Forget the M J-Kobe caomparisons, Kobe vs. Magic

[semi-sentient]

Thanks for the honest replies guys. I started watching bball cause of magic around in 1992 then he got the aids virus in 1993 iirc?? I remember it was just so fun watching him for his passing aspects. I lost all interest in bball after he retired and started watching again as he made his come back...enters kobe at 17 on the bench. From the day kobe came off the bench i watched his every game as he matured. I surely missed out on magic's prime days

He contracted the HIV sometime in 1991, I believe. Cookie was pregnant at the time, so he likely got it sometime after her pregnancy. The announcement came just after the 1991-92 regular season started after he missed the first few games due to what everyone thought was the flu. As if the Lakers getting smashed by the Bulls in the Finals wasn't enough, we all had to endure the retirement of Magic not long afterwards.

[LAKERS_1981]

hehe
It still Kobe vs MJ. They are a like. I dont care if Mj has a better pts avg,ast avg,reb aveg or what ever.
This game is just about how wins the game. Dont just look at stats and say this player is stronger then that player(Then Wilt Champerlain is the Best player of allt time).
I have been watching the Bulls finals games from 91-93 and 96-98 and have to say Jordan was great but he was not some GOD how could not to anything wrong like some people talk about. Kobe has been great to and he is not some GOD.
I think they are simular players.
Jordan was just playing when the NBA was one the topp of the World and he was the KING.
Jordan started like a stats freak but then move one to win 6 championship.
Kobe started young at a championship team won 3 ring, then had some stats freak years and know is wining again.
I am a NBA freak and i call it a draw.

[Sedale Threatt]

Kobe wows me atleast once every week and if you get lucky he throws out a performance like the one against Oklahoma City. But from what I've read, watched and known about Magic, he used to wow his audience atleast 5 times in each game he played.

Kobe is the reason I started following basketball but Magic is greater and has that greater aura that legends possess. Not saying Kobe doesn't have his presence but Magic's aura > Kobe's. By the way how can anyone do the things Magic did as a rookie?

Kobe is the greatest of our time but comparing him to Magic and MJ will sell him slightly a little short imo.

I agree 100%. It all comes down to personal preference, I suppose. For me, I enjoyed watching Magic infinitely more than I have Kobe. It was just his style -- the passing, the enthusiasm, the "aura" as you put it.

I just got a bigger thrill watching somebody dish out 15 or 20 assists, many in highly creative and flamboyant fashion, than I have Kobe's shooting/scoring displays. Not to say that those haven't been spectacular as well. To think that somebody could score 81 points in an NBA, almost entirely on jump shots, is mind-blowing.

It's just the individuality of it, I guess.

Magic always seemed to be playing within the team concept, running the show and getting everybody involved. I absolutely love that style of play. Even though he's a fantastic play maker for his position, Kobe is what he is -- a volume scorer who is going to go 1 on 1 a ton and take a bunch of shots. It's just not a method I've ever been very enamored with.

And MJ, if we're on the subject, was just better. Period. That Kobe can even be compared is a great, great achievement, especially in terms of work ethic, competitiveness -- all the intangibles that put Mike over the top, Kobe is right there, in my opinion.

[LAKERS_1981]

Magic is the great player of all time.

This is a team sport and he was a great player how work well for his team.
Jordan is a better player then Magic 1 on 1 but NBA is about 5 on 5 and there Magic was the best.

[AZdeuce]

So the question remains:

If you are the GM for lets say the current New York Knicks and Had to choose one of these three players in their prime to build around: Who would it be

1: Jordan

2: Magic

3: Kobe

Me: I go with Magic

1: Jordan: would improve wins by 10-20 a season, had a very good sense of the game, when to score and when to let the teammates take over. Only needed a couple of decent players on the team.

2: Magic: would improve wins by 20-25 a season: Makes everyone around him better, made the game fun for his teammates, could play multiple positions on a given night: Triple double threat everytime

3: Kobe: would improve wins by 5-10 a season: Kobes lots of points, needs good players throughout the team to win, does not possess a great feel for the game: You either get lots of points a game or nearly nothing. Has history of quitting on team.

[Anklebreaker702]

Kobe wows me atleast once every week and if you get lucky he throws out a performance like the one against Oklahoma City. But from what I've read, watched and known about Magic, he used to wow his audience atleast 5 times in each game he played.

Magic was amazing... He didn't hit the shots that Kobe and MJ hit... But he made amazing passes and faked people out of their shorts multiple times a night... Everything always in the flow of the game... I can't remember him ever forcing anything.
.

That's inaccurate. Magic hit as many big shots as anyone.

[Kilroy]

That's inaccurate. Magic hit as many big shots as anyone.

I was trying to be politically correct...

But definately... As far as impact to the game and both teams... Magic hit as many BIG shots as anybody... He was deadly at it... Just when you thought momentum was shifting away from the Lakers, Magic would make something happen...

I was talking more about the "(Kobe/MJ) Elevates from half court... Does a 360 in mid air... Banks the ball off the defender's forehead... Nothin' but twine!" shots... Magic sould score from anywhere in ways sometimes completely unexpected... But he wasn't going to jump and switch the ball from hand to hand 47 times whilst spinning to avoid the entire Harlem Globetrotters team on the way to the basket.

And you know what... If all of a sudden I went back in time to 1980... I wouldn't miss that **** in the slightest... Magic, Stockton, etc... Those guys knew how to make team basketball exciting as hell... Nobody did it like Magic... And nobody's done it since...

[DubaLakers]

So the question remains:

If you are the GM for lets say the current New York Knicks and Had to choose one of these three players in their prime to build around: Who would it be

1: Jordan

2: Magic

3: Kobe

Me: I go with Magic

1: Jordan: would improve wins by 10-20 a season, had a very good sense of the game, when to score and when to let the teammates take over. Only needed a couple of decent players on the team.

2: Magic: would improve wins by 20-25 a season: Makes everyone around him better, made the game fun for his teammates, could play multiple positions on a given night: Triple double threat everytime

3: Kobe: would improve wins by 5-10 a season: Kobes lots of points, needs good players throughout the team to win, does not possess a great feel for the game: You either get lots of points a game or nearly nothing. Has history of quitting on team.

11 posts,

You obviously don't like Kobe, so much so that it angers and clouds your judgement, you're lying to yourself, or you're just trying to push buttons. Whatever it is, you're wrong. Whatever team you root for, feel free to watch the LAL as well, that way you can add to the thread instead of tossing out your Kobe hater nonsense. My guess is you only see the Lakers when they play your team and you get pissed becausethe LAL walk all over your team. Kobe a quitter? Kobe doesn't have a good feel for the game? Walk away foolio, just walk away.

[Slava]

So the question remains:

If you are the GM for lets say the current New York Knicks and Had to choose one of these three players in their prime to build around: Who would it be

1: Jordan

2: Magic

3: Kobe

Me: I go with Magic

1: Jordan: would improve wins by 10-20 a season, had a very good sense of the game, when to score and when to let the teammates take over. Only needed a couple of decent players on the team.

2: Magic: would improve wins by 20-25 a season: Makes everyone around him better, made the game fun for his teammates, could play multiple positions on a given night: Triple double threat everytime

3: Kobe: would improve wins by 5-10 a season: Kobes lots of points, needs good players throughout the team to win, does not possess a great feel for the game: You either get lots of points a game or nearly nothing. Has history of quitting on team.

I can see your agenda there. Kobe quits on his team? I mean a team with Kwame, Luke & Smush as starters that he dragged on into the playoffs?

[Tee212]

lol @ quitting on his team. Why you even include kobe with magic and jordan is beyond me. Just say you hate kobe stead of trolling for attention.