How to know if player X is better than Kobe

[MMM]

name lots of players who are going to put up 34/9/4 on 58% TS in the WCSF then will turn around and average 33/7/7 on 57% TS in the WCF

name lots of players who are going to lead the entire league in 4th quarter scoring in the playoffs in b2b championship runs (01,02)

..

the players I have in mind wouldn't necessarily need to match Kobe's numbers to win in that situation. I would think the Majority of the top 50-70 players in the league could win at least one title with the 3 peat Lakers. In their peak I would take a lot of players over 2000 Kobe at minimum.

[wakencdukest]

The test for knowing if a person is a better basketball player than Kobe works like this

Would this player have won as many or more titles with prime Shaq as Kobe did.

If the answer is yes, then ultimately that guy is a better player to have.

So would Durant win more with prime Shaq than Kobe? I say yes.

so >

Of course I'd also say that would happen with LeBron, Wade, Duncan, Dirk, KG, CWebb, Barkley, Pippen, CP3, Nash, TMac, Malone, Stockton.... and well, I think the non stans will understand the process and be able to add more guys to this list.

So, you're basically saying that with one of these other players instead of Kobe, the Lakers would have been that much more dominant than the rest of the league, probably to the tune of 6-8 straight championships. I'd give up Kobe for that scenario any day.

[Marlo_Stanfield]

great Post by a great OP

[Jameerthefear]

OP has shed the light to me

[Doranku]

I wonder.. what if the Dallas Mavericks had acquired some of these players who are supposedly better than a 5 time champion/2 time finals MVP?

Would they have more than one ring in their miserable 34 year existence?

[TheMarkMadsen]

the players I have in mind wouldn't necessarily need to match Kobe's numbers to win in that situation. I would think the Majority of the top 50-70 players in the league could win at least one title with the 3 peat Lakers. In their peak I would take a lot of players over 2000 Kobe at minimum.

Wow really..

so then why didn't the Lakers win any titles when Shaq had 2 all star guards on the team at the same time in Nick Van Exel & Eddie Jones..2 of the top 24 best players that year?


Why didn't Shaq win any titles with a 1st team all NBA player Penny Hardaway & an amazing supporting cast?

you say "3peat Lakers" as if they were some 3 headed monster.. when they weren't, they revolved around Kobe & Shaq

Bill Walton in 2001 is on record saying that Kobe & Shaq are the two most dominant players in the league.

[kentatm]

So, you're basically saying that with one of these other players instead of Kobe, the Lakers would have been that much more dominant than the rest of the league, probably to the tune of 6-8 straight championships. I'd give up Kobe for that scenario any day.

yes, b/c none of those players would have the ego issues Kobe had that eventually broke the team apart.

being the best basketball player involves more than skills.

you need to know whats best for the team and not yourself.

[kentatm]

Bill Walton in 2001 is on record saying that Kobe & Shaq are the two most dominant players in the league.

Bill Walton also once said "Shawn Bradley is the most dominant thing to emerge from Western Civilization ever."

[TheMarkMadsen]

Shaq after the game 1 of the WCF 2001:

I told Kobe that he was my idol," O'Neal said. "I'm serious. He's playing phenomenal. I think he's the best player in the league, by far

"That's where I've been trying to get him all year," O'Neal said. "He's been getting his points, getting everybody involved, drawing and kicking, doing the right things. Somebody once said the mark of a great player is how you make the other players around you play.I now can truly say that Kobe Bryant is the best player in this league."

[Kblaze8855]

You know that Shaq was just saying in a round about way that he made Kobe play so well and therefore is one of those who make those around him play better...right?

Shaq still thought he was the best player in the league in 2004. I remember a topic on him saying so at the time.

[Kblaze8855]

That said...this isnt the best topic ive ever seen. Im not gonna do anything about it. I just wanted to voice my objection then slide back into the shadows.

[TheMarkMadsen]

You know that Shaq was just saying in a round about way that he made Kobe play so well and therefore is one of those who make those around him play better...right?

Shaq still thought he was the best player in the league in 2004. I remember a topic on him saying so at the time.

regardless of what Shaq really thought (imo no great player thinks anybody is better than them) this came after Kobe dropped 45 & 10 on the Spurs to steal home court advantage, while Shaq had 28 & 11, Kobe had just put up 93 points in his last 2 playoff games.. Kobe was having a dominant playoffs & was a top player in the league

[Kblaze8855]

Im aware of that. I was on ISH when he said it. Much discussion was done. He also said AI is top 5 all time I believe. Shaq is into hyperbole. Heavily.

[TheMarkMadsen]

Im aware of that. I was on ISH when he said it. Much discussion was done. He also said AI is top 5 all time I believe. Shaq is into hyperbole. Heavily.

doesn't take away what he said about Kobe

Shaq doesn't speak in hyperbole as much as he is a prisoner of the moment, at that moment Kobe was a top player in the league.. When Shaq called AI a top 5 player ever, AI was a top player in the league, when speaking in historical context being a prisoner of the moment can be a hindrance.

i'm not relying on Shaqs statement to prove my point, it's just a complimentary side note to what Kobe was doing at the time..playing at a level that was tops in the league

[longtime lurker]

yes, b/c none of those players would have the ego issues Kobe had that eventually broke the team apart.

being the best basketball player involves more than skills.

you need to know whats best for the team and not yourself.

So you really think ego is what stopped the Lakers from winning more championships? If Kobe's ego was so horrible he wouldn't have 5 championships and 7 finals appearances. I know you're just trolling but even for you this is weak.