NBA (Kobe Bryant)?

Question

Is it just me that thinks this way. I mean, I realize he is a great player. I will never agree with any statement comparing him to MJ but he is still a great player. My problem is this big hoopla over his 5 consecutive games with 50+ points! I mean, just give the star player on any NBA team the ball most of the time in a game and I bet 60% to 70% of them do the exact same thing. 50+ points 5 times in a row is an accomplishment but he is NO MICHEAL JORDAN AND THAT I KNOW FOR SURE! Does anyone out there agree with me?

I mean when Kobe had Shaq he won and Shaq left and helped Wade win one. I think that was more Shaq the Kobe. MJ had Pippen and pippen is no where near as good as Shaq and he left and MJ left and Pippen didn't do anything after that. I truly believe MJ is the best of all times by far and I'm 42 and a Cleveland fan. Born and raised. Give it up to MJ

Answer 1

I agree with you totally. First of all scoring 50 points use to happen once maybe twice a season. Nowadays it happens left and right. Remember, Phil gave Kobe the go ahead to just use his rage and go postal on these (defensively weak) teams. I think that if MJ wanted to go on a scoring spree, he'd do something just as amazing. The fact that he's scoring 50+ and 60+ is insane. No player would ever allow that to happen in Jordan's era. You bring up a good point. Remember when Gilbert Arenas scored 60 for the Wizards against the Lakers? Personally I thought that it was more impressive than any of Kobe's game where he scored 50+. What's impressive is that he did it against Kobe, a very good defensive player. On the other hand Kobe does it to guys who couldn't play D on my Grandma. And to think that Bryant just played it off like Arenas was lucky or something. He said Arenas takes "crazy" shots. He just totally downplayed someone else's performance. That is such a sore loser's approach.

Second of all, the MJ and Kobe thing has got to stop. I think it's mostly the kids (who never got to see MJ play in his prime) who are posting these comparisons. If you want to see who's better, look at their career stats: 6 Championships, 5 MVPs, Defensive Player of the Year award, 10 time scoring champion.

What's more astonishing, had he not retired the first time, he could have easily won 8 championships and won another 2 MVP awards. Add the fact that he could have easily won the MVP for the years when Charles Barkley and Karl Malone won it, he might have even had 8 MVPs. But lets not talk about the ifs and buts.

As for Bryant being better than MJ, keep on dreaming. During this streak of 4 games of 50+ point, Bryant went out trying to score 100 points in each and every one of those games. He also did this last season when he went on a tear and scored 40+ for several games. I think that if MJ went out with the same mentality, he could have easily done something comparable. If you compare Bryant's best season when he averaged 35 ppg with MJ's when he scored 37 ppg, not only will you see that Jordan is better in just about every category. You'll also notice the major difference is that MJ also averaged nearly 3 spg and 1.5 bpg. That's Ben Wallace-like defense; pretty astonishing considering he played at such a high level on the offense end. This is reflective at each and every stage of their careers. Championship rings, MVPs, and better teammates asside, there's really no comparison.

To put things in perspective. Jordan as a guard, shot 50% for his entire career!!!!! This includes his two last years with the Wizards in which he was old and, well bad by his standards. Has Bryant done this even for one season? Please stop putting the two in the same sentence. Bryant is not even in the same league.

Answer 2

Scoring 50 in 4 straight games is no small feat. Anyone who says it came against weak teams are just trying to find any excuse to undermine Kobe's greatness. The fact that he had the stamina to score at will over those 4 games is incredible. Take into account that he was being guarded by 2-3 players and that he still managed to shoot over 50% shows just how dominating the performance was. All these people who say any other top scorer could have done the same clearly didn't even see the actual 4 games. Kobe hit so many incredible shots (like that fade-away 3-pointer against Portland while being double teamed) that only he could make. And yes, Kobe will never be Jordan, they're two different players with some similarities but different nonetheless. Kobe is better offensively, but MJ was a much better defender. Comparing the two is unfair because Jordan has already established himself as an icon, and Kobe's career is far from over. Overall though, Kobe's 4 games of 50+ and his 81 point outing last year are clear examples that Kobe is one of the NBA's finest players ever, and quite possibly the best offensive force ever. When we are privileged to see a player like that, we should learn to appreciate him more.

Answer 3

Michael Jordan was more successful. But, that being said, as an all-around talent Kobe is better. Don't get me wrong, Michael Jordan is definitely in the top three. Perhaps he's the best ever. But, Kobe can score at will even more than Jordan could, and Kobe is playing against better competition. Jordan was being D'ed up by John Starks and the like, while Kobe gets D'ed up by Bruce Bowen and bigger, stronger players. Also, in terms of overall talent on the team, Jordan had Pippen on the offensive side and Rodman on the defensive side. Kobe has no such players. Don't even try to compare Lamar Odom to Scottie Pippen. If you look at Kobe's career scoring average with disdain you are missing a big point. When Shaq was there he got the ball before Kobe. You can't hold that against Kobe. And for the arguments that he is a selfish player: who should he pass it to, Smush Parker?

Answer 4

Yes, I kind of agree with you, but Kobe Bryant has consistently this year put up great numbers and doesn't hog the ball as much as he used to. however, I still believe that Michael Jordan is better than Kobe Bryant definitely in terms of being a team player. His Chicago Bulls' team-mates put up great numbers because of MJ, but after MJ left, the team-mates that left the Chicago Bulls never reached the same level of playing back in Chicago.

Answer 5

The numbers don't lie, man. Five straight 50+; 81 in a game. I don't think it's absurd to compare him to MJ, but it's one of those things that we could debate endlessly.

Nintendo should release Jordan Vs. Kobe, and then we'll find out for sure.

I will say that scoring 50 points on five squash teams, doesn't make you this year's MVP, if that means anything. Nash/Dirk own that race.

Personally, I look forward to everyone recognizing the force that is the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk = MVP.

Answer 6

Think about it. If any other player did it, there would be an outrage. that they werent being a team player. and their team would probably struggle because there would be no chemistry.
Kobe got the green light from Phil Jackson to take over and score because the team was doing poorly. this is an exception of the rule because this team was going nowhere before he did this.

getting to the kobe-jordan comparison. if kobe had the great supporting cast jordan had, like when he was playing with shaq, the lakers would be dominating the nba.

Answer 7

i know as well as any1 else does... mj is better then kobe. anyway you look at he is. points per game. assists per game and rebounds pergame in there career, mj owns kobe. but you have to look at it this way... mj had pippen, a future HOF. who does kobe have now? if you put kobe and maybe either kevin garnette or jermaine o'neal in on the lakers(both wanna leave there teams) kobe would have more assists def. he is trying everything he can this season to find his teamates and it obviously doesnt work, thats y he went back to "ballhog" kobe because he knows they could win like that. kobe is my favorite player, but im not trying to cover his back.

Answer 8

he has elevated his game to a new level that only Jordan has reached, he makes clutch shots just like Jordan did and the only other player I can say that shoots really clutch besides Kobe is Gilbert or maybe Ray Allen, also, if you give Kobe some consistent players like Pippen was and someone who can play D like Rodman, than the Lakers would be on top of the league right now,
and you cant say he is just like any other star player because he is not.

he has a more clutch shot than LeBron,
he definitely does more than just drive the ball like Wade,
and he can also drive the ball better than players like Ray Allen

Answer 9

Why is it such a big deal that Kobe has done something only one other player has done in the history of the NBA?...oh wait nevermind, I think I just answered your question. The love I see on the internet for Jordan is strange considering half you guys were too young to understand his impact or to remember watching him play in his prime.

Answer 10

kobe is better than jordan jordan just had class and a good supporting cast, and dont say jordan could have take the championship with the team kobe has including the injuries might i remind you when he tried to make a comeback with the wizards cmon they didnt even make the PLAYOFFS!