NBA Playoffs 09 - Page 86
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Servolisk
United States5241 Posts
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RowdierBob
Australia13007 Posts
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Ace
United States16096 Posts
![]() HonestTea thats one hell of a nice breakdown. | ||
no_comprender
Australia91 Posts
re kobe = mj. seems doubtful, i was too young to remember the defenses allowed in 90s but i always read about how much tougher they were allowed to play. i always thought kobe wasn't really an elite elite athlete compared to others in the nba, certainly compared to tmac and vince carter, and that's kind of what made me like and respect him more. he's really not that tall or big either, he's not much taller than wade for example and gives up weight to him i'm 100% sure, as well as quickness/power even in his prime. the guys jordan faced probably weren't as athleticly gifted as kobe's peers, so jordan may have had a bigger advantage at the time even if head to head they may have been even (which i don't really buy anyway) | ||
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XaI)CyRiC
United States4471 Posts
On May 17 2009 22:34 HonestTea wrote: This is my little theory, but the essense of Kobe's aloofness is that he grew up as a black kid in Italy until middle school. So he was an outsider in Italy. Not only that but he lived an upper middle class life being the son of a professonal athlete in Italy. (He was born while his father, Jellybean Bryant, was playing in Italy). Kobe grew up as a wealthy black American in Italy. That will give you identity issues. Then he goes to high school in Phily, where he's a basketball star but he now has to learn how to be urban Black. This is my personal guess, but I don't think Kobe really indentified with urban black American culture. Maybe he tried to hard to become assimilated. But unlike a lot of NBA players, Kobe isn't really a "street" guy. So he's still an outsider - not only did he not grow up in the states, but he comes from a wealthy life in Europe to a prep school in Phily where he's a basketball star. More social outsider-ness THEN he goes to the NBA straight from high school. So he doesn't go to college, just jumps straight to the pros. When in Kobe Bryant's life has he ever found solace in being accepted? My theory is that his only social tools are basketball, which is part of the reason why his drive for hoop excellence is so determined. That's my theory on Kobe's "wierdness" Another factor to toss in, which you sort of mention, is that when Kobe joined the Lakers, he was apparently left out a lot because he was too young to go out with his teammates (under 21) after games/events/etc. for his first few years, making him an outcast amongst his own teammates. | ||
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XaI)CyRiC
United States4471 Posts
On May 18 2009 02:17 no_comprender wrote:re kobe = mj. seems doubtful, i was too young to remember the defenses allowed in 90s but i always read about how much tougher they were allowed to play. i always thought kobe wasn't really an elite elite athlete compared to others in the nba, certainly compared to tmac and vince carter, and that's kind of what made me like and respect him more. he's really not that tall or big either, he's not much taller than wade for example and gives up weight to him i'm 100% sure, as well as quickness/power even in his prime. the guys jordan faced probably weren't as athleticly gifted as kobe's peers, so jordan may have had a bigger advantage at the time even if head to head they may have been even (which i don't really buy anyway) You don't do what Kobe does without being an elite athlete. He's gotten older and has lost some of his athleticism in the past few years, but he's still got plenty and has refined his skill set to offset it. Talking about Kobe's size doesn't prove anything, as he's strong, tall, and quick enough to keep up with any player at his position (and many out of it) while proving to be the toughest player to guard one on one in the league. If you've watched him play, he is plenty strong, able to post up any SG in the league, and even many SFs. He's one of the best non-big players in the league at rebounding off of a FT miss, which speaks to both his strength and leaping ability. If you've seen him chase down players on fast breaks, you can see he paces most guards in the league and is able to time his jump perfectly to meet most players in the air. It's Kobe's incomparable skill set that makes him heads and shoulders above the rest, but there's no way he can do what he does on the court without elite athleticism as well. He may not be the best athlete in the league, but he's up there. | ||
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OneOther
United States10774 Posts
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TheMusiC
United States1054 Posts
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igotmyown
United States4291 Posts
- ariza was on the bench, not a starter - bynum was expected to be healthy, and lamar was expected to take over on bench time - vujacic was shooting .437 from 3 point land - farmar was shooting .461 and .371 from the 3 point, now he's .391 and .336 even luke walton was shooting .03 better from the 3 | ||
Ace
United States16096 Posts
On May 18 2009 05:27 TheMusiC wrote: lol destroyed | ||
Roffles
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Pitcairn19291 Posts
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triangle
United States3803 Posts
Well, Denver vs. LA, as expected. Should be interesting. | ||
caelym
United States6421 Posts
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OneOther
United States10774 Posts
lakers are unbeatable if bynum/gasol play like this. consistency pleasee | ||
Pacifist
Israel1683 Posts
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paper
13196 Posts
:D | ||
KOFgokuon
United States14894 Posts
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DN2perfectionGM
United States233 Posts
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DN2perfectionGM
United States233 Posts
missed A LOT of easy shots... go celtics tho! their small line up with marbury looked good and just gotta make ez shots,,, and rondo, did ur feet touch the ground today? | ||
Ra.Xor.2
United States1784 Posts
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