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[rondohondo]

This thread is a little unbelievable.  The only thing this season has solidified is that Kobe Bryant is one of the top 5 greatest players of all time.  I hate admitting that, but this season takes the cake for me. 

No guard has averaged 15ppg in his 17th season in the history of the NBA.  Kobe is averaging 30ppg.  47/35/84 are his percentages.  He's playing 40 min a game at his age and averaging 5 rebounds and 5 assists.  He's pretty awful at defending the young athletic guys, but he's also getting 1.5 steals a game. 

The Lakers are a poorly built team.  They have no legit 3 point threat (around 40%) outside of Steve Nash.  They have no legit athleticism outside of Howard.  They are old and thus constantly injured.  Celtics fans should be able to relate to that.  They have players in their bench that wouldn't be drafted in the second round of the d-league.  They had a couple of coaches that weren't good enough for Lebron and Carmelo, and they certainly are not able to handle Kobe and Howard. 

Kobe, by the way, despite his knees and the fact that he played and won a gold medal in the off season hasn't missed a game.

His longevity is amazing but in my opinion there are more than 4 other players who have been better than Kobe.  He's not top 5 on my list.

off the top of my head

Jordan
Magic
Bird
Olajuwon
Shaq
Duncan
Russell
Abdul-Jabar
Chamberlain
Robertson
Lebron

*Case can also be made for Stockton and Malone

I would rank Kobe somewhere between 11-15

Definitely not top 5 all-time , Not even top 10

[alajet]

Lebron James is definitely not a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant. To his credit, he's superior in terms of body strength, though.
All the others listed are probably better than him. To me, Kobe is one of the few active players that could even be mentioned in the same sentence with those, which is a feat.

I don't really get what OP wants to tell about, but if it's just about pouring in some Lakers misery, so be it

[Clench123]

Lebron is better than Kobe. 

[mctyson]

Just remember:  Jordan, arguably the best pro player ever, finished his career "leading" some pretty terrible Washington teams.

Even the greats eventually lose it.  We, as Celtics fans, have to be aware of that.

[Birdman]

I take Kobe now

[RebusRankin]

Top 5, Kobe? So who do you leave off out of Russell, Jordan, Bird, Magic and Kareem?

[soap07]

Can someone tell me how Kobe has acted like a spoiled brat this season? He is having one of the best seasons of his career - while actually having a usage rate that is lower than his two previous seasons. He's also rebounding and passing at a high rate for him. He's in his 17th season in the league and still playing like a top 5 player, including a career high FG%.

I would say, at this point, Kobe will end up being the best Laker certainly.

Just remember:  Jordan, arguably the best pro player ever, finished his career "leading" some pretty terrible Washington teams.

Even the greats eventually lose it.  We, as Celtics fans, have to be aware of that.

And at this point, Kobe has shown that he hasn't lost anything - and Kobe is in his 17th season.

Lebron James is definitely not a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant. To his credit, he's superior in terms of body strength, though.

Annnnnd this is where I get off the boat. LeBron is definitely better than Kobe and has been for a number of years.

[Fafnir]

I think calling out your team's defense and then putting forward your worst defensive season (which is saying something) is pretty bratty.

Kobe's been great on offense, but he's been brutal on the other end which is where the Lakers are really losing games.

[Fafnir]

I thought Jeff Van Gundy described Kobe's defense nowadays very well in a recent broadcast.

JVG said that Kobe is still a very effective man-to-man defender when asked to guard a main scoring threat on the opposing team but that Kobe has been lazy on team defense when guarding lesser players.

That Kobe is taking too many risks playing passing lanes trying to create turnovers. Getting himself out of position to recover back to his back to his man. That Kobe is leaving spot up shooters open too often. That his transition defense has been awful and neglectful. A lack of effort (transition defense). A lack of focus on team defense in the halfcourt.

Yeah unless he's guarding a "name" he just doesn't put in any effort. He's been doing what JVG says for a few years now, but this season its gotten even worse.

Off the ball movement just destroys him consistently. Then once he loses his man he just zones up and watches till the play is over.

[rondohondo]

Kobe's defense



Maybe he doesn't play that style of defense only against Rondo

[moiso]

Can someone tell me how Kobe has acted like a spoiled brat this season? He is having one of the best seasons of his career - while actually having a usage rate that is lower than his two previous seasons. He's also rebounding and passing at a high rate for him. He's in his 17th season in the league and still playing like a top 5 player, including a career high FG%.

I would say, at this point, Kobe will end up being the best Laker certainly.

Just remember:  Jordan, arguably the best pro player ever, finished his career "leading" some pretty terrible Washington teams.

Even the greats eventually lose it.  We, as Celtics fans, have to be aware of that.

And at this point, Kobe has shown that he hasn't lost anything - and Kobe is in his 17th season.

Lebron James is definitely not a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant. To his credit, he's superior in terms of body strength, though.

Annnnnd this is where I get off the boat. LeBron is definitely better than Kobe and has been for a number of years.

not better than west or magic.  And probably Baylor.

[Chelm]

No guard has averaged 15ppg in his 17th season in the history of the NBA.  Kobe is averaging 30ppg.  47/35/84 are his percentages.  He's playing 40 min a game at his age and averaging 5 rebounds and 5 assists.  He's pretty awful at defending the young athletic guys, but he's also getting 1.5 steals a game.

I did not know this.  Amazing.

[BballTim]

No guard has averaged 15ppg in his 17th season in the history of the NBA.  Kobe is averaging 30ppg.  47/35/84 are his percentages.  He's playing 40 min a game at his age and averaging 5 rebounds and 5 assists.  He's pretty awful at defending the young athletic guys, but he's also getting 1.5 steals a game.

I did not know this.  Amazing.

  While it's true that nobody Kobe's age has averaged 30 a game before, guards his age or older have averaged more than 15ppg 35 times.

[OsirusCeltics]

Lebron James is definitely not a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant. To his credit, he's superior in terms of body strength, though.
All the others listed are probably better than him. To me, Kobe is one of the few active players that could even be mentioned in the same sentence with those, which is a feat.

I don't really get what OP wants to tell about, but if it's just about pouring in some Lakers misery, so be it

Well to say that in a season with a such a star-studded lineup, Kobe fails to lead or pick up the slack when Dwight and Gasol are injured.   
Kobe's deficiencies come to light, to show in his career, he never had leadership qualities. And if you lack that, theres no way you can be in the top 15 all time list

He's not an elite defender, rebounder, or passer. The only elite skills is his scoring. If people are giving him passes for his scoring, then we should add George Gervin, Alex English, David Thompson, and Bob Mcadoo in the top 15 all time list

[Yogi]

I don't know how I wind up defending Kobe...

I would put Kobe's career against Magic and Bird.  He has 5 rings, and he will probably finish being either the first or second most prolific scorer in the history of the game.