The Official Playoffs Thread

[midranger]

And Kobe doesn't win them without Rick Fox.

Rick Fox = GOAT.

No one player wins the championship. Not Shaq, not Kobe, not Jordan...no one. This is why you can't take Kobe's or no one elses rings away from them. You can't argue against history midranger. Whether you like it or not, greatness is defined by winning at the highest levels. Winning championships is how legacies are carved. Lebron can't cheat history. He has to win. Kobe has already.

You've now defined legacy. And I agree, at this point, Kobe would leave a better legacy.

But defining the current best player in the world by events that happened 8 years ago, still makes no sense.

If it did Bill Russell would still be the best player in the NBA and Bill Walton would still be winning Wooden awards.

[Mags FTW]

lol. Mo is about to cry in his interview. Don't shoot 5-15, ya baby...

[Ayt]

Kobe v Lebron is not even a discussion. Kobe's resume past and present kills that debate.

I can make an argument that Wade is a better player than Lebron using the same excuses that the Lehype machine here is using.

What if Wade had as much help as Lebron does? Hasn't Wade won a championship with a diminished Shaq?

Pecking order:

1. Kobe
2. Wade
3. Lebron

Until you win LePrince. You have to sit at the kids table.

That definitely puts him ahead of Kobe in my book. Two years prior, Kobe was playing with a still very dominant Shaq, and he played horrifically against the Pistons. Two years later, Wade was able to win with a much slower Shaq. Wade winning with an older Shaq is better than Kobe sucking and losing with a still dominant Shaq. Wade was Finals MVP. Kobe got hammered for his performance.

[Nebula1]

Kobe v Lebron is not even a discussion. Kobe's resume past and present kills that debate.

I can make an argument that Wade is a better player than Lebron using the same excuses that the Lehype machine here is using.

What if Wade had as much help as Lebron does? Hasn't Wade won a championship with a diminished Shaq?

Pecking order:

1. Kobe
2. Wade
3. Lebron

Until you win LePrince. You have to sit at the kids table.

Pierce is probably ahead of Lebron as well. Not to mention a rising Dwight Howard...

1. Kobe
2. Pierce
3. Wade
4. Howard
5. James

And that doesn't even include Paul or Dirk. Dirk > Lebron?

[Newz]

Nobody makes players better than Kobe. In the Olympic run, Kobe made Wade, Lebron, Melo better players. Even Bill Simmons has acknowledged this and he hates Kobe. Kobe brings that tension.

That is the most ridiculously wrong statement that I have ever heard.

Do you watch Kobe Bryant play basketball or do you just watch ESPN and listen to the announcers talk about what a God he is?

Kobe is a phenomenal scorer, a very good defender and possibly the second best 2-guard to ever play the game... But he is far from the best player in the NBA at making his teammates better.

[paulpressey25]

Im sorry but the Refs in this Orlando and Cleveland series realy suck for the game. The NBA need to stop letting Refs dictate who goes and who don't. Good game for the Magic.

I agree. Unfortunately the NBA still has this garbage going on. We just are less outraged here since the Bucks aren't ever in the playoffs to get the short end of the stick from Dick Bavetta. (cue Trwi7)

[Wise1]

Shaq needed one practice season to show he didn't need Kobe to win a ring. In fact, Wade>Kobe since they both won with Shaq, but Wade was the Finals MVP and Kobe was generally horrific in the Finals.

Chauncey Billups was also a Finals MVP.

Wade I'd say has the edge over Lebron, but Wade's complete resume does not compare to Kobe's. However, Wade is closer to Kobe than LePrince.

[Newz]

Pierce is probably ahead of Lebron as well.

Dirk > Lebron?

I seriously no longer value anything that you say about the game of basketball.

[Nebula1]

Even after Lebron chokes away another one, it still devolves into a Kobe discussion and how he sucks. Typical.

How about Dwight Howard? Best big in the world taking his rightful spot as King of the East.

[Nebula1]

Pierce is probably ahead of Lebron as well.

Dirk > Lebron?

I seriously no longer value anything that you say about the game of basketball.

do you honestly think I care? It's a message board. haha.

I'm enjoying the Magic win. It's nice to see the Lebron Hype Train come off the rails a bit.

[Wise1]

Nobody makes players better than Kobe. In the Olympic run, Kobe made Wade, Lebron, Melo better players. Even Bill Simmons has acknowledged this and he hates Kobe. Kobe brings that tension.

They're young in the mind and set in their ways Nebula. None of those players would claim to be better than Kobe if you asked them. They know that history can't be cheated. Championships settle all scores. Kobe seems offended when asked if he feels he has to one up Lebron. "Are you serious???" was his response. All of those guys were better after playing with Kobe. He's the father right now. They're just siblings. Nothing but Kobe's children. lol.

[Nebula1]

Nobody makes players better than Kobe. In the Olympic run, Kobe made Wade, Lebron, Melo better players. Even Bill Simmons has acknowledged this and he hates Kobe. Kobe brings that tension.

That is the most ridiculously wrong statement that I have ever heard.

Do you watch Kobe Bryant play basketball or do you just watch ESPN and listen to the announcers talk about what a God he is?

Kobe is a phenomenal scorer, a very good defender and possibly the second best 2-guard to ever play the game... But he is far from the best player in the NBA at making his teammates better.

I was talking about his opponents. Every night a team goes to the Staples Center against the Lakers, it's a big game. Every single one. Now that's responsibility. He's carrying the second biggest market the NBA has. Kobe is the greatest player in the world.

Kobe made that Olympic team so much better. He was the one to make Wade come back like he did, to get Lebron and Melo focused.

[jerrod]

i love that wise has hitched his wagon to nebula's train

[midranger]

i love that wise has hitched his wagon to nebula's train

Wise's train is still hitched to Gadz, which is why he's always so far off-track.

[Nebula1]

Nobody makes players better than Kobe. In the Olympic run, Kobe made Wade, Lebron, Melo better players. Even Bill Simmons has acknowledged this and he hates Kobe. Kobe brings that tension.

They're young in the mind and set in their ways Nebula. None of those players would claim to be better than Kobe if you asked them. They know that history can't be cheated. Championships settle all scores. Kobe seems offended when asked if he feels he has to one up Lebron. "Are you serious???" was his response. All of those guys were better after playing with Kobe. He's the father right now. They're just siblings. Nothing but Kobe's children. lol.

It's very true. Kobe is the elder statesman, but the young fans like the young flash. I like the guys who are at their intellectual prime. Kobe plays with his mind, Lebron with his body. I liked later Jordan more than earlier. Less dunks and flair, but more desire for perfection.

We're just the old school guys around here. It's all good. Kobe sucks because Shaq yada yada!

[Newz]

i love that wise has hitched his wagon to nebula's train

The Paul Pierce and Dirk are better than LeBron train?

I think that is going to be a very small train. I guess you can add some more cars for the people who still believe Kobe is better... You know, the ones who are clinging to him winning championships as a teams second best player, five years ago.

If winning dictates everything, then that means Kobe isn't the best player in the NBA. Tim Duncan and Shaq are clearly better than him until he wins another ring, then he is on there level... I mean, who cares that Duncan and Shaq are both aging and past their primes, they have more rings, right?

[REDDzone]

lol. Mo is about to cry in his interview. Don't shoot 5-15, ya baby...

What did he say? Any more guarantees?

[Nebula1]

i love that wise has hitched his wagon to nebula's train

Wise is Dwight and I'm Rashard and we're high fiving after dominating this thread when everybody said it couldn't be done. Poor Lebron. Welcome to the Playoffs. I like Dwight 20x better anyhow.

[Wise1]

And Kobe doesn't win them without Rick Fox.

Rick Fox = GOAT.

No one player wins the championship. Not Shaq, not Kobe, not Jordan...no one. This is why you can't take Kobe's or no one elses rings away from them. You can't argue against history midranger. Whether you like it or not, greatness is defined by winning at the highest levels. Winning championships is how legacies are carved. Lebron can't cheat history. He has to win. Kobe has already.

You've now defined legacy. And I agree, at this point, Kobe would leave a better legacy.

But defining the current best player in the world by events that happened 8 years ago, still makes no sense.

If it did Bill Russell would still be the best player in the NBA and Bill Walton would still be winning Wooden awards.

I've argued Kobe v Lebron from past to present. Kobe beats him historically and in the now.

[Newz]

lol. Mo is about to cry in his interview. Don't shoot 5-15, ya baby...

What did he say? Any more guarantees?

I like Mo Williams...

But he really, really has to step up his game. He is the primary reason that the Cavs are down 3-1 right now, they really miss the offense that he brought them during the regular season.