HotRocks34 wrote:supaflash wrote:
2004 - Everyone knows Kobe played bad, but not that bad
Kobe's PER in the 2004 Finals was 14.63. Just to help put that into perspective, LeBron's PER in the 2011 Finals was 16.99.
If Kobe -- or one of his defenders -- tells you that the only reason he didn't win more MVPs or Finals MVPs in the three-peat era was because of Shaq, you say to them: "2004 Finals."
The 2004 Finals was the first time in the Shaq/Kobe Era that Kobe took more FGA than Shaq in a Finals series. It was his time, or so he apparently felt, to show he was ready to be "The Man." And he failed miserably. Kobe averaged around 6 more FGA/game than Shaq in the series, and we all know the result: The Lakers got "5-game swept." It was the only time in the Shaq/Kobe Era that the Lakers made The Finals that they lost.
Kobe wasn't a new guy in the league (8th season; 25 years old) at the time. He wasn't on a new team, either, like LeBron was in 2010-11.
Kobe (38% FG) seemed to shoot the Lakers out of the series. Shaq shot 63% FG for the series, but did not seem to get enough shots.
Here's a snippet of what was being said then.
http://usat.ly/15qBFCg
While Bryant is still young, he has never been Finals MVP in Los Angeles' three titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Those trophies belong to O'Neal. It was the pattern for those three titles. O'Neal was the man, not Bryant.
...
More pressing than statistics or MVP awards is Bryant's reluctance to be a team player in this year's championship series against the Pistons.
Jordan did the intangible tasks that helped his team win. Bryant does blatant things that do not help his team — like ignoring O'Neal in Game 4 when O'Neal gave the Lakers their only consistent scoring threat.
In five games against the Pistons, Bryant averaged 23 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and shot 38% from the field. The shooting percentage dipped because the Pistons played outstanding defense and because Bryant didn't mind launching wild shots. He needed to get his rather than help the Lakers get theirs.
It's not apparent why Bryant went out of his way to not pass the ball to O'Neal.
...
O'Neal said he was frustrated at his lack of touches at key times. Bryant said he needed to shoot through his shooting woes.
No one can ever accuse Jordan of letting an in-house dispute get in the way of a ring. It seemed Bryant had no problem allowing his relationship with O'Neal to disrupt Los Angeles' goal.
http://bit.ly/14zTnqX
Yes, O'Neal will get (the blame), and he'll accept it. But he won't deserve it. The clubhouse leader in the contest for most blame for the Lakers' implosion is Kobe Bryant.
...
(Kobe's) actions Sunday were horrifying to anyone who hoped that winning was more important to him than his being the hero. That is, he wants to win, but he truly believes he is, and has to be, the reason the Lakers do win. It was the ultimate act-out of the struggle for power with his 7-foot-1, 340-pound teammate.
...
Bryant once again tried to do it all himself, to the detriment of the Lakers and to the growing frustration of their best offensive option. Blame it on the octopus defense of Tayshaun Prince, the blindingly quick defensive rotations and quick recoveries by the Pistons, but Bryant shot the Lakers right out of Game 4.
http://wapo.st/17GKHwS
While the Pistons were sharing the ball and working with one another to take a 3-1 series lead, Kobe Bryant was playing the most self-absorbed game imaginable. It's as if he was oblivious to what else his team was doing. Don't let his 20 points fool you. While O'Neal was hitting 16 of 21 shots, grabbing 20 rebounds and handing out as many assists as Kobe (two), Bryant missed 17 of 25 shots, grabbed not a single rebound in 45 minutes and was a nightmare to his own team.
He played as if he had no interest whatsoever in getting the ball to O'Neal; in fact, it's fair to wonder if he wanted just the opposite.
Even a man whom I have constantly referred to on Real GM as someone whom I believe to be a key member of the Kobe Media, Ken Berger, was taking Kobe to task then:
http://bit.ly/14zVIT1
The Pistons also have pressured the Lakers' guards, sealing off penetration and forcing the ball handlers - mostly Kobe Bryant and Gary Payton - to make an extra pass. The Lakers, particularly Bryant, have been doing too much dribbling and not enough passing, as evidenced by their 27 three-point attempts in Game 3.
Kobe was horrible and everyone knew he was horrible. And if you don't believe the writers above regarding Kobe's attitude in the 2004 Finals, then you can take it from Phil Jackson himself about the 2003-04 season. Here's an excerpt from Jackson's
The Last Season book about the 2003-04 season in LA:
http://bit.ly/1cqDnNQ
We were playing solid team ball, a rarity this season, although, as usual, Kobe seemed intent on taking over. “Get me the f***ing ball,” he said on his way to the bench, a demand Kobe had never verbalized. I smiled, didn’t say a word, and went to chart a play on the clipboard. I sometimes think Kobe is so addicted to being in control that he would rather shoot the ball when guarded, or even double-teamed, than dish it to an open teammate.
“They’re making you get in your attack mode,” I told him when he came off the floor during a timeout late in the game. “You’re going to have to pass the ball. They’re not calling the fouls for you.” He was in no mood to back down. “I’m going to f***ing crush them,” he said. “I just haven’t found my shooting yet.”
He never found his shooting in the 2004 Finals, either. But he kept hoisting shot after shot, and took the Lakers down with him.
This is why I laugh when I hear Kobe say the "could have won more MVPs/FMVPs if not for Shaq" stuff. He tried to do that in 2004, and got crushed. Imagine if he had tried to do it when he was even younger? It could have been even uglier.
I would imagine that the 2004 Finals experience helped Kobe realize how important Shaq was during their run together. It would be four years until Kobe Bryant would return to The Finals.
... It must be why it has never been done by a guard during the regular season in the history of the NBA. It has been done by Barkely and Dantley, that's it (Artis Gilmore and Cedrix Maxwell are the closest after that). So I'm thinking these are pretty good numbers to have. Did you think before typing that ?
LeBron is 0-7 in game winning/tying FGs in the finals. And is 20/116 or 17% in game winning/tying FGs in the 4th/OT for his career. That's historically bad