Kobe WILL have another 60+

[catch24]

Kobe doesn't have anything to prove it doesn't matter what he does now nothing is changing his legacy. You know what there are other players that have so much more to prove.

Actually, he can build on his legacy. Another championship, MVP, Finals MVP, etc., would do a lot for him.

[Willkill24]

65 vs Miami Heat.

[DPittman]

i hope he does

[thejumpa]

That he's not washed up. The same thing people have been trying to call him at the beginning of each season since his knee surgery in '07.

There's always something people are going to knock him on.

People need to quit saying things like this. No one, I repeat, NO ONE thinks Kobe is washed up. That's media talk that fans get caught up in. When you are a top 5 player at any point in your career, you are not washed up. When you are 32, coming off your 3rd knee surgery, banged up, and still considered top 5....you are not washed up. It's not possible. Dropping 60 wouldn't do anything but make people oooh and ahh like they did in 06.

That being said, I'm tempted to say he'll never drop 60+ again. He sure as hell won't drop 60+ this year. That's a bet.

[KenneBell]

People need to quit saying things like this. No one, I repeat, NO ONE thinks Kobe is washed up.

I wouldn't have said it if I didn't see people saying it. Not media mind you.

[thejumpa]

I wouldn't have said it if I didn't see people saying it. Not media mind you.

Where do you think people get it from?

[Heilige]

Naw, bro ... not in my opinion. There has been 2 players I have studied with intensity when it comes to basketball, and that was Jordan and then Bryant.

Bryant's "athleticism" has dipped twice.

Once following his 35 ppg season in 2006. Had knee surgery in the summer, had months of in activity and came into the 2007 season a little over weight and had to play his way back into shape. If you truly noticed, the year prior Bryant got MUCH better elevation and arc on his jumper. In 2007 he could still lite it up, but his jumper was much more flat and like a line drive.

Then in the summer of 2007 after losing to Phoenix he dropped a lot of weight in order to be the primary on ball defender for Team USA. In the 2008 season, his MVP year his "athleticism" actually increased with the weight loss and he was moving and jumping like he was in 2006 and any season previous to that.

2009 was the first legit year his "athleticism" noticeably and permanently dropped off some. He wasn't doing 360's in 2009, and he wasn't doing 360's in 2010. He was no more athletic in 2009 then he was last year.

But the thing is ... you have more a point with the argument he won't need to score 60 cause of the quality of his team (he wouldn't have needed to either in 2009, really) ... but when Kobe has something to prove, you know he will go out there and do it. But the problem I have with your statement is based off the "athleticism" argument. Being athletic has little to do with his game. Since 2006, Kobe Bryant's really had more of a floor game. And in his high 50's and 60 point games he wasn't getting his points off flying put back dunks or something. He was making it rain with jumpers, drives and layups, etc.


This is verbatim why I think he will do it. This knock on him. Oh, and he was 29 during that stretch in 2007, and he was 30 when he won his MVP. That isn't that long ago, and as I said Bryant's game doesn't rely on athleticism anyway ... too skilled. Thats why he's still relevant, and still a top 3 player in this league after all the deep playoff runs and mileage he has put on that body.

Wouldn't you say his athleticism dropped from the 2002-2003 season to the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons and beyond?

[Heilige]

Naw, bro ... not in my opinion. There has been 2 players I have studied with intensity when it comes to basketball, and that was Jordan and then Bryant.

Bryant's "athleticism" has dipped twice.

Once following his 35 ppg season in 2006. Had knee surgery in the summer, had months of in activity and came into the 2007 season a little over weight and had to play his way back into shape. If you truly noticed, the year prior Bryant got MUCH better elevation and arc on his jumper. In 2007 he could still lite it up, but his jumper was much more flat and like a line drive.

Then in the summer of 2007 after losing to Phoenix he dropped a lot of weight in order to be the primary on ball defender for Team USA. In the 2008 season, his MVP year his "athleticism" actually increased with the weight loss and he was moving and jumping like he was in 2006 and any season previous to that.

2009 was the first legit year his "athleticism" noticeably and permanently dropped off some. He wasn't doing 360's in 2009, and he wasn't doing 360's in 2010. He was no more athletic in 2009 then he was last year.

But the thing is ... you have more a point with the argument he won't need to score 60 cause of the quality of his team (he wouldn't have needed to either in 2009, really) ... but when Kobe has something to prove, you know he will go out there and do it. But the problem I have with your statement is based off the "athleticism" argument. Being athletic has little to do with his game. Since 2006, Kobe Bryant's really had more of a floor game. And in his high 50's and 60 point games he wasn't getting his points off flying put back dunks or something. He was making it rain with jumpers, drives and layups, etc.


This is verbatim why I think he will do it. This knock on him. Oh, and he was 29 during that stretch in 2007, and he was 30 when he won his MVP. That isn't that long ago, and as I said Bryant's game doesn't rely on athleticism anyway ... too skilled. Thats why he's still relevant, and still a top 3 player in this league after all the deep playoff runs and mileage he has put on that body.

Kobe was not 30 when he won his MVP.

Kobe was 29 years old.

2005-2006 season (27 years old)

2006-2007 (28 years old)

2007-2008/MVP year (29 years old)

2008-2009 (30 years old)

2009-2010 (31 years old)

Upcoming season/2010-2011(32 years old)

[KenneBell]

Kobe was not 30 when he won his MVP.

Doesn't make much difference.

[Heilige]

Good post, can you link me to the article btw?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slu...bedurant050110

[QUOTE]OKLAHOMA CITY

[heyhey]

I agree with the OP. The last thing to go in a great player is the heart and tenacity. As Kobe age, he will no doubt lose athleticism, which means he will be less consistent and put up worse numbers on a day to day basis. But like when Jordan came back as a wizard, Kobe will still have days where he just blows up, those dyas will just becom more infrequent. But I have no doubt Kobe will have another 60+ game in him.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Naw, bro ... not in my opinion. There has been 2 players I have studied with intensity when it comes to basketball, and that was Jordan and then Bryant.

Bryant's "athleticism" has dipped twice.

Once following his 35 ppg season in 2006. Had knee surgery in the summer, had months of in activity and came into the 2007 season a little over weight and had to play his way back into shape. If you truly noticed, the year prior Bryant got MUCH better elevation and arc on his jumper. In 2007 he could still lite it up, but his jumper was much more flat and like a line drive.

I agree that Kobe was more athletic in '06 than '07. He actually lost weight entering the 2005-2006 season as well. He had first bulked up prior to the 2002-2003 season and that seemed like his athletic peak to me.

Then in the summer of 2007 after losing to Phoenix he dropped a lot of weight in order to be the primary on ball defender for Team USA. In the 2008 season, his MVP year his "athleticism" actually increased with the weight loss and he was moving and jumping like he was in 2006 and any season previous to that.

Yeah, this is one of my favorite dunks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMptipbXh7I

He also seemed quicker that year and I thought he had his best defensive season in years. Actually, if I was picking his best overall season, it'd be '06 or '08. In terms of game management, setting up his teammates and making guys like Vujacic, Farmar, Radmanovic look good early and it seems like he'd just flip a switch and take over late. He was setting up his teammates and leading the team to a much better record than they should have had in '07 as well before injuries wrecked what little depth that team had.

2009 was the first legit year his "athleticism" noticeably and permanently dropped off some. He wasn't doing 360's in 2009, and he wasn't doing 360's in 2010. He was no more athletic in 2009 then he was last year.

He definitely wasn't as explosive as 2008, but I thought he was easily more explosive in '09 than last year. Not quite a full 360, but I don't remember him throwing down dunks like this last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-B0yawFLUE#t=1m10s

But the thing is ... you have more a point with the argument he won't need to score 60 cause of the quality of his team (he wouldn't have needed to either in 2009, really) ... but when Kobe has something to prove, you know he will go out there and do it. But the problem I have with your statement is based off the "athleticism" argument. Being athletic has little to do with his game. Since 2006, Kobe Bryant's really had more of a floor game. And in his high 50's and 60 point games he wasn't getting his points off flying put back dunks or something. He was making it rain with jumpers, drives and layups, etc.

Yeah, you have a point there. I don't know, I'm not sure dropping 50-60 points is his first priority. I think being healthy and rested for the playoffs is. I think he really wants to beat Miami first and foremost. We'll see what his mindset is when he's 100%, though.

This is verbatim why I think he will do it. This knock on him. Oh, and he was 29 during that stretch in 2007, and he was 30 when he won his MVP. That isn't that long ago, and as I said Bryant's game doesn't rely on athleticism anyway ... too skilled. Thats why he's still relevant, and still a top 3 player in this league after all the deep playoff runs and mileage he has put on that body.

Don't get me wrong, I thought he was playing some of the best offensive basketball of his career last year before the injuries. He seemed unstoppable in the post. I stated on this board that he was my pick for MVP around late January/early December.

And both of us were kind of right regarding his age during the 50 point streak. He was exactly 28 and 7 months when the streak ended.

[TennesseeFan]

I hope so. I don't think he can do it though.

[Bigsmoke]

What does Kobe have to prove? Thats such a dumb thing to say. They guy has 5 titles and is going for his second 3 peat. WTF does he have to prove? Dumb thread

to be the best ever

[LA KB24]

Interesting thread.

Right after the the LA-Utah series, I remember Charles saying something like "Kobe's days of dropping 40 points are over"
Kobe took note of it, and the first game against the Phoenix, he drops 40. And that's in the WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS.

So yeah, I don't doubt that he could drop 60 on a weak team in the regular season. It's not as impossible as some of you think.