Who Was Better In Their Prime?

[Clayton]

It was never in the air and TMac was never better than Kobe.

Not really but TMac had Artest and Yao for 1 year(?) healthy so there really isn't a way to compare him to say Kobe with Artest, Odom, Gasol and sometimes Bynum. Comparing TMac to Kobe is kinda like comparing Melo to Lebron if we're talking primes

 

[Jims_Doors]

It was never in the air and TMac was never better than Kobe.

How old are you? It was definitely in the air.


Kobe vs. Tracy - Hoopsvibe

 

[shitsho]

It was never in the air and TMac was never better than Kobe.

I'm sorry I forgot that Kobe lovers cant admit it. There was a 3 maybe 4 year period where they were interchangeable. My money says TMac was actually better but there was really no way to prove it.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

How old are you? It was definitely in the air.


Kobe vs. Tracy - Hoopsvibe

Old enough to be your dad. Being in the air is like a toss up. It was never that. Kobe was clearly the better player. Tmac was the closest to Kobe and ppl wondered could he be better, but it was never up in the air about who was better.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I cant think of no unbiased meadia, nba coaches and players, or fans having it up in the air on who was better between tmac and kobe.

Lebron and Kobe debate used to be in the air until lebron became the best player in the nba.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Im not old btw lol

 

[1dummydog]

Did either of them actually win anything. I'll admit I don't really follow the NBA.

 

[LogicMan]

If AI had joined a different team, a different coach, I wonder how it all would have turned out. He was not as unique as MJ, Magic, Bird or Lebron, but he had the potential to be close to being unique. What a waste. TMAC? not so special or unique easier to match up on

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Tracy McGrady was arguably BETTER than Kobe there for a while.

He never had the coaches, teammates, or luck that Kobe did.

Kobe did it for longer.

But, to suggest it was never in doubt ignore how good T-Mac was in his prime.

This was back in the days of Kobe being considered Robin to Shaq and a secondary star.

A lot of GMS would have taken T-Mac over Kobe in those years. Probably 50/50 split....

 

[shitsho]

Old enough to be your dad. Being in the air is like a toss up. It was never that. Kobe was clearly the better player. Tmac was the closest to Kobe and ppl wondered could he be better, but it was never up in the air about who was better.

Kobe was never clearly the better player until TMac got hurt and his career went downhill. TMac had to face teams geared specifically to stop him while Kobe had Shaq to absorb the bulk of the attention.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Gotta be AI, right? Did McGrady even have a prime?

First of all yes McGrady had a prime even though it was shortened substantially by injuries. Iverson had longer career and a healthier, but given each their prime McGrady was better by miles. Iverson was a dumb ass punk that had no defense, hogged the ball and stopped good ball movement for the benefit of padding his stats. McGrady could shoot, but also played defense on the other end and it was solid defense. At the time Shaq Oneal was traded, I would have gladly taken Yao Ming and McGrady for Shaq, but that was before McGrady became injury prone

 

[True Lakers Fan]

It was never in the air and TMac was never better than Kobe.

These morons like to pretend that Kobe wasn't that good, but Kobe outshot Yao Ming and McGrady numerous times. McGrady was a better defender, but Koe was a better shooter period. Still is even with a torn achilles

 

[Crotchrocker]

Every time. Never fails. Somehow Kobe Stan's have to turn EVERY thread into a thread about Kobe. The fact is, Kobe is the better player overall. That doesn't change that T-Mac was a more complete player in his prime. He was a better rebounder and passer. He could score better than Kobe at one time and he was just as versatile as Kobe on defense. When the 76ers played LA in the 2001 Finals, Iverson outplayed Kobe but the 76ers were plainly overmatched because they had no answer for Shaq. Word.

 

[LogicMan]

How does every thread have to get converted to Kobe discussion?

Anyways, there was a time no team had a solution for AI. I would draft him today over TMAC, but I would surround him with players and a coach to prevent the thug crap that followed.

Look at his cross dribble, it was better than MJ's

 

[lakersrule]

It wasn't Lakers fans who first mentioned Kobe.

That doesn't change that T-Mac was a more complete player in his prime. He was
a better rebounder and passer. He could score better than Kobe at one time and
he was just as versatile as Kobe on defense.

They average similar APG and RPG yet TMac is the more complete player? You would think TMac being the better team player would have averaged more APG than Kobe, but that is not the case. TMac never had to play in the triangle offense which generally doesn't lead to high individual assist numbers.

Kobe's career FG% is 45.4%. TMac's is 43.5%. The best season TMac could do was 45.7%. TMac the better scorer? Funny stuff Celtic's fan. Tell us again how the Celtics are going to win 50+ games in season 2 of the rebuild? lol!

 

[Brahmsian]

Iverson was just too interested in showing off how fancy he could be. Helping his team
win was secondary at best to him and it never took his teammates long to realize it. Which is
why he got ditched so often.

If he'd had even half the "Team Player" attitude of Paul Pierce...

 

[wildturkey]

T-mac. He's better all around. He could score just as well as AI, but he could also create unselfishly and could defend multiple positions though I don't recall him being as lockdown a defender as some say (he's still good, just not great). T-Mac's biggest flaw was probably his personality. He was so laid back and never really was a leader. That's really why his teams never made it out of the first round. He had all the physical gifts of other superstars in his time like Bryant or Lebron, but not the mental gifts that makes a true superstar.

 

[LogicMan]

Rule, this is not a thread about Kobe love. We have had those threads. There is a bunch of debate, haters hate, lovers love, and then someone starts into the poor ethics and selfishness of the player . And then it just gets ugly.

 

[RoboticDreams]

they were failures, both were forced out because of personal reasons. Not injuries or age.

TMac was forced out due to injuries, dude. He wasn't the diva that Iverson was and was the superior all around player. He also played defense and during his prime was ranked close to Kobe.

 

[Sman2011]

At his best, Tracy McGrady was the best player in the game arguably.

For a few seasons, he was clearly the best 2 guard and not Kobe Bryant in my opinion.

He was doing eye popping things with a complete garbage roster.

T-MAC had the unfortunate luck of playing his best years while Orlando wasted all its cap space on Hill.

Injuries ended his career (first Grant Hill, then Yao Ming, then finally McGrady himself) before we got to see what might have been.

Iverson unfortunately unraveled his own career with the attitude and off court junk.

Tracy McGrady would have won titles on the right team.

There is no doubt that Shaq/McGrady would have won 4 minimum and probably more.


I doubt Iverson would have won titles playing with anyone.

Let's start with a big, LOL...Horns, this is why you never had any credibility on CBS. You're hatred for Kobe was so extreme you couldn't have a rational conversation, especially when Kobe was involved....

First of all, T-Mac is a small forward at 6-8. Not a guard. Just thought I'd inform you...

Secondly, this is pure fantasy "he was clearly the best guard for 2 years, not Kobe."...Again, only in your mind Horns. No one elses.....

Lastly, love the comment "There is no doubt T-mac wins 4 with Shaq, minimum" LOL..

Again. LOL...T-mac has never won a single playoff series as a starter, and that includes playing with allstar center Yao Ming....Not 1 playoff series.

But according to Horns, a guy who has never wwon a single playoff series is guaranteed 4 rings, Minimimum with Shaq...LOL

You've made an ass out of yourself once again Horns. Good job.