I'm probably mellowing with age - but Kobe Bryant has finally hit the Pre 2009 Tiger Woods Zone for me. That is, an athlete that I've rooted against for years, who I've come full circle on and finally appreciate more than I hate. Kobe's game is some sort of crazy amalgamation of pre and post baseball Jordan.
He still has pre-baseball Jordan's ability to score on the drive - and he's now incorporated post-baseball Jordan's ability to score off the jump shot - whether in the post, off the dribble, or from the set. He still has his hair trigger release, and the ability to get to almost any spot on the floor that he wants. He's also one of the toughest defensive players in the league.
Maybe it was just the combination of Jeter breaking the Yanks hit record and Kobe breaking the Lakers scoring record in the same respective season - and to hear the great one's talk about Kobe the way many had for Jeter. Regardless, and I'm sure I might be alone here, but Lakers games have become must watch TV for me...
Kobe
Moderator: Yankees
Well you're definitely not alone. I've watched every Laker game this season and he's nothing short of amazing. My girlfriend and I went to the Kings/Lakers game for our anniversary, and got to see him nail that game winning shot at the buzzer. You might be asking yourself which game winning shot, which is normal, since he's hit about 5 already this season.
He's not as efficient as he was even last season, but he's playing a game no one else on the court seems to be playing. If he wants to get to a spot, he's getting there, and you're not stopping him. Ray Allen practically hugged him the entire Celts game and he still got off the game winning shot, right in Ray's face.
The crazy thing about Kobe and this Lakers team is that they're playing at about 75% right now, and still are cruising to the number seed in the West. L.O has busted fingers, Pau has hurt both hamstrings this season, Kobe has a sprained ankle and a fractured finger, and Ron Artest is playing with hurt feet AND hands. Oh, and Derek Fischer is a walking corpse, so that has to count as some kind of injury as well.
It's amazing how many people are coming around on Kobe. Even Simmons has started to gush a bit about number 24. The NBA has been very entertaining this season, but no games have been more fun to watch than Lakers games, and thats because of Kobe. He even took the time last night to remind everyone that he can still drive and dunk in your face pretty much whenever he feels like it. He's more fun to watch than anyone else in the league, including LeBron.
He's not as efficient as he was even last season, but he's playing a game no one else on the court seems to be playing. If he wants to get to a spot, he's getting there, and you're not stopping him. Ray Allen practically hugged him the entire Celts game and he still got off the game winning shot, right in Ray's face.
The crazy thing about Kobe and this Lakers team is that they're playing at about 75% right now, and still are cruising to the number seed in the West. L.O has busted fingers, Pau has hurt both hamstrings this season, Kobe has a sprained ankle and a fractured finger, and Ron Artest is playing with hurt feet AND hands. Oh, and Derek Fischer is a walking corpse, so that has to count as some kind of injury as well.
It's amazing how many people are coming around on Kobe. Even Simmons has started to gush a bit about number 24. The NBA has been very entertaining this season, but no games have been more fun to watch than Lakers games, and thats because of Kobe. He even took the time last night to remind everyone that he can still drive and dunk in your face pretty much whenever he feels like it. He's more fun to watch than anyone else in the league, including LeBron.
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Yankees
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Couldn't agree more with this quote - here are some of my other favorite things from this NBA season:Cubs wrote:The NBA has been very entertaining this season, but no games have been more fun to watch than Lakers games, and thats because of Kobe.
1) Watching Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant score. Kobe and Lebron are the two best players in the league - but neither matches the amount of ways that Melo and Durant can put the ball in the hole. The two of them are almost unguardable - and they're 25 and 21 - it's unreal.
2) Watching the re-emergence of the point guard - guys like Rondo, Paul, Williams, Nash, Rose, Kidd, Baron, Jennings, and Westbrook. Just awesome all around talent and athleticism from the position.
3) Watching the ABSURD, game-changing athleticism of guys like Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace, David Lee, and Chris Anderson.
4) Trying not to miss a Lebron, Kobe, Duncan, Dirk, Nash, Wade, Melo, Durant, Paul, Bosh, Jennings/Bogut, Magic, Celtics, Hawks and Grizzlies game (you read that right). I feel bad for the people that are missing out - this is the best NBA basketball in 20 years.
Like I said in the MLB hot stove thread, he can be a piece of shit and still be fun to watch. I can never bring myself to root for the Lakers, but he really has become something to see. That being said, having seen both Kobe and LeBron in person this year, the two or three plays a game in which he is still able to execute like his old self make Shaq more fun to watch then either of them live.
Your REIGNING AND DEFENDING #evenyear IBC CHAMPION
2015- #torture #evenyears 179-145
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2005 Texas Rangers 65-97
Total: 1072-873 .551
2015- #torture #evenyears 179-145
2006-2014 Gritty Gutty A's 828-631
2005 Texas Rangers 65-97
Total: 1072-873 .551
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Yankees
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If Howard can't handle, I have a hard time thinking how anyone can be as dominant as Shaq was during his prime - here going forward. People aren't taking too much notice, but there have been few hotter teams than the Cavs with Shaq working back into shape - and into a pace with LeBron and Williams.Athletics wrote:Like I said in the MLB hot stove thread, he can be a piece of shit and still be fun to watch. I can never bring myself to root for the Lakers, but he really has become something to see. That being said, having seen both Kobe and LeBron in person this year, the two or three plays a game in which he is still able to execute like his old self make Shaq more fun to watch then either of them live.
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Rangers
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In fairness, you have spent large amounts of time watching chicks play basketball, so by comparison the Icelandic junior b-squad looks fascinating. Kidding, kidding.Nationals wrote:Couldn't agree more with this quote - here are some of my other favorite things from this NBA season:Cubs wrote:The NBA has been very entertaining this season, but no games have been more fun to watch than Lakers games, and thats because of Kobe.
1) Watching Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant score. Kobe and Lebron are the two best players in the league - but neither matches the amount of ways that Melo and Durant can put the ball in the hole. The two of them are almost unguardable - and they're 25 and 21 - it's unreal.
2) Watching the re-emergence of the point guard - guys like Rondo, Paul, Williams, Nash, Rose, Kidd, Baron, Jennings, and Westbrook. Just awesome all around talent and athleticism from the position.
3) Watching the ABSURD, game-changing athleticism of guys like Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace, David Lee, and Chris Anderson.
4) Trying not to miss a Lebron, Kobe, Duncan, Dirk, Nash, Wade, Melo, Durant, Paul, Bosh, Jennings/Bogut, Magic, Celtics, Hawks and Grizzlies game (you read that right). I feel bad for the people that are missing out - this is the best NBA basketball in 20 years.
