MJ supporting Kobe

[DJ Fieri]

Dime Magazine (dimemag.com) : Daily NBA News, NBA Trades, NBA Rumors, Basketball Videos, Sneakers » Blog Archive MJ To Kobe: "Go Get Karl [Malone]"

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Dime Magazine (dimemag.com) : Daily NBA News, NBA Trades, NBA Rumors, Basketball Videos, Sneakers » Blog Archive MJ To Kobe: "Go Get Karl [Malone]"

MJ has always been team Kobe.

Anyone who doubts Kobe's ability to show humility can simply look at that relationship.

Jordan has delivered some of the most backhanded compliments of all time in re: to Kobe and Mamba has been nothing but respectful in response.

"I don't think I would lose," Jordan said in the video, before smiling and adding, "Other than to Kobe Bryant because he steals all of my moves."

Kobe is starting to show the same kind of recognition in Andrew Wiggins.


Kobe recently compared Charlotte’s big mistake to the Cavs sending Andrew Wiggins (plus Anthony Bennett and a protected first-round pick) to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love, who — to be fair — is perhaps a shade more talented than Divac was at the time.

Here’s Kobe on the proposed trade — it still can’t be officially completed until August 23 — and it’s parallel’s with his own introduction to the league when he was moved before ever playing a game for the Hornets:

Kobe Bryant: “ Cleveland is making the same mistake that Charlotte made with me ”.

— 2014MrBasket (@2014MrBasket) August 14, 2014

I remember laughing at this at the time. Doesn't seem so silly now.

Greatness recognizes greatness.

 

[rileymartin88]

MJ supports Kobe because he knows that Kobe is no threat to his place as the greatest ever. MJ will disparage LeBron as much as he can becauese of his fear.

 

[trojanfan12]

MJ supports Kobe because he knows that Kobe is no threat to his place as the greatest ever. MJ will disparage LeBron as much as he can becauese of his fear.

That's garbage. Lebron is no threat to MJ either. MJ likes Kobe because he is the player whose attitude and approach to the game comes closest to his own.

Sorry, but you can't go 2-3 in the finals and "team hop" for titles and expect to be a threat to MJ.

 

[GoreRush]

MJ supports Kobe because he knows that Kobe is no threat to his place as the greatest ever. MJ will disparage LeBron as much as he can becauese of his fear.

 

[rileymartin88]

That's garbage. Lebron is not threat to MJ either. MJ likes Kobe because he is the player whose attitude and approach to the game comes closest to his own.

Sorry, but you can't go 2-3 in the finals and "team hop" for titles and expect to be a threat to MJ.

If LeBron pulls off 2 or 3 titles in Cleveland, it won't matter if he has team hopped. He will be in the conversation.

The landscape of the NBA has changed, and changing teams is simply a reality now.

 

[RobToxin]

MJ supports Kobe because he knows that Kobe is no threat to his place as the greatest ever. MJ will disparage LeBron as much as he can becauese of his fear.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

If LeBron pulls off 2 or 3 titles in Cleveland, it won't matter if he has team hopped. He will be in the conversation.

The landscape of the NBA has changed, and changing teams is simply a reality now.

Good luck with that.

 

[trojanfan12]

If LeBron pulls off 2 or 3 titles in Cleveland, it won't matter if he has team hopped. He will be in the conversation.

The landscape of the NBA has changed, and changing teams is simply a reality now.

First of all, he'll do well to even get one title in Cleveland. Aside from that, it still wouldn't put him in the conversation. One, because he "team hopped" trying to stack teams to get a title which is something MJ and Kobe didn't do. Two, because even then, he would be 4-3 or 5-3 and MJ would still be 6-0.

Reality or not, team hopping counts against you. Btw, Kobe and Timmy each have 5 rings and neither of them did any team hopping.

And before you post some nonsense about it counting more because it's Cleveland, the Bulls were no better and had no more titles than the Cavs before MJ came along.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Marc Steinakers claim Tarik Black off waivers. Lakers did not have an open roster spot for Tarik Black but created one by simultaneously waiving Xavier Henry Twitter @ESPNSteinLine


Marc Stein: And this, of course, is welcome news in Houston. Lakers claiming Tarik Black off waivers means Rockets dip back below luxury-tax line Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

 

[rileymartin88]

First of all, he'll do well to even get one title in Cleveland. Aside from that, it still wouldn't put him in the conversation. One, because he "team hopped" trying to stack teams to get a title which is something MJ and Kobe didn't do. Two, because even then, he would be 4-3 or 5-3 and MJ would still be 6-0.

Reality or not, team hopping counts against you. Btw, Kobe and Timmy each have 5 rings and neither of them did any team hopping.

And before you post some nonsense about it counting more because it's Cleveland, the Bulls were no better and had no more titles than the Cavs before MJ came along.

"Team hopping" didn't happen before simply because there wasn't free agency like there is now. Like I said, the landscape of the NBA has changed. The players now have more control over their careers.
Luckily for Jordan, he had the luxury of not only having his team draft another all time great during his time, but he also had the luxury of having the greatest coach ever. Add to that the fact that the NBA expanded the league by 6 teams during his title run.
No doubt that Jordan is an all time great, and i have no problem if you say he is the best ever (I disagree), but heisn't untouchable.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

MJ supports Kobe because he knows that Kobe is no threat to his place as the greatest ever. MJ will disparage LeBron as much as he can becauese of his fear.

Um...huh?

Lebron's talent is undeniable. But, he can be a mental midget and that's what separates him from guys like Magic, Michael, Kobe.

His numbers make it appear he is on their level. If you put Isiah Thomas from the Bad Boys days mentality into Bron's body, he would be.

 

[rileymartin88]

Um...huh?

Lebron's talent is undeniable. But, he can be a mental midget and that's what separates him from guys like Magic, Michael, Kobe.

His numbers make it appear he is on their level. If you put Isiah Thomas from the Bad Boys days mentality into Bron's body, he would be.

You have a preconcieved notion on what a "great" player should be. LeBron is a hybrid. He is part Jordan and part Magic. No one was ever critical Magic for making a great pass and the right basketball play, nor should you be critical of LeBron. the fact that he can be either one of those guys is a tribute unto itself.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

"Team hopping" didn't happen before simply because there wasn't free agency like there is now. Like I said, the landscape of the NBA has changed. The players now have more control over their careers.
Luckily for Jordan, he had the luxury of not only having his team draft another all time great during his time, but he also had the luxury of having the greatest coach ever. Add to that the fact that the NBA expanded the league by 6 teams during his title run.
No doubt that Jordan is an all time great, and i have no problem if you say he is the best ever (I disagree), but heisn't untouchable.

By Lebron and Kobe he is.

Look, titles only enter the conversation when all other things are equal.

Kobe just passed MJ in pts and Bron could pass them both if he chose to play that long.

But, neither will ever be able to go 6-0 in the finals and that is something MJ fans can use to trump any argument.

He wasn't a sidekick or a role player. He was the Finals MVP for all 6.

* drops mic, leaves the stage *

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

You have a preconcieved notion on what a "great" player should be. LeBron is a hybrid. He is part Jordan and part Magic. No one was ever critical Magic for making a great pass and the right basketball play, nor should you be critical of LeBron. the fact that he can be either one of those guys is a tribute unto itself.

Not true.

I think Lebron is a hell of a player.

But, he is not the strongest mentally.

That is not a claim that has ever been made about Magic nor Michael.

If anything, Michael and Kobe were two headstrong.

Magic deferred because he was the pg.

Lebron deferred because he was AFRAID.

 

[trojanfan12]

"Team hopping" didn't happen before simply because there wasn't free agency like there is now. Like I said, the landscape of the NBA has changed. The players now have more control over their careers.
Luckily for Jordan, he had the luxury of not only having his team draft another all time great during his time, but he also had the luxury of having the greatest coach ever. Add to that the fact that the NBA expanded the league by 6 teams during his title run.
No doubt that Jordan is an all time great, and i have no problem if you say he is the best ever (I disagree), but heisn't untouchable.

Actually, I don't consider him the best ever. I consider Magic Johnson to be the best ever. However, just because players have more control over their careers doesn't mean that team hopping is suddenly okay and doesn't count against you. Sorry, but it does. In fact, I'd say that it counts even more against a player now because they are choosing to attempt an easier path.

The difference is that MJ waited for Bulls management to get the right coach and right players around him rather than demand trades or leave via free agency. No one knew how good Phil was going to be when the Bulls hired him and no one knew how good Pippen would become when the Bulls drafted him.

Instead of doing like MJ, Lebron chose to bail on the Cavs to join 2 other proven all-stars in Miami. Then, when he didn't get his "not 5, not 6, not 7" he bailed on them to return to Cleveland to get paired up with 2 more all-star caliber players. Sorry, but he gets marked down for that.

Additionally, Kobe and Timmy both had opportunities to team hop in their primes and didn't do it. I agree that MJ isn't untouchable and I'm sure that there will eventually be a player who is a legit threat to him, however, it ain't gonna be Lebron and it ain't gonna be Kobe.

 

[rileymartin88]

Not true.

I think Lebron is a hell of a player.

But, he is not the strongest mentally.

That is not a claim that has ever been made about Magic nor Michael.

If anything, Michael and Kobe were two headstrong.

Magic deferred because he was the pg.

Lebron deferred because he was AFRAID.

LeBron has 5 finals trips and 2 titles. For you to say he is not strong mentally is laughable. As I said, he is just as much Magic as he is Jordan. You can't give Magic a free pass for dishing the ball, then hold it against LeBron.
Carrying that first Cleveland team to the finals was nothing short of a miracle, and, while he defintely choked against Dallas in year 1 of the Big 3 era, he was huge the rest of the way win or lose.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Actually, I don't consider him the best ever. I consider Magic Johnson to be the best ever. However, just because players have more control over their careers doesn't mean that team hopping is suddenly okay and doesn't count against you. Sorry, but it does. In fact, I'd say that it counts even more against a player now because they are choosing to attempt an easier path.

The difference is that MJ waited for Bulls management to get the right coach and right players around him rather than demand trades or leave via free agency. No one knew how good Phil was going to be when the Bulls hired him and no one knew how good Pippen would become when the Bulls drafted him.

Instead of doing like MJ, Lebron chose to bail on the Cavs to join 2 other proven all-stars in Miami. Then, when he didn't get his "not 5, not 6, not 7" he bailed on them to return to Cleveland to get paired up with 2 more all-star caliber players. Sorry, but he gets marked down for that.

Additionally, Kobe and Timmy both had opportunities to team hop in their primes and didn't do it. I agree that MJ isn't untouchable and I'm sure that there will eventually be a player who is a legit threat to him, however, it ain't gonna be Lebron and it ain't gonna be Kobe.

...Spot on post.

It hurts to like you.

Lebron's Mercenary days/team stacking makes me view him differently too.

Right or wrong, that's my perception.

 

[DJ Fieri]

MJ supports Kobe because he knows that Kobe is no threat to his place as the greatest ever. MJ will disparage LeBron as much as he can becauese of his fear.

 

[rileymartin88]

I don't believe LeBron is the greatest ever. However, I do believe that he stiull has an opportunity to put himself in the conversation.
To me, the greatest ever is Larry Bird, and his greatness can never be challenged...without Larry, there is no NBA today plain and simple. Jordan might be the luckiest player ever in that he came along at the perfect time.