NBA Finals Prediction

[AndrewOsborn]

I don't watch NBA, don't care for basketball much really.

[koolzach1]

Anyways, yes, Kobe is an assassin. It's very hard to stop him at the end of games, and really, the Celtics couldn't stop him at the end of the game. He was shooting his jumpers, driving to the lane - ****, Kobe got most of his points at the end of the game in crunch time, so no, you cannot disprove what I said about Kobe being an assassin at the end of games; he just needs teammates to help out, and when I mean teammates, I don't mean Pau Gasoft, Derek Fisher, 10:30, and Lamar (I am scared to shoot) Odom.

[Swampdog]

Bryant shot 6-19. Every other starter, and a couple of bench players had a better shooting percentage than he did. His points come on layups and dunks. While he has undeniable talent, you, like many others, way, way overrate him.

[koolzach1]

Well, I don't believe he is overrated. Look at his ppg, apg, and rpg average in these playoffs... Impressive, 'eh? Now, take out last night's game and it is even more impressive.

Face it: Kobe is the next best thing to MJ.

[Swampdog]

No one with any sense would use Bryant's name in the same sentence with the other guy. You know....Jordan. See.....different sentences. You just can't do it.

[gRYFYN1]

Face it: Kobe is the next best thing to MJ.

MJ wasn't great just because he put up numbers. MJ was great for the way he could controll a game, they way he took a game over, and they way he couldn't be stopped if he didnt want to be. The way that he made the other players on his team play better to be at his level (something no one playing with kobe does)

He won 6 rings as the the best player on his team. Kobe has never won a ring as the best player on his team.

[koolzach1]

MJ was the best player on his team by default. Now, I didn't grow up watching Jordon in his prime or anything, so I am stuck watching the next best thing (face it, Kobe is).

If I am not mistaken, MJ and LeBron were in the same situation. The team they were drafted by sucked, and they turned them into playoff contenders. So, MJ was the best on his team by default. They added pieces around him if I am not mistaken. As for Kobe, he was a piece of the puzzle. It was Shaq's team during the championships, but without Kobe, they do not win a championship.

I am sure you get what I am saying.

[Clay Dreslough]

If I am not mistaken, MJ and LeBron were in the same situation.

MJ and LeBron in the same sentence!

[Swampdog]

And I JUST got done telling him that he can't do that too.

[gRYFYN1]

MJ was the best player on his team by default. Now, I didn't grow up watching Jordon in his prime or anything, so I am stuck watching the next best thing (face it, Kobe is).

If you're judging it solely by numbers then sure Kobe is close to MJ, ( granted Kobe' 24.3(44.7%) - 5.0 - 4.7 career line isnt really near MJ's 33.4(48.7)-6.4-5.7 line, even this year's performance isn't MJ-like its more Dwayne Wade-like.) In fact Kobe's best playoff performance (this year) is still short of MJ career average.

But, like i pointed out, Kobe dosn't have the attributes that made MJ the best all time player. There's a reason that Kobe has 3 rings and zero finals MVPs and MJ has an MVP for each ring.

When it comes to the effect they have on every important game they play the chasm between MJ and Kobe is enormous.

[Swampdog]

Exactly. Well said.

[koolzach1]

Listen. All I am saying is that Kobe is the next best thing. Jordon is the best of all time, but you gotta face the facts that Kobe is the closest thing to Jordon that you'll find. I am not gonna compare them, as I know that Jordon was better throughout his career. BUT, Kobe did NOT have to lead his team his first few years like Jordon did. Kobe came off of the bench, which is why the numbers are a bit skewed. Kobe still has another productive 6-7+ years, and maybe another couple of good years, so he has time to catch up.

[gRYFYN1]

Listen. All I am saying is that Kobe is the next best thing.

Thats like saying the Arena Football League is the next best pro football league. Its a totally pointless statement that doesn't represent the true gap between the two.

Perhaps the fact you never watched Jordan play explains it, but you can't express in stats just how good he really was.

[belial]

Stats are the only way to objectively measure performance that we have.

[Clay Dreslough]

Game 1: Celtics win
Game 2: Lakers win (but Celts have a good chance here)
Game 3: Lakers win
Game 4: Celtics win
Game 5: Lakers win
Game 6: Celtics win (although I think the Lakers will win if they are down 3-2)
Game 7: Celtics win

So far, I'm 4 for 5. And I did mention that Game 2 could go either way. Interesting. I said the Lakers would find a way to win Game 6 if the Celtics won Game 2. I'm not so sure at the moment. Games 3 and 5 were close, so the Celts don't need much of a home-team advantage to win in 6.