[NBA] Comments that don't warrant their own thread (DEC)

[hrdboild]

How great would it be if GS gets just their 4th loss of the season to the Kobe-less "soft as toilet paper" Lakers? Never underestimate the power of professional athlete pride.

Which got me thinking... which literary character does Kobe most resemble? There's something tragic about the way he wants so badly to win that he can't trust anyone but himself. But he only wins when he allows other players to share the spotlight. He basically kicked the most dominant center of this generation out of town because he wanted all the credit. Then, while Shaq was winning another title in Miami, Kobe scored 35 points a game as the big dog in LA and lost in the first round. Now he's back at the bottom again, making $25 million dollars to miss 14 jumpers per game and grumble about his teammates...

...while his polar opposite Tim Duncan has an excellent shot to pass him up this season and get that elusive 6th ring that Kobe never got. Almost makes you want to shed a tear.

 

[mac]

How great would it be if GS gets just their 4th loss of the season to the Kobe-less "soft as toilet paper" Lakers? Never underestimate the power of professional athlete pride.

Which got me thinking... which literary character does Kobe most resemble? There's something tragic about the way he wants so badly to win that he can't trust anyone but himself. But he only wins when he allows other players to share the spotlight. He basically kicked the most dominant center of this generation out of town because he wanted all the credit. Then, while Shaq was winning another title in Miami, Kobe scored 35 points a game as the big dog in LA and lost in the first round. Now he's back at the bottom again, making $25 million dollars to miss 14 jumpers per game and grumble about his teammates...

...while his polar opposite Tim Duncan has an excellent shot to pass him up this season and get that elusive 6th ring that Kobe never got. Almost makes you want to shed a tear.

Well ... yes. But they also kinda got screwed over by the Dwight Howard + Steve Nash thing not working out. If Nash had stayed healthy and if they'd gone with a different coach things could have been very very different, not to mention his injury(s). FWIW, the whole toilet paper thing seems like just trash talking to me. I looked at a ton of the reports, watched interviews etc - I think the whole team understood that it was just trash talk, and they've also been playing somewhat better since that incident. Watch the Nick Young postgame interview in the game where he hit the gamewinner. That guy is insane, swaggy, crazy and that interview gave me an idea of the team dynamics over the toilet paper thing. It was more a trash talk, competitive thing and I think they all understood that. Kobe is an a*hole, no doubts there, but in this particular case I don't think the toilet paper comments were necessarily a "grumbling" thing.

 

[hrdboild]

Well ... yes. But they also kinda got screwed over by the Dwight Howard + Steve Nash thing not working out. If Nash had stayed healthy and if they'd gone with a different coach things could have been very very different, not to mention his injury(s). FWIW, the whole toilet paper thing seems like just trash talking to me. I looked at a ton of the reports, watched interviews etc - I think the whole team understood that it was just trash talk, and they've also been playing somewhat better since that incident. Watch the Nick Young postgame interview in the game where he hit the gamewinner. That guy is insane, swaggy, crazy and that interview gave me an idea of the team dynamics over the toilet paper thing. It was more a trash talk, competitive thing and I think they all understood that. Kobe is an a*hole, no doubts there, but in this particular case I don't think the toilet paper comments were necessarily a "grumbling" thing.

It certainly could have been meant as a motivational tactic, I buy that. I still don't think Kobe's ego can handle taking any kind of a backseat role even though his dismal shooting percentage this season suggests that might be what's best for the team. The Lakers did get screwed by over-committing to Steve Nash (to the point where they chose Mike D'Aantoni over the most decorated coach in NBA history) but Dwight Howard leaving the team seemed like it had a lot to do with Kobe's personality rubbing him the wrong way.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Vlade Divac hits half court shot at Lakers game to win $90,000 for charity.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...med-night-for-kobe-less-lakers-060642503.html

 

[mac]

It certainly could have been meant as a motivational tactic, I buy that. I still don't think Kobe's ego can handle taking any kind of a backseat role even though his dismal shooting percentage this season suggests that might be what's best for the team. The Lakers did get screwed by over-committing to Steve Nash (to the point where they chose Mike D'Aantoni over the most decorated coach in NBA history) but Dwight Howard leaving the team seemed like it had a lot to do with Kobe's personality rubbing him the wrong way.

Yep no question bout his ego. I wasn't very old at the time so I'm not very familiar with it, but was it the same with MJ when he came back from retirement? I feel it's a large part ego, but also part skill set. Kobe has controlled the offense his entire career. The team is usually at its best when he's creating a little for others but still able to score himself. It's unlike guys like Ray Allen or Duncan who can just easily play off of others. Also, there really isn't a clear better option on the Lakers unlike in Boston/Miami/San Antonio etc for their ageing stars. Lakers also don't really have good consistent outside shooting options. Ultimately I think it'll take a while for Kobe to adjust to the fact that his body simply won't allow him to be as deadly as he was before, if his ego ever allows him to accept that.

Side note: Ed Davis has been playing really well for them. Wish we coulda gotten him. Meh, not NBA 3.0 enough.

 

[kingsnation]

I love seeing the Spurs run all over OKC. Aron Baynes is just fun to watch. I read somewhere that he isn't allowed to fully participate in Spurs practices because he is so unintentionally physical with his screens, etc. He is rapidly improving which isn't surprising since he plays with Pop and Duncan.

 

[kingsboi]

I'm loving Wesley Johnson the more I see him play...he would be perfect on this team and he can be had for cheap too.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I'm loving Wesley Johnson the more I see him play...he would be perfect on this team and he can be had for cheap too.

Wesley Johnson is one of the best things to happen to the Kings in the past decade. Let's not spoil it by inviting him back to the party.

 

[kingsboi]

Wesley Johnson is one of the best things to happen to the Kings in the past decade. Let's not spoil it by inviting him back to the party.

I think the main culprit here is David Kahn and not Wesley...

 

[VF21]

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 2m2 minutes ago
Kevin Love's future is officially getting interesting. Not playing in 4th Q in Orlando??? That's it, I'm cuing up the Trade Machine.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I often find myself wondering how many people who don't follow the Pelicans closely may just assume that their second leading scorer is Ryan Anderson, or Jrue Holiday?

 

[kingsboi]

Tyreke coming up big in the fourth for Nawlins...I miss Reke

 

[kingsboi]

In other news Reke is shooting about 68% from the stripe...yikes!

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

lol Asik

 

[kingsboi]

the basketball gods just did not want New Orleans to win that one...they match up well with the Spurs that's for sure.

 

[kingsboi]

it's a offensive shootout in OKC...who needs defense! -__-