RIDICULOUS Kobe Bryant comments

[Samurai Swoosh]

Now, I love Kobe ... but this is beyond ridiculous.

Numerous people have mentioned that Michael Jordan would never allow the Chicago Bulls to lose a game like Thursday night's -- his team would never blow a 13-point third-quarter lead while Jordan made only five of 24 shots. Bryant shook his head. "One big difference," he said. "Michael had Scottie Pippen. He had someone who could distribute the ball and keep everyone else involved." Bryant momentarily sighed. "Michael could come out and shoot the ball 40 times a game," Bryant said. "I can't do that." LA Times


Bryant: "Having someone like Pippen would be a big luxury for me, because scoring is what I do best, but it's OK," he said. "It's a challenge, and I welcome the challenge." He's right. If the Lakers win the championship, it will be Bryant's finest NBA moment, because he will not have shot his team there, he will have led his team there. LA Times

http://insidehoops.com/nba_rumors.shtml

Come on Kobe, having dominant low post threat, two to be exact, is a way bigger luxury than anything Jordan ever had. Was Pippen a great fascilitator, a solid scorer, and an all around great player? Yes. Nothing that ever made the game as easy as having a great skillful 7'0 PF in Pau Gasol, and a 7'1 Center in Andrew Bynum.

What do yall think ...

[daballa13]

Honestly Kobe is just trying to make himself seem as good as Jordan when he isn't even close to as good as Lebron is now. Kobe needs to STFU and focus on the series because he played horrible and he can't blame anyone but himself. I guarantee LeBron won't have one single performance that bad in this years playoffs. Even if Kobe did have a player like Scottie I'm sure Scottie would get up and leave sooner or later, Kobe's ego is just too big and he can't back it up like MJ and I don't think Scottie would treat Kobe like he did MJ, completely different class.

[TheGrassIsGreen]

If people keep insisting on comparing him with Jordan, I think he has the right to defend himself. This would not have come out of his mouth had the reporter not asked him the question.

[gts]

context

Bryant agreed that for probably the first time in his career, he has gone three postseason games without putting his stamp on any of them.

But, no, he's not ready to change anything yet.

"I'm going to stick to the script," he said. "I'm going to get the guys involved early, work it inside, get them going . . . and if that doesn't work, then go to me."

The first two games, the Lakers survived. The third game, they imploded, with Bryant's fingerprints all over the wreckage. When he finally started looking for the basket, he couldn't find it, and the Lakers were lost.

Shouldn't he start doing a little more, a little earlier?

"Yeah, I will probably have to look for my shot a little earlier, maybe I've been waiting too long," he said, pausing. "But, still, I know what my job is."

He says his job is not to score 50 points in a losing playoff game as he did against Phoenix a couple of years ago.

"I've got a different role here now," he said. "I can't just go out there and shoot like crazy."

Numerous people have mentioned that Michael Jordan would never allow the Chicago Bulls to lose a game like Thursday night's -- his team would never blow a 13-point third-quarter lead while Jordan made only five of 24 shots.

Bryant shook his head.

"One big difference," he said. "Michael had Scottie Pippen. He had someone who could distribute the ball and keep everyone else involved."

Bryant momentarily sighed.

"Michael could come out and shoot the ball 40 times a game," Bryant said. "I can't do that."

Again, he smiled.

"Having someone like Pippen would be a big luxury for me, because scoring is what I do best, but it's OK," he said. "It's a challenge, and I welcome the challenge."

Part of this leadership is understanding his teammates, and Bryant knows what happens if he comes out firing.

"I've done that, but then the rest of the team sits back and watches, and doesn't get into a rhythm, and it doesn't do us any good," he said. "Sometimes it's harder this way, but I've got to give them their opportunities first."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...84,full.column

[Sir Charles]

But then again Jordan never had a 17-20 PPG, 50-58% FG, 8-9 RPG; 3-4 APG and 1.5-2.1 BPG...7'0 ft CF as Skilled, Smart, Passing, B-Ball IQued and Fundamentaly Sound (almost in the 80s way!) as Bryant does in Pau Gasol!

[twolvesfan]

If people keep insisting on comparing him with Jordan, I think he has the right to defend himself. This would not have come out of his mouth had the reporter not asked him the question.

yes but he did kind of throw pau and bynum under the bus essentially saying they arent good enough

[BallersTalk]

Kobe and his fans are probably the only people in the world that thinks he's better than MJ.

[Cangri]

"I've got a different role here now," he said. "I can't just go out there and shoot like crazy."
Yeah that's why even when he's shooting bricks he still shoots more than the anyone in his team.

And like another guy said, he has Gasol. If having someone like Gasol can't make him happy, then I don't know what will.

[GMW]

yes but he did kind of throw pau and bynum under the bus essentially saying they arent good enough

No he didn't, all he said was that he doesn't have a distributor like Pippen on his team, so he has to make sure he keeps everyone involved, while MJ could focus more on scoring and have Pippen keep the others involved. Nowhere did he say that his teammates aren't good enough.

[BallersTalk]

No he didn't, all he said was that he doesn't have a distributor like Pippen on his team, so he has to make sure he keeps everyone involved, while MJ could focus more on scoring and have Pippen keep the others involved. Nowhere did he say that his teammates aren't good enough.

Kobe has an entire team of people that can create/distribute. Gasol, Odom, Walton. This game was all on him. He should've gotten out of the way and let Odom/Gasol work.

[west]

But then again Jordan never had a 17-20 PPG, 50-58% FG, 8-9 RPG; 3-4 APG and 1.5-2.1 BPG...7'0 ft CF as Skilled, Smart, Passing, B-Ball IQued and Fundamentaly Sound (almost in the 80s way!) as Bryant does in Pau Gasol!

I always thought Sir Charles never care current basketball.
Sir Charles is a great poster when he isn't talking about Barkley.

[Mikaiel]

WTF ? His team is the most talented team in the league, by far, and he still finds a way to complain ?

[Micku]

If people keep insisting on comparing him with Jordan, I think he has the right to defend himself. This would not have come out of his mouth had the reporter not asked him the question.

People would always do the comparison because the media is looking for the next MJ. Currently it's Kobe because he is one of the best players in the league. It's understandable why he would say that because it's out of frustration, but at the same time he has a team full of talent.

I didn't see the whole game, but it looked like Odom and Gasol played very well. His teammates are the best he could ask for when it comes to talent. I think it's the defense that's the problem, right? The Lakers as a team needs to play better D?

[KenneBell]

I wouldn't take it too seriously. Although he is right that he has a different role than Jordan in the offense, he did just come one of his worst game ever. More of a frustration type comment than anything.

[BallersTalk]

I wouldn't take it too seriously. Although he is right that he has a different role than Jordan in the offense, he did just come one of his worst game ever. More of a frustration type comment than anything.

Kobe's not one to take the blame graciously ever. When clearly, the blame's on him this game. He implied that he has a bigger role on the Lakers than Jordan did on the Bulls. And that's insane considering the type of scrubs Jordan played with. When Kobe's on the floor he is rarely out there with just role players. He's got two legit big men. A skilled SF/PF that can bring him the ball, make plays, and create mismatches. This team is far more talented than any of Jordan's Bulls teams. Way more.