Kobe and T-Mac are really close in these 2 seasons, but I'd go with Kobe slightly over T-Mac. However, the Lakers team was also better. Odom is easily better than any of T-Mac's teammates and Phil was a better coach than Doc Rivers.
It's weird how similar these situations were, though. 2 of the most impressive scoring seasons ever, mediocre casts and they end up going up 3-1 on 2 much better teams, but losing the series in 7.
Kobe and T-Mac are really close in these 2 seasons, but I'd go with Kobe slightly over T-Mac. However, the Lakers team was also better. Odom is easily better than any of T-Mac's teammates and Phil was a better coach than Doc Rivers.
It's weird how similar these situations were, though. 2 of the most impressive scoring seasons ever, mediocre casts and they end up going up 3-1 on 2 much better teams, but losing the series in 7.
I can see something like an 87-85 game with Kobe and T-Mac scoring 40. Odom statistically and talent-wise is much better than anyone on Orlando, but he also makes many more mistakes and mental errors.
I can see something like an 87-85 game with Kobe and T-Mac scoring 40. Odom statistically and talent-wise is much better than anyone on Orlando, but he also makes many more mistakes and mental errors.
So does Drew Gooden and he's not as good of a player as Odom, plus Odom played really good basketball after the all-star break and in the playoffs, he actually played like an all-star caliber player in the 2nd half/playoffs.
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Bryant is a superstar and Lamar Odom is an All-Star caliber player.
Funny exaggeration on Kobe's part, but it still should help show how much better Odom was than any of T-Mac's teammates on the '03 Magic.
Quote:
“It’s all growth for us, it’s all evolution,” said Bryant, who scored 23 points in the first half of Game 7 but just one after that. “I think at the start of the season, nobody expected us to be here. I think the growth that we have, the talent that we have, the upside, is good.
“Kwame Brown obviously has a lot of talent and a lot of potential. He’s going to work hard this summer; he’ll be better next year. Lamar Odom has stepped up and really turned himself into being one of the best players in this game. We have some good pieces in there.”
Kobe and T-Mac are really close in these 2 seasons, but I'd go with Kobe slightly over T-Mac. However, the Lakers team was also better. Odom is easily better than any of T-Mac's teammates and Phil was a better coach than Doc Rivers.
It's weird how similar these situations were, though. 2 of the most impressive scoring seasons ever, mediocre casts and they end up going up 3-1 on 2 much better teams, but losing the series in 7.
The only difference is that Kobe plays defense, doesn't get injured nearly as much (in fact his tendency for playing with injuries is farve-esque) and has won repeatedly on a big stage.
Also let's not act like Doc isn't a great coach, with a different style than Jackson.
I would take Lamar Odom over anyone else on that Magic Squad other than T-Mac. Grant Hill. Kemp wasn't even himself.
I don't know, this series is a tossup. Considering that Grant Hill isn't here, Kobe was slightly better than T-Mac(Ds better and is more durable), and Phil Jackson is the coach, I'm going to say Lakers.
That lakers team was god damn terrible but that team T-mac had was even worse. Maybe the worse playoff team in a long ass time.
Both guys talents were wasted that year.
Like I've stated; that year McGrady had relief from Hill (playing 29 games) and Mike Miller (playing 49 games). That 42-20 record is skewed; that lineup up top is not accurate.
Kobe played with Smush, Kwame, Lamar & Mihm all season long; he did not have the privileged of having a Grant Hill & Mike Miller for a quarter & half the season (respectively). That roster is not accurate and Kobe played with less that season if you take that into account.
Hill: 14.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 49 FG% in 29 games
Miller: 16.4 PPG, 42% FG, 5.8 RPG, 2.8 APG in 49 games
Odom: 15.9 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, 47 FG% in 56 games
The OP conveniently put down Odom for Kobe; but forgot to include Hill & Miller who combined to play a total of 78 games for Orlando that year. Lamar only played 56 games, not that much more then Miller who averaged more PPG then Lamar.
Case closed.
Kobe won the same with a clearly worse supporting cast. Guy didn't even have Lamar for 26 games that year.
Both teams finished 42-40, and LA was clearly in a much tougher conference in those respective years.
2003 Magic vs 2006 Lakers
