The Lakers...FAR SUPERIOR W/O Kobe

[TonyMontana]

We've all witnessed(nope not talking about LeBrons MVP season and Finals MVP championship) the Lakers impressive victory over the number 2 ranked San Antonio Spurs tonight.

This is what happens when you take away one of the WORST defensive players in the entire NBA

So many dillusional casual fans that have never played organized basketball before still think Kobe is the best player in the NBA along with LeBron. If that was the case Kobe would've been able to secure a playoff seed with 4 hall of famers on his team. The reason LA has been terrible has been because of their failure to exploit the Howard-Gasol combo and Kobes deficiencies. Kobe is forced to guard the non dribbling shooter on defense because he can't do anything else. Even at such a simple task he still fails. He has constantly tried to cheat his man and help usually resulting in an open three point shot which has killed LA time and time again.

Then theres the Howard-Gasol combo. No team can match up with that frontcourt. Gasols shooting percentage was terrible tonight, yet for those that watched the game we saw LA bullying the Spurs in the paint. This goes back to the 09 and 10 teams that won games in the paint with a Bynum-Gasol-Odom frontline that was impossible to rival down low. Kobe has always goten the credit and provided the flash for the Lakers, but he has never provided the substance.

In this age the Lakers go as far as their frontcourt(just as it did when Prime Shaq ate the NBA and then when Bynum/Gasol/Odom were the best frontcourt in the league). When Dwight/Gasol actually get the ball and the chances to make plays the team is a matchup nightmare for anyone. When Kobe is dribbling the ball for 10 seconds and finishing with a fadeaway jumpshot? The defense loves it.

Because of Kobe, Nash was forced to a role where he was useless. If he is able to come back maybe D'Antoni and Nash can rekindle some of that past glory by letting Nash actually play to his strengths.

Without Kobe the Lakers can definetly beat SA in a series. They will lose to OKC though regardless since OKC is the best team in the West and will be the ones to lose to Miami in the finals.

[Mrofir]

thread already exists. Cmon dude.

[black&scholes]

there's no way spurs would of lost if kobe played, his defense would give the spurs 20-30 points

[SMoKe0uT]

LOL @ the Fkin Troll

[chazzy]

there's no way spurs would of lost if kobe played, his defense would give the spurs 20-30 points

Jodie Meeks defense

[Sharmer]

Kupchak should use the amnesty clause with Kobe.

He's done.

[Electric Slide]

Kobe made those front courts better because he provided the "Kobe assist"

[oh the horror]

Yep. One game without Kobe clearly shows us this. Gotcha

[nashwade]

if Nash can lead the Suns team to WCF twice. imagine what he (if healthy) can do with Pau and Dwight.

[Electric Slide]

Yep. One game without Kobe clearly shows us this. Gotcha

The Lakers record without Kobe throughout his career has been pretty good.

I'm surprised more people don't talk about it to discredit him but this is the way it is for high volume and low efficient players. They aren't missed very much.

[Pacquiao]

Spurs would rather face the Warriors on the 1st round

[poido123]

Yep. One game without Kobe clearly shows us this. Gotcha

Is it not worth considering?

Its not the first time this team has performed well when Kobe wasnt there. Kobe is great when his shot is on and he is getting teammates involved, but when he ball dominates and shoots bricks, the team looks awful and lacking chemistry.

[Mr. Jabbar]

OP...FAR SUPERIOR WHEN Banned

[chazzy]

Kobe was holding back Steve Blake this entire time. It's no wonder he has his biggest games when he's out

[OJ SIMPSON 2.0]

I'm not reading that. Learn to summarize phegget.