[YYZ2112]

Originally Posted by playstopause

Of course, there will never be a another MJ. Maybe Lebron... But time will tell.
But as of now, Kobe is the closest thing to MJ imo. Maybe that's why people compare him to MJ.

He may be the closest thing to MJ but I think we saw that Kobe can not put a team on his shoulders and lead them to a win when needed or at least step up and take control.

[YYZ2112]

Originally Posted by Drew

Sorry Pete, it's been a rough year for you.

That's an understatement.

I guess I should be happy that all the closet Celtics fans have remained quiet today here in the office.

I am happy for Ray Allen though, a former UCONN star.

[ibzrg1570]

Originally Posted by YYZ2112

I am happy for Ray Allen though, a former UCONN star.

IMO He should have won MVP, much more consistent throughout the series. Hardcore Boston fans would probably feel pissed though.

I honestly thought Boston was going to collapse in the series considering they played way too many games throughout the playoffs than they should have. But as much as I hate to say this I still think the Lakers will be the team to beat for the next 3-4 years.

[playstopause]

Originally Posted by YYZ2112

He may be the closest thing to MJ but I think we saw that Kobe can not put a team on his shoulders and lead them to a win when needed or at least step up and take control.

Well, i think he did take the lead in several occasions, including some of the final games... But there's a limit to what a player can do, MVP or not. At least, Jordan had Pippen.

[YYZ2112]

Originally Posted by playstopause

Well, i think he did take the lead in several occasions, including some of the final games... But there's a limit to what a player can do, MVP or not. At least, Jordan had Pippen.

I think Pippen got way too much praise during the Jordan years. We saw that Pippen couldn't get the job done when Jordan retired (the first time) which finally opened up the door for my Knicks to get to the finals only to lose to the Rockets.

I agree with you that Jordan had a great supporting team and without them who knows if they would have won all those championships but I still feel Kobe is missing a lot of the Jordan intangibles.

[playstopause]

Originally Posted by YYZ2112

I think Pippen got way too much praise during the Jordan years. We saw that Pippen couldn't get the job done when Jordan retired (the first time) which finally opened up the door for my Knicks to get to the finals only to lose to the Rockets.

I agree with you that Jordan had a great supporting team and without them who knows if they would have won all those championships but I still feel Kobe is missing a lot of the Jordan intangibles.

Well, of course Pippen had Jordan. I'm pretty sure that without MJ, Pippen would have been more of an obscure player. At least they had a good back up. I still remember Pippen having 30-something pts games from time to time...

As far as the Kobe vs MJ thing go, well... In my book, MJ is just out of reach. What this guy accomplished, even if he didn't become the greatest ever in his sport (like Gretzky is to hockey. Though Jordan is the all-time leader for PPG with Chamberlain) is pure magic. The way he played was just so out of this world. Without him, there would not be players like Kobe and Lebron, wich are SO inspired by the Jordan style imo.

[jacksonplayer]

Kobe doesn't have the attitude of a winner. He undermines his coach and alienates his teammates. I'm sure that MJ was no picnic as a teammate with his uber-intensity, but the guys responded. Though he's a hell of a player, I don't think that Kobe is capable of being a team leader. Those winning Lakers teams of a few years back were Shaq's teams.

Congrats to the Celtics. I remember back when rooting for the Celtics was impossible--nobody outside New England liked them. If they win a couple more championships, maybe they'll get back to that point.

[GH0STrider]

Originally Posted by YYZ2112

He may be the closest thing to MJ but I think we saw that Kobe can not put a team on his shoulders and lead them to a win when needed or at least step up and take control.

Kobe can do all those things- That's why the team was in the finals. boston was simply that much better at this point in time. Remember the lakers had a big hole with bynum out. Give boston credit, don't just come down on kobe.

and the kobe/mj comparison. guys- drop it. Kobe is great, but he is not and never will be the greatest as mj was and is.

Originally Posted by YYZ2112

I think Pippen got way too much praise during the Jordan years. We saw that Pippen couldn't get the job done when Jordan retired (the first time) which finally opened up the door for my Knicks to get to the finals only to lose to the Rockets.

I agree with you that Jordan had a great supporting team and without them who knows if they would have won all those championships but I still feel Kobe is missing a lot of the Jordan intangibles.

Pippen only had one full season to try and get it done without mj. It's hard to tell in that amount of time whether he could have won it all or not without mike. Who knows.. he might have. He almost won another tittle years later past his prime with portland.

Originally Posted by jacksonplayer

Kobe doesn't have the attitude of a winner. He undermines his coach and alienates his teammates. I'm sure that MJ was no picnic as a teammate with his uber-intensity, but the guys responded. Though he's a hell of a player, I don't think that Kobe is capable of being a team leader. Those winning Lakers teams of a few years back were Shaq's teams.

Congrats to the Celtics. I remember back when rooting for the Celtics was impossible--nobody outside New England liked them. If they win a couple more championships, maybe they'll get back to that point.

that might have been kobe last season- but the laker's success this season was built on kobe listening to his coach and trusting his teammates. His team trusted him and he led them all the way to the finals. Kobe is a winner- he simply met his match with a team that was built to win it now and did.

[YYZ2112]

Originally Posted by GH0STrider

Kobe can do all those things- That's why the team was in the finals. boston was simply that much better at this point in time. Remember the lakers had a big hole with bynum out. Give boston credit, don't just come down on kobe.

and the kobe/mj comparison. guys- drop it. Kobe is great, but he is not and never will be the greatest as mj was and is.



Pippen only had one full season to try and get it done without mj. It's hard to tell in that amount of time whether he could have won it all or not without mike. Who knows.. he might have. He almost won another tittle years later past his prime with portland.



that might have been kobe last season- but the laker's success this season was built on kobe listening to his coach and trusting his teammates. His team trusted him and he led them all the way to the finals. Kobe is a winner- he simply met his match with a team that was built to win it now and did.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on Kobe and Pippen.
I'm just a bitter Knicks fan.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by YYZ2112

He may be the closest thing to MJ but I think we saw that Kobe can not put a team on his shoulders and lead them to a win when needed or at least step up and take control.

What? The Jordan-led Wiz didn't even make the playoffs!