Ok so my roommate and I are currently debating this topic. Greatest of the Kobe Era by position:
pg - Kidd
sg - I have Ray Allen he chose Reggie Miller
sf - Kobe
pf - TIMMY
C - Shaq
Thoughts....
Exactly what is the Kobe era?
In any case, this is mine off the top of my head:
PG- Nash
SG- Kobe (he's an SG, not an SF)
SF- LeBron (even I have to give it to him)
PF- KG
C- Shaq
For me the Kobe era would start from let's say 2000 when they won that first title until now?
How can you honestly put KG ahead of Timmy? If we're going to put Kobe at the two, then the three for me is a tossup. I could take Paul Pierce or a few other players there.
LeBron is a much better player than Pierce. The Celtics were shit with Pierce before they got the Big 3, whereas LeBron put the Cavs on his back. Pierce is a better closer than LeBron but LeBron is a much better player overall.
KG and Duncan have similar career numbers, so it's not a run away like you're making it out to be. Put Duncan on the TWolves (lol with Stephon Marbury!) and Garnett on the Spurs and I wonder how their careers turn out.
Idk. I put it more in the aspect of longevity and like you said closer instinct. Lebron is not a person that I would want with the ball in his hands with the game on the line. People forget that the celtics were in the playoffs FOR YEARS before they got the big three.
As far as the Timmy and KG thing goes, the team argument is one that is really old to me. You do actually realize that it is mostly Garnett's own fault that his team couldn't field enough players around him in Minn. right?
How can you talk about longevity when Lebron is still in his prime? I don't even like the dude, but something has to be said when he carried his team to the NBA Finals whereas Paul Pierce's Celtics were either one and done or missed the playoffs entirely. Robert Horry was probably more clutch than LeBron, but that doesn't make him a better player.
It wasn't Garnett's fault that Minny had cap problems, it was Kevin McHale's. That's like saying it was Allan Houston or Eddy Curry's fault and not Scott Leyden or Isiah Thomas who is to blame for f*cking up the Knicks. The Spurs just have a really well run organization, just gotta tip my hat off to them. Whereas the T'Wolves had a dude who signed horrible contracts and a dude that signs drafts 3 point guards in a row (including one who said he didn't want to play for the T'Wolves) and signs a fourth. Greg Popovich is a HOF coach, Garnett didn't have that benefit. And if you want to talk longevity, Garnett is a better player now than Duncan is despite being older.
Garnett definitely has to take SOME blame James. Timmy arguably could have signed just as big of a contract but didn't. As a matter of fact, he signed for LESS money than he was being offered, just so that the Spurs could remain competitive. If I'm not mistaken, Kobe did the same thing as well.
I completely see your argument with Lebron, and you are absoulutely right, but I am just being stubborn by taking Paul. I need winners on my team, and all Lebrick has done is fail time and time again.
man everyone is all on lebron with that clutch argument and it doesn't even make sense. it's basically like saying you'd rather have a good player for 46 minutes that is a great player for 2 minutes of the game, vs having a great player for 46 minutes. everyone with any sense would rather have a great player for 46 minutes, because that decreases the likelihood that you are even in the position to need that great 2 minutes at the end.
plus like it was said before, paul isn't really that much of a winner. lebron is more of a winner than paul. lebron would have a ring too if he had KG and Allen on his team.
Ok maybe Paul was a bad example, but I think you get the point. I just don't understand why people are so hyped on Lebron. I would take D-Wade before him.
I dunno, maybe it's cause I'm a Yankee fan, so I guess I'm coming from a different point of view from you since I don't see anything wrong with a talented player accepting as much money as his team can offer. To me, it's the front office's job to manage salaries. Wade and LeBron took less money too, but I wouldn't have held it against them if they wanted max even if it meant not having Bosh.
Yeah, I'd let Wade take the shot before LeBron, but DWade is a SG not a SF. I'd let Melo take the final shot before LeBron as well, but I still think LeBron is a better player overall.
i would take wade to shoot the last shot over lebron, but i wouldn't take wade over lebron in general. lebron is a better player and will have more longevity. i haven't watched a heat game all season where wade wasn't wincing and acting like he was in pain over little shit. dude is made of glass and always acting hurt. it's like watching vince carter.
lebron's over all skill set is significantly better than wade. if i was building a team around one of them it would be no contest which one i'd rather have.
wade is just more likeable to a lot of people, including myself, since i hate lebron.
lol I just looked it up to make sure, Yao and Michael Redd have played more seasons without missing a game than Wade. Obviously I'd still take Wade over either, but it's a funny stat.
But yes, Wade is 10x more likeable than LeBron. Dude missed the player introductions during the heat's loss to the cavs last night cause he was too busy shitting his pants lol
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/29/lebron-skips-player-introductions-on-return-to-cleveland/
I see you guys point now. My hate for Lebron is so crazy that I wish I could just find SOMEBODY that I would take over him.