This is the year Kobe is suppose to pass MJ in points.....

[TheMilkyBarKid]

Ya you in here typin essays to dispute claims nobody is makin in this thread.



Rustled

When you don't have any good points of discussion on the matter attempt to anger poster with opposing perspective. Great strategy.

[TheMarkMadsen]

Sure

I was responding to trolls. You are a thoughtful poster. We don't agree on everything obviously. But I was speaking to the Kobe fan masses that seek to diminish the legacy of their other championship caliber players in order to magnify Kobe's legacy. It's messed up, you do not see Bulls fans or Spurs fans doing that stuff. I don't understand it.

We can agree to disagree. Not a problem. However, I think you're overstating "how effective" Bynum was a little bit. He was a good contributing piece, we made the finals without him & Ariza in 08, I've always thought if just one those 2 played in the 08 finals we could have won, or at least forced game 7. So I do agree Bynum was a difference maker of sorts, how much of a difference maker is what I'm not sure on.

[Cali Syndicate]

Bynums been injured since he left the Lakers, nobody arguing he is worse w/o Kobe.

Gasol has has his most efficient/productive seasons ever playing alongside Kobe and was able to mantain his first option numbers while seeing the ball and takin a couple less shots per game, due to the freedom Kobe opened up for him in the post.

The year Gasol was traded he he was averaging 18ppg on 50% shooting while taking 14 shots per game while playing for Memphis.

That same year, after being trader to the Lakers Pau improved his FG% from 50% to 59%, still put up 18ppg while taking 2 fewer shots per game. The next year Gasol shot 57%, the year after that 54%..

Gasols most efficient season as a Grizzly shooting wise? 53%. So his efficiency goes up playing with Kobe while his productions that's basically the game. So yeah Kobe makes Gasol better, no question.

A healthy Gasol this year without Kobe? A 38% shooter taking 12 shots to score 12 points per game. Is some of that due to age? Yes, however Gasol had an injury riddled year just last year where he shot 47%. But it's not all age, Gasol still has his biggest attribute fully intact, his height. Big men are are supposed to age gracefully, not break down like other players due to loss of athleticism..which was never a part of Gasols game..

Gasols a very very good player on his own right, but his game flourishes next to Kobe

Odom was a good productive player before Kobe, and while Kobe by no mean did Kobe "make him" he sure as hell extended his career by a good 2-3 years.

I don't have time to break down how a player like Odom is complimented greatly by a player like Kobe,but he is. Lamar was able to play in a system where his best attributes could be used to their fullest potential, while being able to hide his biggest flaw (consistency)

Like I said, Big men are supposed to age gracefully, you're going to tell me that the 3rd option on a championship team who ironically in 2011 had his best season (scoring & effeciency wise) than he had in years, was completely useless one year later because he turned 32? He went from 14ppg on 53% in 2011 to 6ppg on 35% in 2012.. You're gonna tell me that's all due to a 8 month span of aging?

Please...

Surely it wasn't all because he didnt have the luxury of playing Kobe, but it sure as hell wasn't all due to age. Kobe makes the game easier or big men. Especially a guy like Odom.

The one thing I would say Kobe definitely instilled in Pau was a much stronger competitive nature. While Kobe isn't jordan, which people need to freaking drop already, Kobe is by far one of the most competitive players of all time.

As for playing with Kobe, yes, Kobe does open up parts of the game but I would say much of pau's success also falls into the hands of playing in the triangle which is a perfect system for a player of Pau skill set.

In addition to this, both were basically right dab in the midst of thier prime. The timing for them was as good as it gets. There was no stall from player development. It was basically learn the system, which Pau did very quickly with him being a very high iq player, and growing a set, which Pau also did...well at least until Bynum came around and deflated the set he grew.

[kamil]

It's not Kobe's fault MJ wasn't as durable as he is.

Are you retarded?