The thing that has always puzzled me during my years of watching ball has been why do people pick sides when it comes to appreciating and admiring the games of His Airness and The Mamba. I have yet to meet the man that has love for both of these athletes without getting caught up in whose better. The problem is unless you are a Laker fan you are pre programmed into hating Kobe. He was fighting a losing battle from day one, because his speech, mannerisms, actions, and emotions all reminded you of Mike. There were many guys before him such as Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, and Harold Miner who were all thought to be the next Michael, but none of them were hated or ridiculed. Instead Penny and Grant were seen as good players in their own right and that buffoon Miner was never heard from again after winning the slam dunk contest. Kobe much like a lot of guys from his era grew up in a time when all they knew was to be the man meant leading the league in scoring, serving up facials, having your own shoe and hitting game winning shots. Oh yeah and having Ahmad Rashad dick ride your every move. How can you hate Kobe for wanting to emulate the best one on one player to ever play the game?. He was just following the blueprint that A PIMP NAMES STERN had already laid out. Gone were the days of the Celtics, Lakers, Sixers, and Pistons. That got replaced by Michael Jordan and his supporting cast. Kobe dreamed of the day that Marv Albert would say yeeeessssss and it counts or that Dan Patrick would say on Sports Center you can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him.
- Comparing Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant's stats is totally unfair to both players, because their paths were so very different. Mike came into a team that enabled him to be the man from day one. Kobe was drafted by the Hornets and traded to a Laker team that belonged to Shaq Daddy.
- For his career Kobe is averaging 25.3pts 5ast 5reb 1.5stl and Jordan is avereged 30pts 5ast 6reb 2.3 stl. In the playoffs Kobe is averaging 25.5pts 5ast 5reb and Jordan averaged 33pts 6ast 6reb.
- Kobe detractors will be quick to note that Jordan stats were better but from 1996-2004 the number one option on the Lakers was Shaq. Kobe's numbers would compare more favorably to Mike if he was the number option, but would he have the Chips who knows.
- Kobe is a 5x NBA CHAMPION, 2X NBA FINALS MVP,12 TIME NBA ALL STAR, 2X SCORING CHAMPION, 8X ALL NBA 1ST TEAM, 2X ALL NBA 2ND TEAM, 2X ALL NBA 3RD TEAM, 8X ALL DEFENSIVE 1ST TEAM, 2X ALL DEFENSIVE 2ND TEAM, NBA ALL ROOKIE TEAM, 3X NBA ALL STAR MVP, NBA SLAM DUNK CHAMP, AND NAISMITH PREP PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
- Jordan is a 6x NBA CHAMPION, 5X NBA MVP, 14X NBA ALL STAR, 6X NBA FINALS MVP, 10X ALL NBA 1ST TEAM, 2ND TEAM ALL NBA, 9X ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM, NBA ALL ROOKIE TEAM, 3X NBA ALL STAR MVP, 2X SLAM DUNK CHAMPION, AND NAISMITH COLLEGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
- If you look at their careers closely they have both done some remarkable things. Kobe scored 62 points on the Dallas Mavericks on Dec 20, 2005 and he did it in 3 quarters. He outscored the entire Mavericks team and that is only tome that shit has ever been done since the advent of the 24 second clock. If that was Jordan dvd's of that game would have went on sale the next day and and classic sports would still be playing that game. Instead all we have are youtube moments of that shit.
- On Jan 22,2006 Bryant scored 81 on the Raptors which to this day is second only to Wilt's 100. In the same month Bryant became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points on more in 4 consective games joining Wilt and Baylor. Bryant averaged 43.4 for the month of Jan, second only to Wilt. Kobe haters say he shoots too much and he is a ball hog. For real mutherfucker. That might explain how Jordan lead the league in scoring every year. You have to shoot a lot to score a lot last time I checked, but no one talks about Jordan not sharing the ball.
- On March 16, 2007 Bryant scored a season high 65 points in a win against Portland. The second highest of his career. The next night he scored 50 against the Timberwolves and then 60 against the Grizzlies a feat not seen since Jordan did it in 1987. The very next day Kobe scored 50 against the Hornets making him the second player in NBA history to have 4 straight 50 point games behind Wilt who did it 7 straight games. Bryant finished the year with ten 50 plus games, becoming the only player other than Wilt to accomplish such a feat. You know what makes Kobe feats that much more impressive were the fact that he was playing with Kwame fucking Brown and that bitchass Smush Parker. Don't forget Chris Mihm, Jermaine Jones and Chucky Atkins. That alone should be worth three MVP awards.
- You and I both know Kobe's scoring ability is second to none. When he is on is there anything prettier to watch. Jumper after jumper regardless of the defender or the situation. Kobe always said scoring is the easiest thing to do in the game of basketball to him. He sacrificed numbers in the first half of his career so that Shaq would be happy. The second half of his career he has shown that can lead his team just like Mike did in scoring and in victories.
- Let's get down to what really counts. 5 Finals victories in 7 years with two different teams. Kobe first run featured two top 50 players in himself and Shaq. Jordan's first three peat featured two top 50 players in himself and Pippen. Kobe's second team features no such player, but Jordan second's three peat featured himself, Pippen and Rodman and the best foreign player in the league in Toni Kukoc. By comparison Kobe does have Sasha and he played with Slava Medvadenko.
- Argue with yourself if you want, but can you see two alpha males such as Jordan and Shaq co existing. Yeah I can see it now Jordan dumping the ball into Shaq repeatedly and standing on the wing looking like B.J. Armstrong waiting to shoot an open three. Now imagine Kobe with a wing man like Pippen having his back. The nearest thing to Scottie that Kobe has is that enigma Lamar Odom. Jordan never won without Scottie and Kobe has won without Shaq.
- 1 more title and even you Kobe haters will have to recognize his greatness. 2 more titles and you can't say shit. Winning chips is all that matters and The Mamba has 23 dead in his sights.
- Before you lay down at night think about this. If there was no Jordan who would I be calling the greatest ever. If there was no Jordan who would be the standard for two guards to be measured against and if there was no Jordan would I really dislike Kobe. Remember no one hates buffoons or impostors. We only hate people and teams that are successful and head and shoulders better than everyone else. Deep down you don't dislike Kobe. You appreciate the way he stares down the legacy of Jordan and go after with his deadly fade away, impressive footwork, tenacious defense,and a bulldog like intensity that makes Goldberg look like Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin.
- Appreciate his game now because when he is gone you be forced to watch and hate on who.
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4 comments:
I think that the reason people hate kobe was the things that happened weather it was his fault or not for example shaq leaving the lakers were put all on kobe, most people go to the team and go along to get along. Then there was the whole the shaq cheating thing and kobe dry snitched a little. Sometimes ur actions can overshadow ur talent. then to me I like both because of the talent. But to me there could never be a comparison because of the times they played the game was a lot bigger and more physical back then and I think that if the two switched times Jordan would have only gotten better now and kobe wouldn't be as great playing against some of the great guards of that time but hey I'm just a UPS driver ur the world renowned professional sports Blogger what do u think
Who were the great guards Mike had to play against. Drexler and Dumars in their prime. He played against Ainge, Hornacheck,Starks,Vernon Maxwell,Byron Scott and all the other 6'4'' shooting guards that lacked height and athleticism. Plus Mike could go 1 on 1 Kobe goes against zone defenses designed to shut down 1 on 1 play. Kobe played against Vince, McGrady,Dwade,Durant,Joe Johnson,Sprewell, Houston,Christie,Jones,Steve Smith,Rider, and countless other 6'6'' shooting guards with athleticism and height that Mike didn't have to go up against. Remember when Mike faced AI and got crossed over thats because he got know help. Today the Bulls would have zoned him off and the other Sixers would have had to win the game. Kobe would have averaged 40 a night playing 1 on 1. That's what he does and his peers say he does it better than anyone. There is a reason Durant said Kobe would kill Lebron in a game of 1 on 1, because Kobe excells at destroying his man and he is relentless. In today's NBA you have to have teamates that can play, because A PIMP NAMED STERN won't allow one guy to take over anymore.
Remember they would do mike like they do kobe he would play against Johnson, bird and the let's not forget the glove they had to switch people on him and back them it was more so teams u can't compare sprewell Christie teams to the teams of then mike stopped greats the all time greats from getting rings who on your list could have stopped barkley, or Mr rocket olajuwan. This man did these things then u asked ur self this would there be a kobe if there was no mike HMMMM LOL
And yes in today game kobe is the best if u take both in their prime one on one Jordan would tear his ass up kobe is great but the greater sports athelete change the game like L Taylor and ray lewis, or Dr j and magic Johnson
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