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[mnannola]

That game was one of the most amazing NBA games I have ever seen. Not only did he get 60, but did it with 44% FG and made the game winner. There could not have been a more perfect Kobe sendoff. Well a championship, but no way this Lakers team was sniffing the playoffs this year.

Kobe was a different type of player. He was never the fastest, strongest, highest jumping, best ball handler, best shooter, tallest player. He dominated through sheer willpower and hard work. He showed everyone that if you are straight up more determined than the rest, you can rise above people with greater natural talent.

What a legend.

 

[Fenderputty]

Idk, maybe you didn't read all of the post? Lmao

I did, you gave no credit to the Kobe Pau runs for hid hate. They weren't really dominant then though huh? Lol

 

[flyover]

I was cackling by the end of this game. It was so ridiculous and funny and kind of awesome to see him jack up all those shots. Hardly anyone on basketball Twitter was even noticing that the Warriors had just gotten win #73. And then Kobe topped it off with his corny struggle to seem authentic and touched in his post-game speech to the arena, even though the dude basically has two emotions: fuck yeah and fuck you. I loved every minute of it.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I did, you gave no credit to the Kobe Pau runs for hid hate. They weren't really dominant then though huh? Lol

As dominant as the Shaq/Kobe Lakers? Hell no, not even close. They also had situations during that earlier run where it seemed the officiating was helping them (right or wrong), which lead to a lot more people hating them.

You seem to know about basketball, not sure why you're struggling with any of this. Either way, you can probably throw people like Fenderputty into the mix as to why a lot of people don't like Kobe Lmao

 

[bionic77]

I did, you gave no credit to the Kobe Pau runs for hid hate. They weren't really dominant then though huh? Lol

Championships are one of the poorest indicator of which team is the best in a given sport.

Check the stats bro.

 

[Gully State]

That game was one of the most amazing NBA games I have ever seen. Not only did he get 60, but did it with 44% FG and made the game winner. There could not have been a more perfect Kobe sendoff. Well a championship, but no way this Lakers team was sniffing the playoffs this year.

Kobe was a different type of player. He was never the fastest, strongest, highest jumping, best ball handler, best shooter, tallest player. He dominated through sheer willpower and hard work. He showed everyone that if you are straight up more determined than the rest, you can rise above people with greater natural talent.

What a legend.

What? I'm not going to discount his work ethic and determination but Kobe spent his entire career out jumping guys from his Jordan-esque fadeaways, jumpers to his forays to the hoop...it's not a coincidence that once his hops lefts him, he became a shell of a player he once was.

 

[RunTheBrules]

Kobe was a different type of player. He was never the fastest, strongest, highest jumping, best ball handler, best shooter, tallest player. He dominated through sheer willpower and hard work. He showed everyone that if you are straight up more determined than the rest, you can rise above people with greater natural talent.
What a legend.

Not that I don't agree with you on the work ethic, cause the dude was more determined to win than most his peers, but saying that he wasn't one of the more talented players in the league? Child please. Have you seen some of his dunks back in the day?

 

[The Chef]

kobe commercial from last night regarding the hate lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQYz0I5dE_A

Haha so awesome.

 

[PopeReal]

I think my earlier assessment of his game last night that I posted in another thread was unfair. I brought up the fact that he took 50 shots and played against a team with nothing to gain to downplay his 60. But I didn't mention that it was his last game of his career, on his home court, and pretty damn old to be playing in the NBA.

So props given. Pretty huge event considering all the factors.

Note: I am a Blazers fan so this is hard to do.

 

[Skellig Gra]

I did, you gave no credit to the Kobe Pau runs for hid hate. They weren't really dominant then though huh? Lol

No one is taking away the championships but that wasn't a really impressive run. They beat the Magic in the first championship which was a terrible team and they got real lucky against the Celtics when Perkins went down. Pau and Bynum was too much against a team with no center.

 

[Netherscourge]

Fuck the haters who want to diminish his legacy because he was broken down the past 3 years. You are the Smush Parkers of this message board.

As a guy who has been watching basketball for over 30 years I really can't remember a guy as entertaining as Kobe. As a Lakers fan I know how spoiled we have been to watch this guy play for the first 17 years. Even when we weren't good he was able to make the Lakers entertaining as hell and relevant. There was just something about Kobe that was hard to miss.

Top 3 Laker of all time. I rank them as follows.

1. Cedric Ceballos
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Magic Johnson

(Kareem was not a career Laker so he doesn't make the list, though he is one of the best players of all time).

Good luck in your next life Kobe. And that game last night was a trip. LA came through and gave him a proper send off.

Wilt Chamberlain > Cedric Ceballos, IMO.

 

[Fenderputty]

Championships are one of the poorest indicator of which team is the best in a given sport.

Check the stats bro.

The context was, reasons people hate Kobe. Orlando and noston agree. I wasn't making a case for him being the GOAT or some shit.

The idea that Kobe Pau wasn't a force to hate because they weren't as dominate as Kobe shaq is also laughable

 

[reKon]

What proof do I have that he has changed?

I guess that depends on the person evaluating his general life. I don't think anything has came up about him cheating again, so a person would probably just make assumptions based any rumors and go off that. I don't know what kind of proof you're looking for here.

Btw, in that post, I was saying hypothetically if he has changed since that incident, would he still look at Kobe the same as he does at Bill Cobsy and Ben Roethlisberger.

 

[bionic77]

What? I'm not going to discount his work ethic and determination but Kobe spent his entire career out jumping guys from his Jordan-esque fadeaways, jumpers to his forays to the hoop...it's not a coincidence that once his hops lefts him, he became a shell of a player he once was.

Basketball discussion on GAF is so bad that my posts about Cedric Ceballos actually seem well thought out and intelligent.

Kobe was one of the most athletic players in the league for probably his first 15 years in the league. He was saving his hops the last 2 years and could not do it every night, but even then he was still capable of getting above the rim and his footwork was so far ahead of everyone else that he was still able to get his shot whenever he wanted, so he was still athletic enough even when he tore his achilles.

 

[rambis]

Edit: wrong thread

 

[BFIB]

So is he retiring to Colorado?

 

[bionic77]

Wilt Chamberlain > Cedric Ceballos, IMO.

In terms of what?

Dick size? Disagree.

Ability to dunk with eyes closed? Ced just dominates Wilt to such an embarrassing degree in this category so that I almost don't even want to continue the discussion.

Ability to be smooth on and off the court? Ced again gets this one. Anyone can dominate, but it is rare that you can put up 40 AND look smooth while doing it.

No standards when it comes to women? Ok Wilt is on the board.

Overall though I still give it to Ced. Not that Wilt was a bad player, he had some good stats. But does he have a statue in front of my house? Nope, he just didn't get to that level.

 

[Takuan]

Started off ugly but his last few shots were classic Kobe. Yes, his team did everything in their power to allow him to score, but Utah didn't make anything easy for him.

The only thing that bothered me was the no-call on Hayward's drive to the bucket that probably would've tied the game - but that's a general peeve of mine with NBA reffing.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

No one is taking away the championships but that wasn't a really impressive run. They beat the Magic in the first championship which was a terrible team and they got real lucky against the Celtics when Perkins went down. Pau and Bynum was too much against a team with no center.

Yes, the Magic were so terrible, they upset the favorite Cavs to go to the Finals and iirc, they won Stan a COTY award...but yes, they were terrible. :|

As to your other claim, Perkins was gone for Game 7. Not the series.

If Bynum had two working knees that series (you would know he didn't if you watched the series) that series probably doesn't go 7.

Also, I can play the hypothetical hurt player game too! If Ariza is on Wheelchair Pierce in 2008 instead of Luke Walton and the Space Cadet, maybe that series ends differently too.

Spoiler

Bynum didn't play in that series either if you're keeping score at home.

 

[rrc1594]

Fuck the haters who want to diminish his legacy because he was broken down the past 3 years. You are the Smush Parkers of this message board.

As a guy who has been watching basketball for over 30 years I really can't remember a guy as entertaining as Kobe. As a Lakers fan I know how spoiled we have been to watch this guy play for the first 17 years. Even when we weren't good he was able to make the Lakers entertaining as hell and relevant. There was just something about Kobe that was hard to miss.

Top 3 Laker of all time. I rank them as follows.

1. Cedric Ceballos
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Magic Johnson

(Kareem was not a career Laker so he doesn't make the list, though he is one of the best players of all time).

Good luck in your next life Kobe. And that game last night was a trip. LA came through and gave him a proper send off.

Hold the fuck up I'm crying over here! Cedric fucking Ceballos!

 

[Skellig Gra]

Yes, the Magic were so terrible, they upset the favorite Cavs to go to the Finals and iirc, they won Stan a COTY award...but yes, they were terrible. :|

As to your other claim, Perkins was gone for Game 7. Not the series.

If Bynum had two working knees that series (you would know he didn't if you watched the series) that series probably doesn't go 7.

Also, I can play the hypothetical hurt player game too! If Ariza is on Wheelchair Pierce in 2008 instead of Luke Walton and the Space Cadet, maybe that series ends differently too.

Spoiler

Bynum didn't play in that series either if you're keeping score at home.

lol well we can play the what if game with Bynum quite a bit unfortunately. Like I said, they won the 'ships and no one can take that away from them. But to compare that run to that first 3 peat is just foolish.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

ITT, no one responding to bionic was with him in the gym when he was shooting freethrows in the classic NBA-GAF era.

 

[Kickz]

Salute for a legend.

#MyGenerationsMike

 

[Gully State]

Basketball discussion on GAF is so bad that my posts about Cedric Ceballos actually seem well thought out and intelligent.

Kobe was one of the most athletic players in the league for probably his first 15 years in the league. He was saving his hops the last 2 years and could not do it every night, but even then he was still capable of getting above the rim and his footwork was so far ahead of everyone else that he was still able to get his shot whenever he wanted, so he was still athletic enough even when he tore his achilles.

So for most of his career, he was outjumping guys. Gotcha... My point is that he wasn't this run of the mill talented guy that won on will alone. He was great because he not only was a pathologic try hard but also combo'd that with generational athletic gifts.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

lol well we can play the what if game with Bynum quite a bit unfortunately. Like I said, they won the 'ships and no one can take that away from them. But to compare that run to that first 3 peat is just foolish.

Yet you try to discredit them by saying things like the Magic team in 2009 was "terrible".

 

[Fenderputty]

lol well we can play the what if game with Bynum quite a bit unfortunately. Like I said, they won the 'ships and no one can take that away from them. But to compare that run to that first 3 peat is just foolish.

Who's doing that? I'm just not downplaying that run like some here are (you). They went to the finals three times in a row and won 2 in a row. That's dominant.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Who's doing that? I'm just not downplaying that run like some here are (you). They went to the finals three times in a row and won 2 in a row. That's dominant.

Heat went to 4 straight Finals and only won 2.

I guess they weren't dominant for that stretch either.

:|

 

[dragonyeuw]

Lakers age anointed Ceballos a long time ago. We also consider him to be the best player of the 90s.

The tougher question is whether or not he is in the conversation of greatest human being ever. I am in that camp but I understand the arguments of those who will pick a Jesus or Einstein over him (though neither of those 2 ever dunked blind that I am aware of).

Dammit, got suckered right into that. Good one.

 

[Dark Cloud]

Is Kobe even a top 10 player?

Jordan
Shaq
Bird
Magic
LeBron
Wilt
Bill Russell
Kareem
Duncan

Looks like he might barely make it in.

 

[JABEE]

And people are mad at the Sixers for treating the regular season as an uncompetitive joke.

 

[Red Blaster]

team with a 6.48 srs and a 59 win season is terrible lawl

magic lost that series because the lakers were better than them (they won 65 that year). they had great players like the ultra skilled pau gasol, the multi-talented point forward lamar odom, the future all-nba 2nd teamer andrew bynum, the clutch leader derek fisher, the sharpshooter trevor ariza, and of course. who can forget, the greatest coaching mastermind of all-time--phil jackson

Yes, the Magic were so terrible, they upset the favorite Cavs to go to the Finals and iirc, they won Stan a COTY award...but yes, they were terrible. :|

stan didn't get coty that year

 

[ryutaro's mama]

stan didn't get coty that year

I said, iirc.

<3 you, Red Blastah!

 

[JABEE]

Did Bionic really rank Kobe over Magic? Even in Jest?

 

[bionic77]

So for most of his career, he was outjumping guys. Gotcha... My point is that he wasn't this run of the mill talented guy that won on will alone. He was great because he not only was a pathologic try hard but also combo'd that with generational athletic gifts.

Thanks for proving my point.

I was agreeing with you!

Is Kobe even a top 10 player?

He was a consensus top 10 player and for most people top 5 player after he won his 5th ring.

I guess so many greats have been introduced into the game since 2010 that Kobe has fallen off the list.

Or maybe basketball conversation is just dominated by idiots.

Its one of those questions we will never know the answer to.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Did Bionic really rank Kobe over Magic? Even in Jest?

You really don't know bionic's NBA side, do you?

 

[Skellig Gra]

Who's doing that? I'm just not downplaying that run like some here are (you). They went to the finals three times in a row and won 2 in a row. That's dominant.

My original point is that Kobe fell off quite a bit. His performance in the original title run was far far superior to the last title run. Level of competition is an integral factor in all that.

 

[Anth0ny]

Is Kobe even a top 10 player?

Jordan
Shaq
Bird
Magic
LeBron
Wilt
Bill Russell
Kareem
Duncan

Looks like he might barely make it in.

he squeezes in there, I think. I'd put him above lebron, personally. the rest of those guys? not sure.

 

[JABEE]

You really don't know bionic's NBA side, do you?

I know he loves Magic Johnson more than anyone else. Tebow excluded.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

I guess so many greats have been introduced into the game since 2010 that Kobe has fallen off the list.

Or maybe basketball conversation is just dominated by idiots.

I was told that Curry is already a lock for Top 10, right now and another chip or two gets him to Top 5, easy.

That conversation actually happened in one of these threads.

 

[bionic77]

I was told that Curry is already a lock for Top 10, right now and another chip or two gets him to Top 5, easy.

That conversation actually happened in one of these threads.

If he makes his next three I think we have to all agree that he is the greatest to ever do it.

But if he missed then he is a worthless bum who I would pick last at the Y.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Is Kobe even a top 10 player?

Jordan
Shaq
Bird
Magic
LeBron
Wilt
Bill Russell
Kareem
Duncan

Looks like he might barely make it in.

No Hakeem Olajuwon?

 

[Gully State]

Thanks for proving my point.

I was agreeing with you!

LOL...sorry...I completely misread your post...

 

[ryutaro's mama]

No Hakeem Olajuwon?

For me, The Dream is on that list way before a name like LeBron.

 

[Anth0ny]

Last night, Curry had 19 FGA's for his 46. Kobe had 45 for his 45.

I wonder if the Warriors would ever say fuck it and feed Curry every play when he's on fire, like the Lakers did with Kobe last night. And when they're blowing out the opposition by 40 in the second quarter, they just leave Curry in there and continue to let him wet threes.

I feel like that's the only way Wilt's record ever goes down. Because every time Curry catches fire he sits because they're blowing out the opponent. He didn't even play last night in the fourth quarter!

 

[Dark Cloud]

No Hakeem Olajuwon?

I was going to put Hakeem, but then I thought people here maybe didn't think he was that amazing.

But yeah if we put Hakeem that would be a top 10. I guess LeBron is still debatable since he's been to the championship 13 times and only won twice lol

 

[Fenderputty]

My original point is that Kobe fell off quite a bit. His performance in the original title run was far far superior to the last title run. Level of competition is an integral factor in all that.

You would be wrong again. His performance didn't fall off until after his injury.Regular season numbers for their respective years.

Kobe Shaq:

Kobe Pau:

For me, The Dream is on that list way before a name like LeBron.

I think it's hard to put Shaq in top 10. Hakeen and Lebron over him. His dominance was shortened due to being lazy and fat. He ended his career being a ring chaser. Bummer really ..

 

[bionic77]

Last night, Curry had 19 FGA's for his 46. Kobe had 45 for his 45.

I wonder if the Warriors would ever say fuck it and feed Curry every play when he's on fire, like the Lakers did with Kobe last night. And when they're blowing out the opposition by 40 in the second quarter, they just leave Curry in there and continue to let him wet threes.

I feel like that's the only way Wilt's record ever goes down. Because every time Curry catches fire he sits because they're blowing out the opponent. He didn't even play last night in the fourth quarter!

Curry cannot get his shot off whenever he wants. He is not tall or athletic enough.

He is the most skilled player to ever play the game though.

That said if the Warriors abandoned their offense and made it their goal for Curry to get up 50 shots via endless screens then yes he could get up 50 shots and would have a real shot of equaling or maybe even surpassing Kobe's 81. I won't even talk about 100 though. That probably is never happening again.

 

[rokkerkory]

what a way to go out, congrats for a long and successful career

 

[botty]

King. The Michael Jordan of basketball players!

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Last night, Curry had 19 FGA's for his 46. Kobe had 45 for his 45.

I wonder if the Warriors would ever say fuck it and feed Curry every play when he's on fire, like the Lakers did with Kobe last night. And when they're blowing out the opposition by 40 in the second quarter, they just leave Curry in there and continue to let him wet threes.

I feel like that's the only way Wilt's record ever goes down. Because every time Curry catches fire he sits because they're blowing out the opponent. He didn't even play last night in the fourth quarter!

If they did and he scored 82+, I would cheer every minute of it because I love basketball. I wouldn't try and belittle it.