Durant on Kobe "He's probably the best ever. You can't say that he's lost a step"

[BlackMambaLivin]

"I don't understand why people say he's lost a step," Durant said outside the Thunder locker room before Game 5 on Tuesday night. "He's the greatest player in the game. There are only a couple guys who can turn it on and off like him and get 15 in a row and also get 10 assists and get their guys involved. He's probably the best ever. You can't say that he's lost a step. He's the same Kobe from a while back, maybe he's not dunking on a lot of guys like he was back in '01, '02 but he's still the same Kobe."

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angele...ory?id=5142029

[Andrei89]

Kevin just points at the fans who say Kobe is hassled by injuries.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Kobe played with a guy for more than half his career who was better than he's ever been. Hell, Kobe isn't even one of the 2 best players Phil Jackson has coached.

[zizozain]

In before ashbelly PB

[Allstar24]

Kobe played with a guy for more than half his career who was better than he's ever been. Hell, Kobe isn't even one of the 2 best players Phil Jackson has coached.

Kobe's not the best ever, Durant probably didn't mean for it to come out like that...but Kobe will go down as a greater player than Shaq when it's all said and done. Shaq's been irrelevant since 2006.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Kobe's not the best ever, Durant probably didn't mean for it to come out like that...but Kobe will go down as a greater player than Shaq when it's all said and done. Shaq's been irrelevant since 2006.

Shaq has 2 more finals MVPs and as many rings, a far more dominant prime and unlike Kobe, Shaq was an elite player from the moment he entered the league. Kobe wasn't a legit all-star until his 4th season and not truly elite until his 5th season and his body is already wearing down at 31.

[King Lebron LBJ]

Shaq will go down as better than Kobe all-time, chances are Shaq wins at least one more ring if not 2. It remains to be seen how many more Kobe will win. Guess i depends on this year and if Buss gets a new productive point guard in while keeping Phil Jackson.

Although if Kobe does win this year, that will be numer 5 while likely means Jackson stays and with their main core being around 30 and a 22 year old Bynum he will have a good chance at winning 6 or 7.

[Allstar24]

Shaq has 2 more finals MVPs and as many rings, a far more dominant prime and unlike Kobe, Shaq was an elite player from the moment he entered the league. Kobe wasn't a legit all-star until his 4th season and not truly elite until his 5th season and his body is already wearing down at 31.

Kobe's only 31, MJ won 3 championships after that age. His body is not "wearing down"...in case you don't have eyes, he's clearly injured. He'll be healthy after resting this summer and has the team around him to win multiple championships. His accomplishments, as a whole, are going to be greater than Shaq. Most coaches/players/analysts already have him in their top 10 all-time list. Shaq had the potential to be the GOAT but his lazy-ass threw it away. Now he is washed-up and bouncing around from team to team trying to win a 5th ring.

[yeaaaman]

Kobe's only 31, MJ won 3 championships after that age. His body is not "wearing down"...in case you don't have eyes, he's clearly injured. He'll be healthy after resting this summer and has the team around him to win multiple championships. His accomplishments, as a whole, are going to be greater than Shaq. Most coaches/players/analysts already have him in their top 10 all-time list. Shaq had the potential to be the GOAT but his lazy-ass threw it away. Now he is washed-up and bouncing around from team to team trying to win a 5th ring.

I don't think anyones doubting he isn't still great but I for sure feel his body is wearing down I don't see how you could think otherwise. That doesn't mean he can't keep playing at a high level or win more rings, but he is aging and this is natural.

[miller-time]

Shaq's been irrelevant since 2006.

yeah... except shaq was doing things for the 5 years before kobe entered the league.

ROY, scoring champion, a finals appearence in 94 and stopped jordans bulls in 95 (granted they were rebuilding).

the nba didn't begin in 1997 (or 99 when kobe got any sort of decent accolade). relevance in career terms has nothing to do with what players are doing right now.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Kobe's only 31, MJ won 3 championships after that age. His body is not "wearing down"...in case you don't have eyes, he's clearly injured. He'll be healthy after resting this summer and has the team around him to win multiple championships. His accomplishments, as a whole, are going to be greater than Shaq. Most coaches/players/analysts already have him in their top 10 all-time list. Shaq had the potential to be the GOAT but his lazy-ass threw it away. Now he is washed-up and bouncing around from team to team trying to win a 5th ring.

I've defended Kobe throughout the season, but he's had nagging injuries the last 3 seasons, he didn't play particularly well starting in January, he's in his 14th season, he now has arthritis in his shooting hand and he's had one of his worst playoff series vs OKC. He has the most talented cast in the league so it will hurt his legacy if they dissapoint in the playoffs. Kobe's horrendous 2004 finals performance, subpar 2008 finals performance and insignificant 2000 finals performance won't help either compared to Shaq who has 3 of the greatest finals series of all time.

It also won't help that Kobe was Shaq's second option on those teams, hell I've heard Kobe and Phil say this multiple times. Missing the playoffs in his prime also doesn't help neither does failing to make it out of the first round those years(not that he had a cast you should expect to).

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Someone probably asked Durant where Kobe ranked all time at having stupid f*cking fanboys

[macpierce]

damn peoples opinions whether or not theyre real really piss you girls off huh????

[LA_Showtime]

You can't downplay Kobe's career by naming off the season he missed the playoffs and the following two years. Injuries and no talent had a lot to do with that 3 year period.

You can, however, blame Kobe for not shooting during the second half of the Phoenix game. That's inexcusable.

[Desperado]

Shaq who has 3 of the greatest finals series of all time.

Yeah...

Playing head-to head against Rik Smits, over the hill Dikembe Mutombo and Todd MacCulloch.