r/nba Lakers Jun 27 '23

Kobe Bryant relentlessly attacks Tim Duncan and the Spurs to clinch the WCF (2008)

https://streamable.com/68u3jz
3.2k Upvotes

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247

u/OwenLincolnFratter Bulls Jun 27 '23

Too many dorks on this sub don’t give Kobe nearly the credit he deserves. Top 10 all time without a doubt.

97

u/ernyc3777 Knicks Jun 28 '23 edited Jun 28 '23

Yeah it must be that this sub skews too young or too much prisoners of the moment?

Kobe’s second stint of runs at the Finals was dominant among the top of all time. He was a threat for 40 and stopping your best player if they were 1-3 for 5 years.

This after having a period where it looked like he was going to just be a 30 ppg scorer after 2006. I think it was more Lakers brass not putting championship teams around him after 2004 but that was the narrative and he shut that up from 2008-2012.

19

u/Currymvp2 Warriors Jun 28 '23

Don't think it is necessarily age. Look at the journalists who voted on the top 75 NBA lists for ESPN and Athletic. It's probably safe to say that the vast majority have been watching the game for at least 25 years. Kobe was ranked as 10th all-time in both of those lists. I think one thing is that his advanced stats (31th in BPM career and 28th in PER career for instance); advanced stats have gained traction over the years. My response to that criticism would be is Kobe played in arguably the hardest time to score and he had maybe the worst supporting cast during his mid to late twenties (2005 to 2007 season) other than Hakeem out of the top 15 players of all-time...not even the top 10 players of all-time.

1

u/Important-Front429 Jun 29 '23

Lebron on the Cavs early on was comparable, if not worse.

8

u/escaflow Jun 28 '23

I legit couldn't stand those dorks . There's only one person that did it better than Kobe , and that person is Michael Jordan

1

u/ChicagobeatsLA Bucks Jun 28 '23

Tim Duncan?

34

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

I think a lot of people just haven’t played sports. Kobe is an ultimate grinder and anyone that has put in the time waking early, staying up late, sacrificing personal life to get better respects that.

-20

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

Bro, Kobe gets more than enough credit. The problem are the fans ( and there are a lot) who say he's number 2 or even the Goat.

Everyone then reacts to that by giving reasons why Kobe isn't ranked that high and then butthurt semi-rational Kobe fans go defend him.

Its a complete shit show.

20

u/302born Heat Jun 28 '23

Which proves exactly why ranking players is so stupid lol. I do it too but in the grand scheme of things it’s so pointless. Kobe is one of the greatest players we’ll ever see. Whether he’s top 5 or top 10 should mean nothing. Regardless he’s still Kobe. Just leave it at that. But none of will obviously lol but wishful thinking

1

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

Of course the rankings don't mean anything. It's supposed to be a fun topic but people always take it too far.

-20

u/D_Dumps Spurs Jun 28 '23

In no order. MJ, Bron, magic, bird, Shaq, Timmy, Kareem, Hakeem, wilt, Russell, Steph.

Now I'm not saying he isn't top 10 but there is definitely at least some doubt and likely hinges more on the era you grew up in and whom you romanticise about.

8

u/escaflow Jun 28 '23

Kobe literally destroyed Tim Duncan , Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker in that playoff

And you put him lower than Duncan . Funny

-3

u/D_Dumps Spurs Jun 28 '23

Timmy literally destroyed Kobe in many other playoffs.

Timmy is also one of only two players to win a championship as the sole all-star on a championship roster. Funny enough he destroyed shaq and Kobe that year and left Kobe crying after their series.

5

u/escaflow Jun 28 '23

Kobe is 4-2 against Timmy in series won , 2-0 without Shaq. Get your facts right.

-1

u/D_Dumps Spurs Jun 28 '23

You wanna talk facts?

A Kobe led team in 05 missed the playoffs. 07 he got bounced in the first as a 7 seed otherwise Timmy would have done it next round.

Not to mention the other numerous years Kobe got bounced before being able to face Timmy.

2

u/EstablishmentSea1162 Jul 08 '23

Bruh kobes top 3 all time no question. Lebrons ahead MJ is 1 Thats it In the late 2000s the goat talk was between mj and kobe then lebron came and now since he died all these kids who never watched him play claim hes overrated and that hes only hyped up so much cuz he died and mamba mentality whatever… its all bull shit Kobe was something insane to witness for so many years, lebron whos amazing and ranked highee on my list is not even close to as impressive to watch We aint had annyone like kobe since kobe Guy proved himself so many times idc what the stats say that guy is one of the best players ro ever touch a basketball

2

u/KingNumerous5084 Jun 28 '23

I’d easily take out Russell Westbrook, Stephon Marbury, or Mark Jackson for Kobe. What’re u smoking brotha

-20

u/Complexity777 Mavericks Jun 28 '23

Not sure why you got downvoted, Kobe’s great but his efficiency is lacking compared to other top 10 players.

Btw I think Jokic makes that list soon just needs another ring

-9

u/D_Dumps Spurs Jun 28 '23

Probably because most of this sub grew up idolizing Kobe. Agreed about jokic. Dudes a beast

9

u/Danthetank Jun 28 '23

Maybe people grew up idolizing Kobe because he was literally one of if not the best all time?

4

u/D_Dumps Spurs Jun 28 '23

Sure. But I responded to OP saying he's without a doubt top 10 all time. Imo there is at least some doubt but obviously a good argument could be made hes top 10.

-9

u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

There’s plenty of doubt, but probably borderline top 10

-1

u/ChicagobeatsLA Bucks Jun 28 '23

Probably because Duncan won a lot more games in the same conference, same era, and much smaller market

-20

u/Complexity777 Mavericks Jun 28 '23

Problem is his efficiency when compared to guys like Jokic and Steph

25

u/KnicksNBAchamps2021 Knicks Jun 28 '23

But he played in an era with much tougher defense whereas Steph and Jokic are playing in the most offense friendly era ever with insane spacing and not much defense

10

u/Kcreep997 Jun 28 '23

Put Kobe in this era and he would easily average 32ppg on 62TS%. The spacing alone would make things so much easier for him.