Geez Lakers fans have a sense of humor.
― Alex in SF, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago) link
Uhhhhh . . . was kidding.
Totally took it that way, my man. Curious - I have three players in mind that I'd consider in the "best in the league" discussion, along with Kobe - who do you think they are? I'll be honest.
BLAM, what kinda Angelenos are Clips fans? (genuinely curious)
As far as I am able to surmise, there are not a lot, and those that are fans are fans because they want to be able to see NBA games without paying Lakers prices. Another group might be those that are a little contrarian, a la Mets fans, and yet a third might just prefer the red, white and blue instead of purple and gold color palates.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:31 (fifteen years ago) link
Game day, bro. Game day.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:32 (fifteen years ago) link
mets are hugely popular in ny and surrounding areas fyi
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:33 (fifteen years ago) link
It was the contrarian element about which I was making that analogy. I went to school in the NYC area, and am WELL aware of the Mets large and vocal fan base.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:37 (fifteen years ago) link
Not following the NBA much this year, but . . . LJ, D. Wade, and . . . Hmm. Hard after that. I'm bias toward the significance of big-men, but I'm not sure who I'd put into the last slot of the Top Four. Also, I'm not sure how I'd rank them. Obv., Bryant is very -- very -- good.
― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:37 (fifteen years ago) link
Is Dwight Howard at that level yet? Yao Ming seems too fragile. Just not sure.
― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:39 (fifteen years ago) link
HELLO CP3 ANYONE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING HIS UTTER DOMINANCE IS A TOTAL ASSHOLE
http://thm-a02.yimg.com/image/24ff7e62826f6308http://thm-a02.yimg.com/image/24ff7e62826f6308http://thm-a02.yimg.com/image/24ff7e62826f6308http://thm-a02.yimg.com/image/24ff7e62826f6308http://thm-a02.yimg.com/image/24ff7e62826f6308
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:44 (fifteen years ago) link
1 lebron2 paul3 wade4 howard5 who the fuck cares
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:45 (fifteen years ago) link
I was actually thinking LBJ, Howard, and Chris Paul. You give me them, kobe, and a power forward who can play defense, and I'm taking the championship 5 straight.
D Wade is great, but his defense is suspect to me. Yao is good, but I agree on the fragility assessment.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:46 (fifteen years ago) link
Nice. I'm not a total asshole!
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:47 (fifteen years ago) link
d wade is prob in the top 10%-15% in league as far as D - not dominant but v good - he uses his strength speed and intelligence v well - the fact that hes on the small side for his position is the only thing keeping him from being a lock down guy imo
for no good reason he came in lol 2nd this year for defensive player of the year fyi
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:50 (fifteen years ago) link
Hmm. You make interesting points. Maybe my brane isn't working yet this AM.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:53 (fifteen years ago) link
no way
http://www.austinmeat.com/images/Kobe_Beef_%20Dinner.GIF
is better than
http://www.candy.org/cleanimages/candybars/caramello.jpg
― Dr. Phil, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:55 (fifteen years ago) link
imo yr assessment of wades D wouldve been otm a few years ago but hes stepped it up since then - particularly this year being fully healthy and all xp
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:56 (fifteen years ago) link
looking forward to this nuggets/magic finals
― Dr. Phil, Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:59 (fifteen years ago) link
haa all u hav to do is GET SUPERMANS MORE SHOTS
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:00 (fifteen years ago) link
I guess the last I really watched of D Wade was the finals a few years back when he won the Championship with shaq. East Coast games are impossible for me to catch out here. Hopefully, he'll be healthy and I'll get more of a chance to see him next playoffs.
Carmello...the pride of Baltimore....
I gotta say, he has really big upside - he's smooth, can get his own shot, can shoot from anywhere, and is starting to show some talent at defense. In a few years, maybe he's at Kobe's level - he's certainly got the potential and the physical gifts to get there. I just don't think he's there yet.
From a basketball standpoint, this would be GREAT. It would also mean that the Celtics lost, which is always good in my book.
From an LA fan standpoint, I would be disappointed.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:04 (fifteen years ago) link
lebron vs kobelebron vs carmelo
would be great
― moullet, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:05 (fifteen years ago) link
if you rate howard above kobe you're a cumguzzling rapemonkey
― hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:07 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm just enjoying that, right now, there are at least three teams that could legitimately win the whole thing, and probably a fourth if you consider the Magic having a shooter's chance.
The C's are old and injured, and have no way of handling LeBron (does anyone?).
The Nuggets are really good, and will be even better next year - getting Chauncey is even better than the Lakers getting Gasol a few years back.
And you have to factor in the Lakers.
Its been a great three months straight of basketball this year - good conference tourneys -> Good NCAA tournament -> good NBA playoffs.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:11 (fifteen years ago) link
magic had the best D in the league w/a bunch of below average defenders and howard - dude is beastly - deal
btw kobe is not as good as he used to be - something to consider
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:12 (fifteen years ago) link
celtics - no shot magic - no shot lakers - no shotnuggets - no shotcavs - in the bag
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:13 (fifteen years ago) link
btw just found out oj mayos little brother is named "todd mayo" most hilariousest name
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:17 (fifteen years ago) link
ayo ladies im "todd mayo" whats up want 2 party
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:18 (fifteen years ago) link
June, 2008: Mayo is a talented guard with a versatile skill set and a high upside. He handles and passes the ball well enough to play both guard positions. He has good size for the point guard position, and excellent athleticism. He can attack the defense with the dribble (especially in the open floor), challenge shot-blockers, and finish above the rim. He is an excellent medium range shooter who elevates to get his shot off and has a very soft touch. But he can also make shots from behind the three-point line when his feet are set. Defensively, he is very active and very efficient in full court run and jump situations because he can cover large portions of the court very quickly. Overall, he is a very talented young prospect. He has a funny name.
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:20 (fifteen years ago) link
what do you base this on?
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:22 (fifteen years ago) link
ayo as far as i'm concerned wade and kobe are 2-3 before paul, howard, or any other jokers until further notice.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:40 (fifteen years ago) link
well his stats are down from his peak of 05-07 but i base this mostly observation - hes just not as quick or explosive as he used to be - this imo has really hurt his D - hes not the lock down guy he used to be - prob this has something to do w/his stamina decreasing with age/miles - it takes crazy effort to do so much on both ends - hes also to a lesser extent more containable on offense - if hes not hitting those tough long jumpers its possible w/the right personnel to pretty much shut him out of the lane - see lee last years finals for evidence - he used to be able to assert himself on a game pretty completely - now hes more abt getting his within the flow - where as lebron/wade/cp3 can still just rape the hell out of an opposing team nightly
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:42 (fifteen years ago) link
paul has been so much better than kobe for the last two years its not even funny fuck u if u wont understand
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:43 (fifteen years ago) link
His rape stats are drastically down as well.
― carne asada, Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Dude. He dropped 40 on the Rockets in a playoff game. And the reason his stats are down is because he doesn't HAVE to do everything anymore.
Even, assuming arguendo, that you're right, and he has declined a bit - which isn't a far-fetched idea at all, given that he's been in the league since he was 12 - he's still in the top 3 over all, and on any given night is the best in the league.
As for getting his within the flow, I agree - but I think its on purpose that he waits for the whole team to come with him. He can't do it himself - nobody, not even Jordan, could.
Alright, alright. I'm not defending the man's character. Never would.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:52 (fifteen years ago) link
"on any given night CAN BE the best in the league" is what I meant.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 16:58 (fifteen years ago) link
anyone can drop 40 on a given night - i still content that kobels is not capable of imposing himself on a game like he was in 05-06 and hes v lucky that hes on a better team than he was then cause if he was forced to bare a wade/lebron/cp3 type load every night his age would be showing much more than it is now
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:03 (fifteen years ago) link
i guess this is about whether i am winning one game (or playoff series) or building a team for the next five years. i think there are different answers to those questions.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:14 (fifteen years ago) link
I think you’re selling this kobes short here. he has a lot of miles and all that but he’s also well known as one of the most dedicated guys in the gym and offseason. He’s what 31? And I think he will play at a pretty high level for a few more years.
― carne asada, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:17 (fifteen years ago) link
hes v lucky that hes on a better team than he was then cause if he was forced to bare a wade/lebron/cp3 type load every night his age would be showing much more than it is now
That's probably true, but does that mean he's not as good as he was in 05-06? His FG% is better, his 3PFG% is bette, and he's averaging fewer turnovers per game. Also, and I think this is really important, he took less shots (400 less) than 05-06. He's a more mature player who isn't able jump as high as he could when he was 18, but his production hasn't slackened all that much.
I predict, however, that if LeBron continues to play the run as fast as I can, jump over everyone all the time, and dunk with my head above the rim every time I get the chance, he will deteriorate physically much quicker than Kobe has.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:18 (fifteen years ago) link
Totally. If this were the criteria, I'd take LeBron in a heartbeat over Kobe. But I would probably take Howard over either of them.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:19 (fifteen years ago) link
Actually, if LeBron were to run as fast as I can, and dunk with his head above the rim every chance I get, he'll never win another GAME, much less an MVP.
I am slow and cannot jump.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:21 (fifteen years ago) link
per:
05/06 28.1108/09 24.46
consider per w/the fact that his defense is down and i think its pretty clear that hes declined - his fg % is really the only thing u can look at thats not worse than it used to be - his turnovers are actually up if u look at them as a % of possessions used
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:24 (fifteen years ago) link
the big advantage lebron has over kobe as far as longevity is hes much larger and more physical - that doesnt go away - on the other hand kobe shoots better than lebron and shooting ages well - regardless every player experiences a decline in athleticism around their 30th birthday - some compensate better than others but it hurts them all
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:28 (fifteen years ago) link
Anal rape is the fountain of youth!
― carne asada, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:30 (fifteen years ago) link
more to the point kobe has been playing since he was 18--he's already logged like 1100 nba games and that is a bigger issue than whether he's 30 or not.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:31 (fifteen years ago) link
Team Stats:
05-06LAL 99.4 ppgOpp 96.9 ppg
08-09LAL 104.9 ppgOpp 95.6 ppg
I think this shows they're a better TEAM now than they were. Therefore, the best player on the team doesn't have to do as much.
Yeah, he's older, and probably a little less explosive/fast/able to leap white centers in a single bound, but he's still REALLY good, and I would say better than LeBron...for now.
LeBron, obviously, has more upside at this point.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:32 (fifteen years ago) link
Fountain of something...
btw the readable simmons and gladwell solve the problem of how to press in the pros when good point guards will kill u if u try - use it against the opposing teams bench http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090513/part2 - i think theyve hit upon something pretty brilliant that could work seriously
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:36 (fifteen years ago) link
on the simmons tip, his podcast with jeff "the better van gundy brother" van gundy is excellent. lots of old-school nba chatter and a discussion of how badly the refs have been handling physical play in the playoffs this year.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:37 (fifteen years ago) link
icey is underrating kobe but if lebron was on the lakers this year they would've lost 5 games
― man, i love collages (J0rdan S.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:38 (fifteen years ago) link
las def a better team but yr argument abt kobe not having to do as much falls flat in the situations where he does have to do as much - see last years finals and various assorted other games over the last two years - and yr completely killing yr credibility insisting that hes better than lebron - lebron seriously just had one of the great regular seasons anyone has ever had in the nba and hes raised his game by a lot in the playoffs - guy is just astronomical right now
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:39 (fifteen years ago) link
Totally true - I'm hot and cold on Simmons lately, but that was a great back and forth about the full court press.
And I think they didn't even touch upon a HUGE aspect - if they're pressing more, I think its safe to assume that there would be more turnovers by the opposing team. This would lead to more of a transition game, and your BIGS are running more, thus becoming more tired.
Its not like it isn't exciting when a team goes into a full-court press - more so, I'd say. And its not like there isn't a wealth of benchers who would be perfect for 15-20 minutes a night at full sprint speed.
A really interesting article - and I think they get to the bottom line pretty well: Pros ain't going to give you full-court pressure effort all the time.
LeBron had a beastly year - no doubt. But his TEAM won one more game than the Lakers, and the Lakers are a better team. Therefore, LeBron HAD to do more than Kobe. Thus, I would argue that individual stats are worth less than you make them out to be in this argument.
I also don't buy the LeBron in the playoffs argument - who has he played? The Piss-tons? The Hawks? Call me when his production continues in a similar manner against the Magic.
Right now, I'm taking Kobe. Next year, three years from now, probably LeBron.
We really can only hope that they both make the finals. Otherwise, this argument will continue for a while.
― Two Will Get You Three (B.L.A.M.), Thursday, 14 May 2009 17:45 (fifteen years ago) link