Lakers vs Cavs battle of best friends

[OregonDucks]

Did Kobe and LeBron use to be best friend roommates or something? My god you couldn't keep these guys from smiling at each other all night. Here we have a competitive game and these two are just joking and laughing together.

Not sure Jordan ever walloped around the court smiling and joking with the opponents best player.

I mean this was borderline to making my stomach sick.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

They need to date already.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

They need to date already.

Get over your homophobia fears already - Have you idiots already forgotten that the two them won two gold medals together in the last two International Olympics. In Lebron's first gold medal, both he and the others deferred to Kobe to bring them home in the finals against Spain. So yes, they are good friends because they share a common bond playing for their country not once, but twice.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Did Kobe and LeBron use to be best friend roommates or something? My god you couldn't keep these guys from smiling at each other all night. Here we have a competitive game and these two are just joking and laughing together.

Not sure Jordan ever walloped around the court smiling and joking with the opponents best player.

I mean this was borderline to making my stomach sick.

You sound jealous - Are you his ex-Lover or something?

 

[Arizona_Sting]

*tells Sting to get over "Homophobia fears"*

*makes gay joke in his next post*

TLF, everyone.

 

[Logicallylethal]

Well consider the circumstances

- Kobe is near the end of his career
- The Lakers aren't contenders and the Cavs at this point are barely contenders
- They are friends off the court and have mutual respect on the court

Point is...if this was a playoff game there would minimal joking and laughing between the two. Both are fierce competitors and to be honest...I enjoyed watching the two interact...also enjoyed Dwade and Lebron interacting when they faced off in Miami too

Not sure why anyone would be disgusted seeing this. Professional sports is important, but at the end of the day it's just basketball. These players have friendships that extend past all the stuff we see on the court.

 

[OregonDucks]

I think the guys on tnt said it best after the game. The thing lacking from basketball today is you don't see players going hard. An issue that starts at the AAU level...

But this is a prime example. Sorry but when I'm going hard I don't have time to laugh and joke with my opponent. You're focused on the moment and going hard.

This little love feet between the two just shows that a basketball game in mid January is pointless and so why should I pay attention when these two clowns are laughing it up basically not caring who wins.

 

[Gooch1034]

With all the cameras nowadays and the interest people have in athletes personal lives now, they may not be flirting with each other any more or less than past superstars? The media just cant stop shoving that shit in our faces.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I think the guys on tnt said it best after the game. The thing lacking from basketball today is you don't see players going hard. An issue that starts at the AAU level...

But this is a prime example. Sorry but when I'm going hard I don't have time to laugh and joke with my opponent. You're focused on the moment and going hard.

This little love feet between the two just shows that a basketball game in mid January is pointless and so why should I pay attention when these two clowns are laughing it up basically not caring who wins.

Lol, they were not even talking about Lebron and Kobe when they were talking about players going hard. Kobe is the last player to not go hard or not take tge game serious.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Did you see those guys going at it, sticking each other in the 2nd half? That one play Kobe played great D on Lebron, made him look like the Kobe of old.

The guys were joking about being old.

 

[OregonDucks]

Lol, they were not even talking about Lebron and Kobe when they were talking about players going hard. Kobe is the last player to not go hard or not take tge game serious.

You are right Kobe is a fierce competitor, but not the 2015 Kobe...dude is old and done. He's cashed in and waiting for the final 36? Games to be over.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Did you see those guys going at it, sticking each other in the 2nd half? That one play Kobe played great D on Lebron, made him look like the Kobe of old.

The guys were joking about being old.

You're wasting your time explaining this - The op who started this thread and the other guy who has joined with him are dumber than horses. They don't understand how two fierce competitors can be be friends after they get off the court. Magic Johnson used to do the same thing. Play hard, but respected them off the court

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Well consider the circumstances

- Kobe is near the end of his career
- The Lakers aren't contenders and the Cavs at this point are barely contenders
- They are friends off the court and have mutual respect on the court

Point is...if this was a playoff game there would minimal joking and laughing between the two. Both are fierce competitors and to be honest...I enjoyed watching the two interact...also enjoyed Dwade and Lebron interacting when they faced off in Miami too

Not sure why anyone would be disgusted seeing this. Professional sports is important, but at the end of the day it's just basketball. These players have friendships that extend past all the stuff we see on the court.

Consider the source of who's making the comments and whining about to competitors being professionals. Of course perhaps mabe Kobe was trying to mess Lebron up in the head by reminding him about his age

 

[trojanfan12]

Basically, it's 2 "old guys" with a lot of years under their belts and taking the opportunity to appreciate each others games while playing against each other.

Kobe will be gone after next year, Lebron will probably be on his way out in about 5-7 years, so there are very few of these Kobe/Lebron matchups left. They are still competing and still going hard at each other, but with a different appreciation than when they were younger. As Reggie Miller pointed out, it's 2 guys who were the best player of their generation playing against each other for among the last times.

Think about it. Unless they both make the finals next year, we have maybe 3 Lebron/Kobe matchups left. Pretty sure they know that too.

 

[SJ76]

Jordan and Magic were pretty tight and smiled a lot too. I'm not a big Kobe or Lebron fan, but it is what it is.

 

[gordontrue]

Those guys were battling as competitively as you possibly could. Did you see Kobe locking down LeBron at the end of the game?

They talk and joke when the ball isn't in play ... as soon as it is they're battling.

The idea that athletes need to hate each other in order to be true competitors like the "good old days" is silly. The good old days - when stripped of their nostalgia-induced exaggerations - weren't that different.

Its simple. Respect your opponent, then try with all of your might to beat them.

 

[bksballer89]

I don't why people expect athletes to hate each other. They're all a part of the same fraternity and on top of that when it comes to the top stars a lot of them have played together on team USA for several years. I don't see the issue of sharing a laugh during a break in action of a regular season game....this wasn't game 5 in the nba finals.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't why people expect athletes to hate each other. They're all a part of the same fraternity and on top of that when it comes to the top stars a lot of them have played together on team USA for several years. I don't see the issue of sharing a laugh during a break in action of a regular season game....this wasn't game 5 in the nba finals.

Exactly. Plus, as players get older and their careers start winding down, the develop a different perspective and appreciation of the game.

In Kobe's case, he spent so much of his career with such a laser focus on winning, that he likely never took the time to appreciate being an NBA player. Now that he's coming down to the end of his career, he still wants to win, but has learned to appreciate the experience of being in the NBA as well.

Lebron has been in the league 12 years, he is just beginning the "end of the career" journey that Kobe is currently completing.

Personally, I really enjoyed those moments between the 2 of them last night. It was great to see and I don't think it diminished the competition in any way.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I don't why people expect athletes to hate each other. They're all a part of the same fraternity and on top of that when it comes to the top stars a lot of them have played together on team USA for several years. I don't see the issue of sharing a laugh during a break in action of a regular season game....this wasn't game 5 in the nba finals.

In this case the two posters that are whining about Lebron and Kobe being friends are merely upset because of their intense hatred for the Lakers to the point that they don't want anyone being friends with Kobe Bryant. They don't mind other competitors being friends as long as it isn't with a Lakers employee

 

[Iggloo]

Was there a senior discount for watching this old-timer's game?