NBA - Sports Rumors

Wed Jun 18, 2008 7:14 am EDT

Boston fans are right, Kobe wasn't Jordan

By Joe Zedalis

Kobe Bryant

Getty Images

In his best chance at establishing his legacy as a championship player without Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant was seemingly burdened by something even heavier. He made just seven of 22 mostly wild shots. He had just one assist. He had four turnovers.

The league MVP was AWFUL, unable to break through even the most basic of one-on-one Celtic defenses, unable to carry a team that needed carrying wrote Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke.

In the six games of the series, he shot poorly, led inconsistently, had only one really dramatic moment, and that was on defense. And, so, in voices that seemingly shook the TD Banknorth Garden, with Bryant standing at the foul line in the third quarter, here came those chants.

"You're . . . not . . . Jordan!" the fans sang, referring to Michael Jordan.

No, clearly, at this point he is not.

When Bryant began the fourth quarter on the bench with his team trailing by 29 points, they chanted again.

"Where . . . is . . . Kobe?" they sang even louder.

Today even the most diehard Bryant fans must be asking themselves the same thing, in wondering how far he can lead a team by himself.

Source: Los Angeles TimesNew Window

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322 Comments

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  1. Bruce Leroy
    1. Posted by Bruce Leroy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    the lakers will win it all next year....but he'll still have haters because he would win with Gasol and Bynum-and not by himself.
  2. suhailsaadomer
    2. Posted by suhailsaadomer Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:47 pm EDT

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    haha it takes lakers fans this long to figure out that it takes a whole team to win even mj cant do it by him self he had pippen
  3. Dayuhan
    3. Posted by Dayuhan Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    Kobe certainly ain't Jordan, Kobe need not to be like Jordan, They are different in many ways! Celtics is just too good! Better luck next season Lakers!
  4. JT
    4. Posted by JT Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:57 pm EDT

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    Um duuuhhhh,,, mj would never and i mean never play like that....fakers will cry that there bench is crapy and kobe has nobody.......funny who you guys were favored because of your bench and you supporting cast what a joke. next year next year dont talk about next year,,,,bynum is a bum,,,thats a one and done type knee injury, and gasoft proved what he is all about perk man handled bynum in the reg season,,,boston has many guys wating to shine at any given second. celts will win back to back to back tittles #19...
  5. b t
    5. Posted by b t Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    Hey #1: Next year is 364 days from now: Kobe still won't win because he's a self-centered egotist that only cares about his MVP and money. He's not a team player and I don't think anyone else wants him because of these factors. It takes a TEAM ATTITUDE to win championships, and that's the reason why teams with 'less talent' like the Red Sox, Patriots, and now the Celtics will always be winners. so instead of looking for excuses and thinking about next year, think about this: BOSTON IS THE CITY OF CHAMPIONS AND NEW ENGLAND HAS THE BEST TEAM SPORTS IN THE WORLD.
  6. vadimchevtruck
    6. Posted by vadimchevtruck Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:30 pm EDT

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    Right there it just proves tht when kobe isnt a ball hog, they lose. Lakers arent good enough beacuase kobe hogs the ball so when he needs his teamates to step up, they cant cuz they dont get the ball enough during the season.
  7. vadimchevtruck
    7. Posted by vadimchevtruck Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:30 pm EDT

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    is* a ball hog
  8. BLACKMACK31
    8. Posted by BLACKMACK31 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:08 pm EDT

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    Kobe is not Jordan and never will be Jordan. There will never be another JORDAN. Jordan is the best player to ever step foot on the basketball court. Even nba greats like Bill Russell say Jordan was the best to play the game..........GO CELTICS
  9. laker_fan27
    9. Posted by laker_fan27 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    yeah its obvious he's not jordan because he's kobe bryant and he always will be, he's not perfect bec. nobody is, even jordan needed pippen to win his championships he couldn't have done it w/o him..
    kobe, just like everybody else cant win a championship by himself bec. this is a team game his teammates need to play well too..even the big 3 needed each other just to win a championship, so kobe haters dont make sense when they say kobe cant win by himself coz' in this league nobody can..
    and stop comparing him to jordan because everybody wants him to be kobe..
  10. WST
    10. Posted by WST Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm EDT

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    I hear Shaq laughing !!!
  11. blowme
    11. Posted by blowme Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    kobes lost almost as many finals as hes won..kobe is a great player, too bad he's such a crappy team mate.
  12. erici
    12. Posted by erici Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:03 pm EDT

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    lakers_fan27 : Kobe shot 7-22 that is about 32.5 % thats not good and thats not because of his teammates, he finished the last 3 quarters 3-18, so all you LA fans it wasn't because Kobe was alone because he had Gasol, Odom, Fisher, Radmanovich, vujacic, farmar, turiaf..this is the same team when the season started you "LA FANS" said would sweep Boston or win all 3 in LA, Boston is the same team you "LA FANS" called over rated and untalented, don'tmake excuses now, the Lakers were never in this series period it was a blow out..BOSTON BABY 0 to 17 we MADE IT
  13. hcdouglass
    13. Posted by hcdouglass Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    The most diehard Kobe fans will claim he is younger than Jordan. It's like a group of alcoholics that can quit anytime they want.
  14. rexranslot2001
    14. Posted by rexranslot2001 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:37 pm EDT

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    man way to be supportive la times. i am a die hard celtic fan but come on, you are the biggest newspaper in la and now you are bashing your superstar like that right after he gave it all to the franchise. i hate kobe and i hate the lakers, but this is just plain stupid.
  15. Anton
    15. Posted by Anton Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:48 pm EDT

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    #16 - I agree somewhat. I thought he took too many shots. He couldn't get into the paint at all. Plus, his Lakers were just pitiful in Boston where his leadership was really needed. He may be great, but his leadership is questionable.
  16. hcdouglass
    16. Posted by hcdouglass Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    The Lakers should have traded away Kobe and kept Shaq. They would have been far more successful.
  17. park
    17. Posted by park Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

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    Celtics in 6 like i said game 6 for # 17 on 6/17 in the area code 617 baby!!!
  18. mcol
    18. Posted by mcol Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm EDT

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    jordan also shouted his team mate.remember luke longley?
  19. heat4ever
    19. Posted by heat4ever Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    better luck next time, lakers....celtics just wanted this one more....there was no tomorrow for them....KG finally has his trophy....awesome....awesome....awesome....
  20. hcdouglass
    20. Posted by hcdouglass Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    Maybe LA can trade Gasol for Shaq.
  21. SHAWN G (LA WHERE CHAMPIONSHIPS HAPPEN)
    21. Posted by SHAWN G (LA WHERE CHAMPIONSHIPS HAPPEN) Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:18 pm EDT

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    LAKER NATION ON THE RISE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we were a good team ,we just ran into a better team ....man my hats off to the celtics last nite ,they played lites out and served us.......oh well LAKERS will be right back in the race !!!!!!!! thanks kobe fisher odom gasol sasha farmar turriff walton radman and the rest of the lakers for a helluva year !!!!!!!!!!! im glad kg was able to get his first ring ,even though i wish it wasent against us !!!!!!!!!!!!! shawn g stays lakered up posted on Wednesday, Jun 18, 2008 8:25 am EDT
    here i am celtic fans hit me with your best shot !!!!!!!!
    come on nfl ,all i can say to the quarter backs this year is beware of dware ,
    DALLAS COWBOYS ON THE RISE !!!!!!!!!!!!
  22. latrecewilson@sbcglobal.net
    22. Posted by latrecewilson@sbcglobal.net Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:57 pm EDT

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    kobe is coming to the bulls LA GET SAME D
  23. SHAWN G (LA WHERE CHAMPIONSHIPS HAPPEN)
    23. Posted by SHAWN G (LA WHERE CHAMPIONSHIPS HAPPEN) Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:18 pm EDT

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    Celtic fans have no sense of loyalty ,when your guy's team was down and out you wore paper bags over your head ,now that there winning you guys are the biggest sh1t talkers .....last year when your team was at there lowest you were chanting mvp to kobe ,now that your team is good again your chanting your not jordan ha ha ha ...i guess to be considered a celtic fan is easy just bandwagon who ever is winning ....no disrespect to any true real celtic fan that kept it real over the years ,you guys no who you are ......
  24. bluvision7
    24. Posted by bluvision7 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    #25, that is uncalled for....You won...leave that alone...Where is your humanity? Kobe still has some things to figure out, but until he goes off the deep end leave him be!!! As 2Pac said, only God can judge him....
  25. bluvision7
    25. Posted by bluvision7 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    Yeah, well skill-wise he's the closest I've seen to MJ when I watch him play...But MJ had WAY BETTER help than KB24 has....John Paxson, Levingston, Hodges, Scott Williams, Kerr, Bucheler, Grant, Rodman, Kukoc, Harper, BJ, Luc, Bill W., Bill Cartwright, etc., etc....Not to mention Scottie "the ideal NBA body" Pippen (a future hall of famer himself).
    Kobe has 3 rings, but he had Shaq (or rather Shaq had him b/c O'neal was the dominant force). Kobe will still walk away as one of the best ever to play...But he'll need at least two more (probably 3) 'chips to be considered as the greatest (MJ has 6).

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