NBA Thread 2012-2013

[ARIAGA II]

He doesn't show up well in the big moments.

This was true until game 6 against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.

 

[AndreaPirlo21]

This was true until game 6 against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.

That was quite some time.

 

[yoyo913]

LeBron won the most recent title and got to the finals the year before. Kobe hasn't been in 3 years. Are we talking about the best player or the best career? LeBron is at a level right now that Kobe has never attained.

When it was "just Kobe" from 04/05 to 06/07 (after Shaq, before Gasol), the Lakers were .500 also rans. When it was "just LeBron" in Cleveland, they were always contenders, and averaged 64 wins his final two seasons. His first year in Miami, the Cavs won 19 games.

This.

 

[Hisashi]

LeBron won the most recent title and got to the finals the year before. Kobe hasn't been in 3 years. Are we talking about the best player or the best career? LeBron is at a level right now that Kobe has never attained.

When it was "just Kobe" from 04/05 to 06/07 (after Shaq, before Gasol), the Lakers were .500 also rans. When it was "just LeBron" in Cleveland, they were always contenders, and averaged 64 wins his final two seasons. His first year in Miami, the Cavs won 19 games.

Are you saying Lebron is better than kobe ?

One thing Kobe Bryant can do that LeBron James can't is create opportunities for himself with the ball. The man puts on an amazing show.

While James would rather drive to the basket and draw a foul in the post, Bryant will pull up for the jumper over two defenders. It may not always be the "right" play, but it is definitely entertaining.

According to Sports Illustrated, Phoenix Suns forward Grant Hill said:

"LeBron has the pullup jumper and he takes you to the rim. He has the two pitches, and, trust me, both of them are great. But Kobe is like the guy with all the pitches. He brings his fastball, his change, gives you something on the corner. LeBron will overpower you but you might know what's coming. With Kobe, you're never comfortable."

It takes a special talent to have not only that type of court vision, but also the ability to make those tough shots. You have no choice but to marvel at what Bryant is doing at 33 years old.

Some people think that clutch shooting is overrated, but in actuality, those game-winning shots can greatly affect a player's reputation in the NBA. Ask LeBron James.

James has received a lot of flack from basketball fans in recent years for his inability to come through in the clutch. We all remember the 2011 NBA Finals, where James was virtually nonexistent in fourth quarters.

If James is known for shying away from game-winning shots, Bryant is known for always wanting the ball in his hands at the end of a close game. In a January survey of NBA general managers by NBA.com, 48.1 percent of the respondents said they would want Bryant "taking a shot with the game on the line." James didn't receive any votes.

Need more proof? Basketball-Reference.com launched a "Shot Finder" feature that claims to track every shot taken in the NBA since the 2000-01 season. In the 2011-12 regular season and playoffs in the fourth quarter or overtime, with one minute or less left on the clock, Bryant has made 9-of-22 shots to win or tie the game. James made 4-of-6. While Bryant may have missed more shots than James even attempted, at least he's willing to step up to the plate.

If you ask any Bryant fan why he's better than LeBron, their first argument will most likely be, "How many rings does Kobe have?"

While there are great players who never won a championship—especially in the Michael Jordan era—LeBron will not fall into that category. A player of his caliber must have a rings to solidify his greatness, and Kobe has five compared to LeBron's one ring.

LeBron failed to lead the Miami Heat to a championship 2 seasons ago and infamously pulled a disappearing act in the Finals. In the eyes of many NBA fans, if the Heat win a ring this year, a majority of the credit will be due to Dwyane Wade. On the other hand, Kobe has won rings with and without Shaquille O'Neal.

Kobe Bryant will go down as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

His comparisons to the legend Michael Jordan are well deserved. In fact, in the 2011-12 regular season, Kobe passed MJ for the second-most points scored by a player for a single NBA franchise.

At the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant broke another Jordan record. He surpassed Jordan as the All-Star Game's greatest scorer, breaking the previous record of 262 points.

His Airness thinks only Kobe deserves comparisons, according to Roland Lazenby, a writer who is working on a Jordan book. Lazenby tweeted (via ProBasketballTalk):

Kobe's ultimate competition is MJ. That's why MJ watches him. MJ made people think what he was doing wasn't human. Ditto the Kobester.

I never said Kobe was better than MJ. MJ just told me Kobe's the only one to have done the work, to deserve comparison.

While James is an immensely talented player in his own right, he simply isn't Bryant, and has a long way to go before he can be mentioned with the greats.

 

[yoyo913]

There's no point arguing with an idiot.

Hisashi, why does Lebron have 3 MVPs (given to the most valuable player in a season) and Kobe 1 ?

Just because there's one stupid article doesn't make it right. There is more out there on the internet saying Lebron is better than Kobe and I will leave it at that. Note that article was written before the finals, when he won his first championship.

Speaking of that, winning championship is also not a good test for who is the best player because teammates play a huge factor in team success (there are 5 players out there, not 1 and no one has ever won a championship by themselves, they all need help) and Kobe has had much better teammates through-out his career compared to Lebron, before he left for Miami. When he got to Miami he won it his second year there.

Here I can post a link too. http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=1203208
It's a forum of huge basketball fans where many have been watching the game years upon years. They have better basketball knowledge than you or me. The consensus there if you read is that Lebron is greater.

And Iliaje, the Lebron being un-clutch is one of the biggest NBA myths propagated by the haters (it was cool to hate Lebron a year ago).

The definition of "clutch" is different for every person. For the sake of this analysis, clutch is defined as a shot made by a player to either tie the game or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or in overtime.

These stats are based on a time frame from the start of the 2006 season until June 11th, 2012 (Including Playoffs).



Name - Shots Made - Shots Attempted - Percentage
Dirk Nowitzki 43 94 .457
Rudy Gay 42 97 .433
LeBron James 61 143 .427
Kobe Bryant 80 193 .415
Chris Paul 39 95 .411
Ray Allen 42 105 .400
Carmelo Anthony 33 85 .388
Jason Terry 30 81 .370
Kevin Durant 52 144 .361
Joe Johnson 38 106 .358
Paul Pierce 32 93 .344
Derrick Rose 36 107 .336
Dwyane Wade 40 121 .331
Russell Westbrook 25 77 .325
Andre Iguodala 25 95 .263


There you have it. The numbers speak for themselves.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1218071-lebron-james-ending-the-debate-on-lebrons-clutch-ability

Interesting to note Lebron's shot percent in clutch shots is higher than Kobe's and near the top of the list. Also another stat Lebron beats Kobe in.

 

[ARIAGA II]

I didn't say he wasn't clutch, what I meant was more along the lines that the ECF game 6 definitely disproved the whole Lebron shrinks in the big moments.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I knew what you were saying. That's the point when Skip Bayless had to shut his loud, stupid, racist mouth.

I stopped here

One thing Kobe Bryant can do that LeBron James can't is create opportunities for himself with the ball. The man puts on an amazing show.

While James would rather drive to the basket and draw a foul in the post, Bryant will pull up for the jumper over two defenders. It may not always be the "right" play, but it is definitely entertaining.

So LeBron can't create for himself, all he can get is easy and-1s whenever he wants while Super Kobe pulls up for jumpers over 2 defenders at his 40% clip when he has a wide open teammate. And Kobe is better because that's more entertaining. Sure.

 

[Hisashi]

Whatever , Kobe still the best

 

[leungtl]

Whatever , Kobe still the best

Translation:

LALALALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOUR FACTS AND FIGURES BECAUSE I AM RIGHT!

 

[Alex]

Hahaha love it. Just read all of that, made for an entertaining read.

Funny that earlier this year though, Shifty you were saying Kobe was the equal of Jordan, and that the Jordan myth was just exaggerated by time. Is that still your opinion Shifty?

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Yeah pretty much, but Kobe's peak wasn't as good as Jordan's peak. I think in terms of careers they're about the same.

 

[Hisashi]

Lakers 11-14 i hope they fix this if they stay like these they wont make the playoffs

 

[yoyo913]

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I went to grade/middle/high school with a D1 FBS running back. He was ripped like that as an 8 year old too.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Dwight injured. "Dream Team" gonna miss the playoffs, y'all.

 

[yoyo913]

They're going to miss it with or without him, team is playing like crap. Too many good teams in the west, Kobe hero ball, bad team chemistry, Nash too passive, Gasol losing all confidence, Howard not utilized enough.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

But Hisashi assured me Kobe was still the best!

 

[leungtl]

You know who I don't like?

Royce White.

 

[ARIAGA II]

Garnett told Carmelo that Lala Anthony tastes like Honey-Nut Cheerios. I hope Melo gives him a hurting first chance he gets.

 

[yoyo913]

http://www.latinospost.com/articles/9161/20130107/jeremy-lin-injury-dragon-shaped-blood-mark.htm