history. there is no shame in giving him his due respect. i am not even a kobe fan by any stretch of the imagination. in fact it hurts me to rewatch the lakers dismantle my kings teams, and to see him hit the game winner over reggie's pacers while reggie missed his chance to respond at home. but it is what it is.

[Warfan]

I can't believe I'm saying this about a Kobe fan, but PsychoBe you actually make some sense and actually discuss basketball in an intelligent way.

None of your post contain insults or some lame shtick that Mr. Jabbar, ripthekik, Magic 32 and kennethgriffin uses. At least you can actually stand a chance to make some case for Kobe.

As I said, Kobe is the greatest scorer of all time and probably has the 2nd greatest work ethic.

at best it's arguable

[Magic 32]

Luckiest man on the planet. Without shaq's 3 ring gift, he's no top 10 all time.

Without Shaq, he would have had his own team, and he would not have been on a rebuilding/crap team during 3 of his peak years.