One_and_Done wrote:Handlez wrote:After seeing the Nuggets struggle, that back to back looking mighty hard, eh?
Kobe went to back to back to back finals and won back to back titles with a good roster, but certainly not an otherworldly roster.
First finals team...
Kobe
Pau
Lamar
Sasha
Vladimir
Fisher
Those players played the most minutes and were the biggest contributors. How the hell do you beat that Boston team with THAT? Kobe's second option averaged 14.7.
Second finals team that beat Magic...
Kobe
Pau
Lamar
Arizona
Fisher
Those players played the most minutes and were the biggest contributors. Kobe's second option averaged 18.6.
Third finals team that won back to back titles...
Kobe
Pau
Lamar
Artest
Fisher
Bynum
Those players averaged the most minutes and were the biggest contributors. Kobe's second option averaged 18.6.
People will talk advanced stats or percentages or whatever, but Kobe was beyond that. The man was a stone cold killer and did anything he could to win. A lot of what he did won't show up in any stat. He did a great job of breaking down defenses with his elite post play that collapsed the defense, but wouldn't necessarily lead to any stat we can zero in on. He swung the ball out of countless double teams and eventually it'd lead to good shots that would also tire the defense as they were scrambling. And Kobe was an elite defender when it mattered. If Kobe knew he had a chance to win a title, he locked in defensively in the playoffs.
And of course, I'm not even talking about anything he did with Shaq.
Kobe most underrated of all time.
Once KG got hurt I'm 09, ending his prime, the Lakers had the best team in the league and were considered favourites both at the time and in hindsight.
You are focussed on ppg, not understanding that a) the pace was slower then, b) players don't only bring value by scoring, and c) there's only 1 ball. When you put a bunch of talented guys all on one team, some players have to sacrifice their stats, especially when playing with infamous ball hogging and shot jacker Kobe.
Pau was an an all-nba big, who had led his own team to three 50-ish win seasons in the brutal West at the same time that Kobe was struggling to lead his own team to the playoffs. The only reason the Grizzlies didn't do better was because the seeding system was broken at the time and they played in the toughest division.
Odom was an all-star calibre player, if he'd stayed on Miami he'd likely have 5 or more all-star appearances. Instead he went to a crowded LA roster and had to take a lesser role.
Artest was widely considered the best player on a contending Pacers team, or at worst the co-star. He was also a fearsome defensive player. He had to take a lesser role on the Lakers, but at 30 he was still in his prime. He was averaging 17-24 ppg for six seasons in a row before he came to LA, mostly on playoff teams or contenders, while being one of the best defenders in the league.
Bynum was seen as an up and coming all-star big, there was a reason he ended up getting a max contract. Dude was a good player.
Ariza was a top notch 3@D guy. Fisher was a solid point guard. They had other good role players too. Those were incredible teams relative to the league they were in. They could have likely won a title or two with Dominique Wilkins or Ray Allen in Kobe's place.