2014 Los Angeles Lakers

[lakersrule]

yes.. you could have beaten detroit. and easily. Shaq was murdering ben wallace dow low. killing him. pull the stats. Kobe wouldnt pass the ball in. Had Kobe allowed Shaq to work ben he would be a 6 time champion.

Kobe wasn't the only issue. Let's not forget that Malone was injured and a shell of himself. Gary Payton was a malcontent who hated the triangle offense and was practically non-existent in the Finals. I don't think it is fair to put it all on Kobe.

 

[starbigd]

yes.. you could have beaten detroit. and easily. Shaq was murdering ben wallace dow low. killing him. pull the stats. Kobe wouldnt pass the ball in. Had Kobe allowed Shaq to work ben he would be a 6 time champion.

THIS.

Shaq was putting up 30 points in 3 quarters in that series......then Kobe decided to play PG and he'd bring the ball up the court, jack a horrible shot, and Detroit would capitalize. That series was what really exposed this flaw in Kobe's mental game......he was bound and determined to win that series on his own.

 

[lakersrule]

He was clearly a part of those titles......but that doesn't mean he DIDN'T routinely play hero ball and hog all the shot attempts in the 4th quarter of every game.

He has the two lowest FG% numbers for finals in NBA history, directly because all he did was shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.

I'm stating facts here.......Kobe didn't defer to anyone, at any time. He did what he wanted, and his teammates adjusted to him.

I'm just tired of Kobe fans that live in this fantasy world that he can do no wrong, or that he doesn't play nice with quality teammates.

You are not stating facts when posting extremes like this.

It's amazing the Lakers won those five titles despite Kobe

 

[Flauge]

THIS.

Shaq was putting up 30 points in 3 quarters in that series......then Kobe decided to play PG and he'd bring the ball up the court, jack a horrible shot, and Detroit would capitalize. That series was what really exposed this flaw in Kobe's mental game......he was bound and determined to win that series on his own.

i think kobe was immature and tired of being thought of as Shaq's sidekick. as most young great players would. they all want to be the dominant man on their team. kobe was going to become finals MVP for the Lakers or no one was. that's what it looked like and felt like to me. kobe was great.. but mentally he was immature at that time.

the last run of 3 in a row with two titles, kobe was alot better of a team player. he used his big men and was a more cerebral player. i dont really care what the stats show... kobe was at his peak in those 3 years. that kobe could play for any team i rooted for.

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

You guys state your raggedy ass opinions like they're golden and if we don't view them as facts, we are ignorant homers!? STFU

Amen brotha!

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

and we all know Kobe haters that those 5 rings aren't won WITHOUT Kobe's contributions....that's easy. No one player will carry a team on their backs going back to the Russell days.

 

[Heatles84]

It must be frustrating for Heat fans when Wade and Lebron stay on the floor complaining for a foul, not getting back on D while the other team gets an easy fast break bucket. Hell if it wasn't for Lebrons and Ray Allens late game heroics, the complaining would have lost game 6 for the Heat.

Ya.....I could do without those two complaining to the officials - even if it's warranted at times.

 

[Heatles84]

and we all know Kobe haters that those 5 rings aren't won WITHOUT Kobe's contributions....that's easy. No one player will carry a team on their backs going back to the Russell days.

Can you direct this post to sman regarding Lebron needing help? Thanks.

 

[trojanfan12]

i think kobe was immature and tired of being thought of as Shaq's sidekick. as most young great players would. they all want to be the dominant man on their team. kobe was going to become finals MVP for the Lakers or no one was. that's what it looked like and felt like to me. kobe was great.. but mentally he was immature at that time.

the last run of 3 in a row with two titles, kobe was alot better of a team player. he used his big men and was a more cerebral player. i dont really care what the stats show... kobe was at his peak in those 3 years. that kobe could play for any team i rooted for.

Well said!! People seem to forget that Kobe was 17 years old when he came in to the league!! His parents actually had to sign his first contract with him because he was a minor!! I seriously doubt that any of us would have handled things much better if we were the ones in that situation!!

Funny thing is, folks like starbigd want to act like Kobe is still that same immature young player!!

 

[wlk3]

Let me get this right... The Lakers sign old as hell Chris Kaman for 3.2 mil and the Clips sign Byron Mullens for 2 mil... I tell you, still don't know why Chris Kaman is in LA but to pass up a stretch 5 like Mullens who could play with Gasol for Kaman then sign Jordan Farmar when Nate Robinson is begging for a team to sign him... Don't get me wrong I like both players we got, but I like the other 2 better and the other 2 seem to fit what the Lakers are trying to do more IMO...

I think Farmar is a solid player always have, but Nate Robinson 2x better at least and prefers to come off the bench... And I'm sure if approached the right way he would have signed for the same money as Farmar IMO... Kaman is good, always thought he was very good with the Clips, but Mullens is just starting to reach his potential and he does exactly what Dantoni wants from his bigs... He's a long range shooter that rebounds... Wtf and he came cheaper... Unbelievable!?!?!

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Let me get this right... The Lakers sign old as hell Chris Kaman for 3.2 mil and the Clips sign Byron Mullens for 2 mil... I tell you, still don't know why Chris Kaman is in LA but to pass up a stretch 5 like Mullens who could play with Gasol for Kaman then sign Jordan Farmar when Nate Robinson is begging for a team to sign him... Don't get me wrong I like both players we got, but I like the other 2 better and the other 2 seem to fit what the Lakers are trying to do more IMO...

I think Farmar is a solid player always have, but Nate Robinson 2x better at least and prefers to come off the bench... And I'm sure if approached the right way he would have signed for the same money as Farmar IMO... Kaman is good, always thought he was very good with the Clips, but Mullens is just starting to reach his potential and he does exactly what Dantoni wants from his bigs... He's a long range shooter that rebounds... Wtf and he came cheaper... Unbelievable!?!?!

Well, we dont know if the Lakers were trying to pick up Mullens or not, so I cant comment on that. As far as Lil Nate, I dont know how much he is asking for, but I know we couldnt afford him.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I would be shocked if Lil Nate would take a min. contract.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

The Lakers were looking for cheap players to fill in for one year only without eating into the salary in 2014. Even with Steve Nash on board, the Lakers could waive him and his salary could be counted towards the cap divided by three - over a period of three years.

 

[wlk3]

Well, we dont know if the Lakers were trying to pick up Mullens or not, so I cant comment on that. As far as Lil Nate, I dont know how much he is asking for, but I know we couldnt afford him.

I don't know if we were looking at Mullens either, but we should have... He is much more of a piece for Dantoni than Kaman (Boris Diaw Channing Frye)... And he was cheaper... As for Nate, he looks to be signing a 2 year 4mil dollar deal... Farmar is 1.1, Kaman 3.2... 4.3 for 1 year each combined, while we get Nate and Mullens for 4mil and 2 years... It would have been cheaper and longer, but even more they may have taken a 1 year "tryout" year to play for the Lakers is more my point...

I get they don't want to tie up money for next year, but regardless who we get the Lakers must then fill the roster... Having Nate and Mullens as roster fillers sounds good to me... I really don't like the moves that are being made... I can't say they are terrible, but I just feel there are better moves... Odom should be the guy, but if not Mullens is the fit... Pau and Kaman CAN NOT play together... If they do we give up 110 points a game easy! We have 0 rebounding unless you start Hill with Pau, but that's similar to Howard and Pau and that was a disaster...you can't say "we're going all scoring Dantoni" and get Kaman and Farmar over Nate and Mullens IMO... I guess I'll have to sit in disgust for a year cause I don't see what the fuck is happening... Let's assume Kobe comes back and is the same Kobe...

Nash
Kobe
Nick Young
Pau/Hill
Kaman/Pau

I don't like either one but I'd have to go with Pau and Hill... Is that much better than last year where we squeezed in to the playoffs...? Sad sad day... If I'm wrong I'll run in here and give Mitch and Dantoni their props... But I doubt it...

 

[lakersrule]

I wouldn't get too worked up over Mullens Wlk. He's not that great. His strength is being a stretch big, yet shot less than 32% from deep and a whopping 38.5% overall. Not great numbers. Kaman may actually be the better fit given his pick and pop ability and mid-range game. Ehhh on Robinson. Never been a big fan of his. I think the defensive liability that comes with his lack of size far outweighs the energy he brings to the offense.

 

[Jims_Doors]

I wouldn't get too worked up over Mullens Wlk. He's not that great. His strength is being a stretch big, yet shot less than 32% from deep and a whopping 38.5% overall. Not great numbers. Kaman may actually be the better fit given his pick and pop ability and mid-range game. Ehhh on Robinson. Never been a big fan of his. I think the defensive liability that comes with his lack of size far outweighs the energy he brings to the offense.

Totally agree.

A lot of people / fans don't look or consider that aspect of his game. They just look at his offense.

 

[wlk3]

I wouldn't get too worked up over Mullens Wlk. He's not that great. His strength is being a stretch big, yet shot less than 32% from deep and a whopping 38.5% overall. Not great numbers. Kaman may actually be the better fit given his pick and pop ability and mid-range game. Ehhh on Robinson. Never been a big fan of his. I think the defensive liability that comes with his lack of size far outweighs the energy he brings to the offense.

Those stats come from him playing on the Bobcats... But even still his numbers are 10.6ppg 6.4rpg in 26.9min... 14.2ppg 8.5rpg per 36min... Kaman 10.5ppg 5.6rpg in 20.6min... 18.3ppg and 9.8rpg per 36min... Their numbers are very close with Kaman being the better of the 2... But the skill set is my concern... Where as Mullens may be at 32% from long range Kaman shot 0%... Kaman is a lesser version of Pau... I could even see if we sign Kaman and amnesty Pau to save 17mil, but to have them both is redundant IMO... I'm not a huge Mullens fan I'm just trying to read the team, and it makes more sense to add a younger stretch player IMO...

As for Nate, I realize his defense isn't the best but I'd argue it's near even to Jordan Farmar, but offensively he is much better... I also think the help of Nash could turn Nate into something serious, but that's a hypothetical... I've already accepted this year might be worse than last year, but I'd like for the Lakers to try... I'd also see if Rondo could be pried from the Celtics (first round pick and an expiring...?)... I know that's a tall order, but you put Rondo in a Dantoni system it could be dangerous...

 

[jayviabay]

the worse part about Kobe are his fans. i think the guy is great. 1st ballot hall of famer. but he has been to selfish at times in his career. he does force things. he won two titles as batman.. 3 as robin. he's amazing. people think it's a knock on the guy if you say he has one flaw.. i have never quite seen this with any player. kobe is not as good as jordan was. it's almost cult like the following for this guy.

i love DWade. My favorite player of all time. but his game has holes in it. his 3 point shot is non existant. there are times when he turns the ball over to much, and he needs to learn to quit trying to talk his way into calls with officials and get back on defense. i dont get insanely defensive when people bring this stuff up.. with Kobe, if you say he has a flaw, it's like walking into a mosque eating bacon.

Yes, Kobe has flaws. Every player does. I think it's fair to say that Kobe haters really take their hate to irrational extremes. I've never seen haters attempt to marginalize a player's career and accomplishments as much as they do Kobe's.

How many Lakers fans on this board or in this thread, have denied this blatant fact about Kobe? The only reason we debate Kobe is the point that Lakersule have posted several time already. Most of the foolish posters on this board wants us to be brain washed and believe Kobe should be in the same sentence as Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Jason Richardson, etc... If you stop being selective, maybe you can see its not about saying he has a "flaw", its about saying he hasnt done anything and should be in the same sentence as the examples I gave you above.

 

[starbigd]

LOL

 

[Black Adam]

LOL

bad enough LeClown's gonna be on the cover...which may prevent me from buying it...