125 replies to this topic

[Mackus]

The Bullets, okay I cheated and looked it up.  That's a good point, Seth and Weber make some good points too.  I  would still rather go to the Warriors game, but I'm not a fan of Kobe (not really an NBA fan either) so that probably has something to do with it.

 

I'd rather have gone to the Warriors game, too, ahead of time.  Most faded stars don't do anything remarkable in their final games, so unless you were a direct fan and want to watch him go out, it's nothing special.  Even something noteworthy like Jeter's walkoff single isn't gonna be widely remembered by anyone but his direct fans after a few years.  I'll always remember Cal in the on-deck circle with Brady striking out on a pitch at his eyeballs, but I'm a die-hard O's fan.

[Mike in STL]

The question should be would you rather have seen Ray Lewis play in prime of his career form for his last four games, or the Ravens win the Super Bowl?

 

Oh wait....both happened!

[SBTarheel]

I'd rather have gone to the Warriors game, too, ahead of time.  Most faded stars don't do anything remarkable in their final games, so unless you were a direct fan and want to watch him go out, it's nothing special.  Even something noteworthy like Jeter's walkoff single isn't gonna be widely remembered by anyone but his direct fans after a few years.  I'll always remember Cal in the on-deck circle with Brady striking out on a pitch at his eyeballs, but I'm a die-hard O's fan.

Freaking Ugueth Urbina

[B00E00N00]

What a sublime ending to a Legend's career.  Kobe is a top 10 player of all time and a true legend!

[BSLMikeLowe]

Slate: The Lakers legend’s 60-point finale was the perfect single-game representation of his amazing, infuriating career.

 

*Wet blanket alert*

[Mike in STL]

Slate: The Lakers legend’s 60-point finale was the perfect single-game representation of his amazing, infuriating career.
 
*Wet blanket alert*

I stopped reading after the first paragraph. "Maybe not one of the five best Lakers ever."

I don't even watch the NBA and know that's a load of crap.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Well to be fair you could make a plausible argument about West Kareem Magic and Shaq being better.

Baylor you probably can't.

[Mackus]

Would the all-time team of the rest of the NBA beat the all-time team of the Lakers & Celtics?

[Mike in STL]

Well to be fair you could make a plausible argument about West Kareem Magic and Shaq being better.

Baylor you probably can't.

I don't know how to compare players at different positions. Shaq was good at dunking and I guess an imposing defender until he really got slow late in his career. Kobe, and other guys in his position did a lot more. Ball handling, free throw shooting, three point shooting. 

 

Magic probably gets the Tim Duncan treatment when it comes to position. He might be the greatest point guard. But not a traditional one. Like Duncan at "PF" I guess. Magic wasn't great at defense from what I recall when I used to watch the NBA. 

 

I think the "Mt. Rushmore" term is way overused, but If you have a Lakers one, Kobe better be on it. He played 20 years there has the stats and hardware to make him one of the games best ever. Along with West, Kareem, Magic.

 

Shaq has to be the odd man out as far as great Lakers go. Great player sure. But among the great Lakers? It's like calling Kevin Garnett one of the best Celtics of all time. Great player, but among all the Celtics?

[Pedro Cerrano]

I don't know how to compare players at different positions. Shaq was good at dunking and I guess an imposing defender until he really got slow late in his career. Kobe, and other guys in his position did a lot more. Ball handling, free throw shooting, three point shooting. 

 

Magic probably gets the Tim Duncan treatment when it comes to position. He might be the greatest point guard. But not a traditional one. Like Duncan at "PF" I guess. Magic wasn't great at defense from what I recall when I used to watch the NBA. 

 

I think the "Mt. Rushmore" term is way overused, but If you have a Lakers one, Kobe better be on it. He played 20 years there has the stats and hardware to make him one of the games best ever. Along with West, Kareem, Magic.

 

Shaq has to be the odd man out as far as great Lakers go. Great player sure. But among the great Lakers? It's like calling Kevin Garnett one of the best Celtics of all time. Great player, but among all the Celtics?

 

I think Kobe is the second greatest Laker ever, but a lot of that is because he won 5 titles and played his entire career there.

 

As for the bolded, those statements are just wrong.  Shaq was so much more than just a "good dunker" and the difference is that Magic is considered a PG because he actually played PG, despite his size.  Duncan is called a PF but for most of his career (especially after Robinson retired) he played center, but was still somehow called a PF.  Makes little sense.

[Mike in STL]

Would the all-time team of the rest of the NBA beat the all-time team of the Lakers & Celtics?

Can I have Shaq on the Heat or Magic on my "rest of the NBA team"?

 

Curry, Jordan, LeBron, Duncan (or Malone), Shaq (or Olajuwon)

 

vs.

 

Magic, Kobe, Bird, McHale, Kareem (Depth at center is crazy. Shaq, Russell, Wilt)

 

Curry and Jordan are the deciding factors. Rest of NBA wins in a close one.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Would the all-time team of the rest of the NBA beat the all-time team of the Lakers & Celtics?

 

Magic

Kobe

Bird

McHale

Wilt

 

vs.

 

Robertson

Jordan

LeBron

Malone

Hakeem

 

The NBA team wins, but it would probably be a pretty damn good game.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Can I have Shaq on the Heat or Magic on my "rest of the NBA team"?

 

Curry, Jordan, LeBron, Duncan (or Malone), Shaq (or Olajuwon)

 

vs.

 

Magic, Kobe, Bird, McHale, Kareem (Depth at center is crazy. Shaq, Russell, Wilt)

 

Curry and Jordan are the deciding factors. Rest of NBA wins in a close one.

 

Oscar Robertson over Curry.  At least right now.

 

And, for the purposes of this, Shaq can't play on the NBA team IMO because his best years were on the Lakers.

[Mike in STL]

I think Kobe is the second greatest Laker ever, but a lot of that is because he won 5 titles and played his entire career there.

 

As for the bolded, those statements are just wrong.  Shaq was so much more than just a "good dunker" and the difference is that Magic is considered a PG because he actually played PG, despite his size.  Duncan is called a PF but for most of his career (especially after Robinson retired) he played center, but was still somehow called a PF.  Makes little sense.

I know Shaq was a great player. I just mean he wasn't a shooter like other guys. 

[Mackus]

I don't watch much NBA, how deep are most team's rotations in games that matter?  9?  10?

[Mike in STL]

Oscar Robertson over Curry.  At least right now.

 

And, for the purposes of this, Shaq can't play on the NBA team IMO because his best years were on the Lakers.

It's tough to compare eras. But Curry is doing to basketball what Babe Ruth did to baseball. I'll gamble that he's no fluke and will be the #1 PG ever before too long.

[mweb08]

I don't watch much NBA, how deep are most team's rotations in games that matter?  9?  10?

 

Yeah, 9-10.

[mweb08]

Well to be fair you could make a plausible argument about West Kareem Magic and Shaq being better.

Baylor you probably can't.

 

You can make that argument for those 4. Of course when talking about greatest Laker or the Mt. Rushmore of Lakers, spending his entire 20 year career with the Lakers is key for Kobe, especially compared to Shaq and Kareem.

[Mackus]

Celkers:

Starters - Magic, Kobe, Bird, Kareem, Wilt

Bench - West, Cousy, Baylor, McHale, Garnett, Shaq, Russell, Parish

 

NBA:

Starters - Robertson, Jordan, LeBron, Duncan, Olajuwon

Bench - Curry, Thomas, Stockton, Dr. J, Barkley, Malone, Robinson, Ewing

 

 

Celkers get the big advantage at the 5 but NBA has an equally big advantage at the 4 I think.  Rest seems pretty even. 

 

Someone bust out an NBA Jam mod and lets find out!

[Mike in STL]

Celkers:

Starters - Magic, Kobe, Bird, Kareem, Wilt

Bench - West, Cousy, Baylor, McHale, Garnett, Shaq, Russell, Parish

 

NBA:

Starters - Robertson, Jordan, LeBron, Duncan, Olajuwon

Bench - Curry, Thomas, Stockton, Dr. J, Barkley, Malone, Robinson, Ewing

 

 

Celkers get the big advantage at the 5 but NBA has an equally big advantage at the 4 I think.  Rest seems pretty even. 

 

Someone bust out an NBA Jam mod and lets find out!

Curry would be "on fire" for the entire game.