Bigger Finals Choke: 2004 Kobe or 2016 Curry?

[JT123]

Overall both are two of the worst Finals performers of all time for any ATG.

Bottom line

[NuggetsFan]

LeBron in '11
Curry '16
Kobe '04

In terms of choking/giving up. LeBron just went into his shell and sat back. Maybe the biggest choke of All-Time. I think he and Wade learning to play together kinda factored in but still. Curry was making hilariously bad plays. Had some plays in the finals you saw for the first time. Not even talking about his scoring/shooting because he lives off bad shots but his passing. You could tell he lost alot of confidence in his game and the pressure probably had alot to do with it. Kobe just played like Kobe. He was extra selfish maybe but had the same kind of mentality. Just didn't work at all.

In terms of who was better? I'd take LeBron in '11 first. He was a ***** but still played a smart game with great defense and overall impact. Curry '16 because he wouldn't lose the series for you just didn't play to his standards. Kobe was the worst because he was determined to win the finals himself and fell on his face in a way that you almost didn't think possible. He was worse than the numbers. I still remember game 1. Shaq was dominant and Kobe just wouldn't go away. T-Mac, Pierce, Carter, Allen, Curry, LeBron .. all would have won that championship IMO. Even Iverson would have relaxed abit next to Shaq.

[imdaman99]

As long as you admit it was the worst performance by any superstar in finals history

LeBron averaging 17,7,8 on 47% while winning 2 games against the team that swept and embarassed kobrick 2 rounds earlier is choking for his standards? Maybe so bc he's a top 3 goat.

For Kobrick standards 47% is one of his all time performances

The difference is that LeBron had a 2-1 lead and lost his last 3 games going out quietly.

How many 3 game losing streaks does LeBron have in the finals? Is it 4?

[SouBeachTalents]

I've always advocated that 2007 finals was waaaay worse than 2011 for Lebron.

2011 he checked out because he didn't have a jumper and the entire world knew it

2007...he actually tried which resulted in 6 to's per game and a nasty lockdown.

Nah, as awful as LeBron played in '07, at least dude went down swinging, which is at least commendable. What makes 2011 so inexcusable is that he literally has to have a below average series, something like 21/7/7 on 47% and the Heat probably win in a sweep. Hell, dude scores 12-15 points in Game 4 instead of 8 and the Heat go up 3-1 and basically wrap up the series

[ShawkFactory]

I've always advocated that 2007 finals was waaaay worse than 2011 for Lebron.

2011 he checked out because he didn't have a jumper and the entire world knew it

2007...he actually tried which resulted in 6 to's per game and a nasty lockdown.

2011 was in the middle of his peak though. Little bit different.

[Jasper]

Kobe Bryant - 2004 Finals

NARRATIVE: Possibly the 3rd most stacked team ever behind the 2016 AND 2017 Golden State Warriors. Only to be closed out in 5 games to the superstar-less Detroit Pistons. Shaq, as always, held his own. His sidekick failed to show up.

22 ppg
3 rpg
4 apg
38% FG
17% 3PT
4 TO



Result: Lost in 5 games, despite being the favorites.



Stephen Curry - 2016 NBA Finals

NARRATIVE: Coming off a back to back MVP season, and a historic regular season for the (as of now) greatest team EVER, little Stephen failed to step up in the Finals for the 2nd consecutive year, only to be outplayed by teammate Draymond Green. Curry missed his last 4 FGA, including a very crucial turnover late in the game. The Warriors end up losing the last three games of the series, and the G7 at home.

23 ppg
5 rpg
4 apg
40% FG
40% 3PT
4 TO

Result: Lost in 7 games, despite being the favorites

Kobe up to now.... Curry set all kinds of records for the 2015/16 season.
He is a record break of the worst kind

[eliteballer]

Kobe wasn't healthy in 2004 you ISHiots. he had no lift, explosion, or conditioning because of offseason knee and shoulder surgeries and all of the drama going on.

Was taking IV's throughout the playoffs.

Nothing is as bad as 2011.

[sportjames23]

Kobe Bryant - 2004 Finals

NARRATIVE: Possibly the 3rd most stacked team ever behind the 2016 AND 2017 Golden State Warriors. Only to be closed out in 5 games to the superstar-less Detroit Pistons. Shaq, as always, held his own. His sidekick failed to show up.

22 ppg
3 rpg
4 apg
38% FG
17% 3PT
4 TO



Result: Lost in 5 games, despite being the favorites.



Stephen Curry - 2016 NBA Finals

NARRATIVE: Coming off a back to back MVP season, and a historic regular season for the (as of now) greatest team EVER, little Stephen failed to step up in the Finals for the 2nd consecutive year, only to be outplayed by teammate Draymond Green. Curry missed his last 4 FGA, including a very crucial turnover late in the game. The Warriors end up losing the last three games of the series, and the G7 at home.

23 ppg
5 rpg
4 apg
40% FG
40% 3PT
4 TO

Result: Lost in 7 games, despite being the favorites

[AintNoSunshine]

In 2015 Curry put on one of the most clutch performances in Finals history

[COLOR="GREEN"]Most 4th Quarter Points during the Finals [/COLOR]

1995 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5
2000 Shaquille O'Neal 11.5 (61.1% TS)
2015 Stephen Curry 10.8 [COLOR="Green"](75.1% TS)[/COLOR]
1997 Michael Jordan 10.7 (55.1% TS)
1998 Michael Jordan 10.6 (50.6% TS)
2011 Dirk Nowitzki 10.3 (68.0% TS)
1993 Michael Jordan 10.3


In the 2016 Finals he was not able to play as well as he did in 2015

What happened in 2016 that didn't happen in 2015? The MCL injury




The time table for return of an MCL sprain is 2 to 4 weeks.

(Keep in mind that the healing timetable is for every day activity, nothing more strenuous than walking up one flight of stairs, NOT playing professional basketball)

Stephen Curry returned from the injury after only 2 weeks because the Warriors were struggling against Portland without him.

Stephen Curry re-aggravated his knee injury by coming back too early and then playing 40+ minutes of playoff basketball plus overtime in his record setting performance against Portland.


Therefore we can conclude that Curry's MCL injury was the differentiating factor which lowered Curry's production

Since you love this pic so much, did you save it as your wallpaper and screen saver?

[Mr Feeny]

The difference is that LeBron had a 2-1 lead and lost his last 3 games going out quietly.

How many 3 game losing streaks does LeBron have in the finals? Is it 4?

Kobe also lost 3 straight games and was only able to win his team half the games that Lebron was able to win for the heat in his series

LeBron 47%
Kobrick 38%

Agree that Lebron's worst series ever is better than an average Kobe series

[Quickening]

bingo.

that's a good comparison.. nobody says Bron choked versus the spurs.. he just got locked up. Layups and the paint in general was denied and he was turned into a jumpshooter where he shot like sh!t.. he didnt mentally fold in 07.. just had no answer but still somewhat went down swinging.

Kobe choked in 2004, it was nothing to do with defensive schemes etc... He was playing alongside the MDE player who every opposition teams focused on.

There is no excuses for shooting that poorly, other than folding under the pressure of trying to outperform Shaq.

[Mr Feeny]

Kobe choked in 2004, it was nothing to do with defensive schemes etc... He was playing alongside the MDE player who every opposition teams focused on.

There is no excuses for shooting that poorly, other than folding under the pressure of trying to outperform Shaq.

38%

[Stanley Kobrick]

Wrong. When the injury is severe enough that therapy and rest won't work, surgery is done. Curry's MCL injury was not severe. You yourself said all playoffs long it was so serious that he will get surgery, guess you were wrong.

did stephen curry ever end up getting the surgery? seems 5 years later he still suffers from this injury in each Finals

[Axe]

The one who had a 3-1 lead in the finals takes the cake

[Lakers Legend#32]

Kobe didn't choke.
Gary Payton pouted
Karl Malone menstrated.