Kobe chokes again and nobody says a thing?

[Ez Money 77]

Yeah Kobe had a bad fourth quarter but come on the guy can't do it 100% of the time. Not only that but a lot of the problem is in the fourth quarter the rest of the team just stands around. They need to be running around and setting screens. They just stand around a let Kobe do his thing. I don't give a shit if he doesn't pass it one time they need to try to at least cause some mismatches and maybe try to get open. Kobe will pass if they are knocking down open shots. I swear so many times the just stand around and watch. GET OPEN do some back door screens, tire out the defenders.

[ArMaNiBoYnYc]

lol i think he was about to cry the last quarter

[Rich Boy]

I love how people use the "how many rings does X player have" argument.

So what if Kobe has 5 rings. He won those rings on absolutely stacked teams. He hasn't done shit in recent years except for getting SWEPT by the Mavs last year, and now getting embarrassed by the Thunder.

[ChalkyDog]

Reason number 1,2,3 and 4 why nobody is sayin' a goddamn thing. Guy is past his prime, he can only do so much, and he didn't leave the Lakers and team up with 2 other of the top players in the league. Have to respect that, if nothing else.

[lakerboy]

I love how people use the "how many rings does X player have" argument.

So what if Kobe has 5 rings. He won those rings on absolutely stacked teams. He hasn't done shit in recent years except for getting SWEPT by the Mavs last year, and now getting embarrassed by the Thunder.

whats recent years? he has won 2 of the last 4 rings and been in the 3 of the last 5 finals. so what he lost to the nba champs last year.

[BigDofBA]

When you have 5 rings and and a gold medal, you get a few mulligans.

Likewise, I don't want to here that Kobe's teams were stacked. I'm pretty sure Lebron went to a stacked team and didn't win last year.

The Laker team two years ago wasn't stacked either.

Kobe was the man on a championship team. Lebron is the second option on a team that can't even win a title.

[jsmithj88]

Yeah Kobe had a bad fourth quarter but come on the guy can't do it 100% of the time. Not only that but a lot of the problem is in the fourth quarter the rest of the team just stands around. They need to be running around and setting screens. They just stand around a let Kobe do his thing. I don't give a shit if he doesn't pass it one time they need to try to at least cause some mismatches and maybe try to get open. Kobe will pass if they are knocking down open shots. I swear so many times the just stand around and watch. GET OPEN do some back door screens, tire out the defenders.

kobe has had more than 1 bad 4th quarter in the playoffs, dunno how u missed that so soon
kobe is gonna jack up a shot no matter if 4 people are guarding him
u dont screen for kobe because he wants an ISO for his 1on1 battles
screening will bring the double team rite in his face and he will jack up a shot anyway

his teammates are not the problem
kobe is gonna do wat kobe has down his entire career down the stretch
hes gonna GUN, win or lose

[Rich Boy]

All I am saying is that Kobe should be criticized when he screws up just like other players are. He shouldn't be exempt because of what he has done in the past.

Just take a look at all the major NBA sites. Yahoo, ESPN, NBA.com

They all show Durant with a game winning shot, nothing about Kobe

If this was the Heat/Indiana series and the Pacers won the game with the Heat leading it wouldnt matter if one Pacers player had a fkn quadruple double with 60 points, all you would see is Lebrons face plastered all over the fkn place.

[ChalkyDog]

Problem here is simple, if you don't have Kobe, i.e. the best player in the building, taking the shots in the 4th with the game on the line - you are failing. Look at what happened when Blake took it and missed - literal death threats.

And therein lies the problem with LeBron, I can't remember the last time he tried taking a shot in the ending moments of a meaningful game, since Orlando 3 or 4 years ago. LeBron defers to a fault, because he doesn't want it. Kobe takes to a fault, because nobody else has proven they can.

[ZetaPsi808]

another prime example
wat does kobe choking down the stretch again have to do with lebron?
was it lakers vs heat tonite?
mayb it was lebron out there with a #24 jersey??

OP was comparing kobe and lebron.

some more random thoughts:

im just saying that lebron thought it would be so easy to win a ring when he signed with miami.

it was a dumb and shortsighted decision.

wade will never be the same player he was when he won his ring b/c he is old now so that is not wade's fault

also lebron never had a good GM to draft good role players around him so he will always lose with these scrubs like haslem, mike miller, joel anthony

[ZetaPsi808]

I love how people use the "how many rings does X player have" argument.

So what if Kobe has 5 rings. He won those rings on absolutely stacked teams. He hasn't done shit in recent years except for getting SWEPT by the Mavs last year, and now getting embarrassed by the Thunder.

when you are the best player on a championship team you deserve a lot of credit.

how many times has kobe been finals mvp?

[ChalkyDog]

All I am saying is that Kobe should be criticized when he screws up just like other players are. He shouldn't be exempt because of what he has done in the past.

Just take a look at all the major NBA sites. Yahoo, ESPN, NBA.com

They all show Durant with a game winning shot, nothing about Kobe

If this was the Heat/Indiana series and the Pacers won the game with the Heat leading it wouldnt matter if one Pacers player had a fkn quadruple double with 60 points, all you would see is Lebrons face plastered all over the fkn place.

LeBron put himself in that position. It's his own damn fault. LeBron wasn't hated on the level he is now, he did it to himself. Old saying about making your own bed - it applies well.

[jsmithj88]

Problem here is simple, if you don't have Kobe, i.e. the best player in the building, taking the shots in the 4th with the game on the line - you are failing. Look at what happened when Blake took it and missed - literal death threats.

And therein lies the problem with LeBron, I can't remember the last time he tried taking a shot in the ending moments of a meaningful game, since Orlando 3 or 4 years ago. LeBron defers to a fault, because he doesn't want it. Kobe takes to a fault, because nobody else has proven they can.

those arent excuses, poor excuses.
so kobe is doing every1 on the lakers a favor by taking all the shots?? hahaha
come on man, kobe is gunning because thats WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.
he wants the ball, he loves the pressure, etc etc, thats wat kobe has said

so if ur gonna take all the shots at the end and u FCUK up, then u deserve to be critisized
thats all im saying.

again, y are people talking about lebron?
wat does lebron have to do with kobes problems in the 4th quarter?
shudnt we be talking about durant skooling kobe?

[mh217]

hard to win without a good point guard..sessions is trash..blake is trash...kobe plays great all game but he expends so much energy keeping em in the game its just really hard to close..age and fatigue kick in....having to deal with the youth of the thunder all night..durant..westbrook..ibaka..harden. .all in their early 20's...its just sad when you got bad pieces around you, look at the other night..blake wide open..clank....even jordan had kerr late in his career..but blake and sessions..trash..headcase wanna be hero artest..trash...gasol..pussy..bynum...to o streaky...sucks for kobe.

[ChalkyDog]

those arent excuses, poor excuses.
so kobe is doing every1 on the lakers a favor by taking all the shots?? hahaha
come on man, kobe is gunning because thats WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.
he wants the ball, he loves the pressure, etc etc, thats wat kobe has said

so if ur gonna take all the shots at the end and u FCUK up, then u deserve to be critisized
thats all im saying.

again, y are people talking about lebron?
wat does lebron have to do with kobes problems in the 4th quarter?
shudnt we be talking about durant skooling kobe?

Excuses or truth? Who else on that team is 1) better to take that shot 2) willing to take that shot?

How many times have you seen LeBron pass up the last shot in a meaningful game. He deferred to Wade against the Knicks. Indiana game 2 was Chalmers. Game 3 wasn't a game.

LeBron is being mentioned, due to the implication by the OP.

[NardVa]

Kobe played a good game. He went cold in the 4th. He started 10-18 in quarters 1-3 and in the 4th he was 2-10.

[jsmithj88]

Excuses or truth? Who else on that team is 1) better to take that shot 2) willing to take that shot?

How many times have you seen LeBron pass up the last shot in a meaningful game. He deferred to Wade against the Knicks. Indiana game 2 was Chalmers. Game 3 wasn't a game.

LeBron is being mentioned, due to the implication by the OP.

u made an excuse for kobe taking the shots. blake gets death threats so kobe shud take the shots ...........
kobe is the obvious guy to take the last shot, there is no real argument against it
lakers have the best front court in the nba, so its not as if there are no options
kobe wants to be the hero so hes gonna take all the shots regardless of any1 else
but if ur gonna jack up ridiculous shot after ridiculous shot then u deserve to be criticized

lebron is not a good shooter and he chokes on late FT's, of course it makes sense to pass it to wade
lebron is not a closer, we all know that by now
y people need to compare the too in that role is beyond me

[nux4thecup]

OKC young guns are too much for LAL to handle.

[Fl6j66]

[The Kraken]

Gasol and Bynum don't care, they both got their rings and they're not trying to catch Jordan. Had Kobe gone to Bynum more however, the series is tied. When Bynum shoots, one of three things happen 1.) he makes it, 2.) He misses it and get his own board or 3.) he misses it and Gasol tips it in. They quit going to Bynum and lost. This loss is on Kobe.

[chico2663]

if you put lebron on the lakers; it's questionable they are in the 2nd round. Lebum made his bed by 1,2,3...7,8 rings. H should of stayed in cleveland and asked bosh to join him. That team was closer to a ring than this heat team will ever be!

[eidolon]

Kobe Bryant

1/8 in 4th quarter and chokes on the game tying 3

Nobody will even mention this, it will be a "team loss". Sickening.

He doesn't have big shot rob or derek fisher to make the huge shots to get him his legendary wins

[rsnnh12]

Reason number 1,2,3 and 4 why nobody is sayin' a goddamn thing. Guy is past his prime, he can only do so much, and he didn't leave the Lakers and team up with 2 other of the top players in the league. Have to respect that, if nothing else.

Certainly not for a lack of effort... does nobody remember Kobe demanding a trade?


Oh, and

[Big Bear]

I will say something. Guy should have agreed to play for the Charlotte Hornets where he was drafted instead of insisting on playing in LA

[GoBlue77]

Kobe Bryant

1/8 in 4th quarter and chokes on the game tying 3

Nobody will even mention this, it will be a "team loss". Sickening.

would not call kobe a choker, EVER!

kobe has more clutch moments than anyone in the league. he doesnt shriek in the final moments like lebron.
but you cant close EVERY time, MJ had his share of failures as well...

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - MJ

[jjgold]

Lebron on Lakers??

How about 5 titles easy with Bynum and Gasol

[dlunc3]

kobe has choked numerous times in his career.... 2004 finals vs pistons.. 2007 (i believe) vs phx...

this is nothing new

put lebron on those la teams he has 7+ rings... put kobe on those clev teams he has 0 rings

[darkhat]

Lebron destroyed any possible legacy he ever had. The super team Miami debacle will always haunt him.

[k13]

Jordan is not Clutch.
Kobe is not Clutch.
Lebron is not Clutch.


No better chance of them making a game-winning shot than some scrub who they pass the ball off too.....

[pepero428]

All I am saying is that Kobe should be criticized when he screws up just like other players are. He shouldn't be exempt because of what he has done in the past.

Just take a look at all the major NBA sites. Yahoo, ESPN, NBA.com

They all show Durant with a game winning shot, nothing about Kobe

If this was the Heat/Indiana series and the Pacers won the game with the Heat leading it wouldnt matter if one Pacers player had a fkn quadruple double with 60 points, all you would see is Lebrons face plastered all over the fkn place.

lebron said he would get 7 rings with wade and bosh, left cleveland with the "decision", leaves game tying shots or game winning situations mainly to his teammates when wade acknowledges he is robin, lebron suppose to be batman

player who tries > player who is scared (lebron) of messing his nice stats or criticism

also it doesnt look like kobe cares what you think Rich Boy

“I don’t give a [expletive] what you say,” Bryant told Yahoo! Sports late Friday. “If I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, 'Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations.' Well, [expletive] you.
“Because I don’t play for your [expletive] approval. I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. That’s what I play for. Most of the time, when guys feel the pressure, they’re worried about what people might say about them. I don’t have that fear, and it enables me to forget bad plays and to take shots and play my game."

[dlunc3]

lebron said he would get 7 rings with wade and bosh, left cleveland with the "decision", leaves game tying shots or game winning situations mainly to his teammates when wade acknowledges he is robin, lebron suppose to be batman

player who tries > player who is scared (lebron) of messing his nice stats or criticism
also it doesnt look like kobe cares what you think Rich Boy

“I don’t give a [expletive] what you say,” Bryant told Yahoo! Sports late Friday. “If I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, 'Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations.' Well, [expletive] you.
“Because I don’t play for your [expletive] approval. I play for my own love and enjoyment of the game. And to win. That’s what I play for. Most of the time, when guys feel the pressure, they’re worried about what people might say about them. I don’t have that fear, and it enables me to forget bad plays and to take shots and play my game."

When kobe was the same age as lebron, didnt he completely disappear in the series vs phx? two shot attempts in the entire 2nd half of game 7? Lebron has been a great playoff player over his career, just has kobe has. Both guys have diseapered at times.. but for the most part, both have been great. Instead, people love to remember kobe for his good times, and forget about his bad ones... People love to forget all of lebrons many great moments, and only remember his basically 2 bad series he has had... What about these following games... do you call them "scared"?
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Or what about his dominant performances vs chic and boston just last yr??

Kobe was terrible in the 2004 finals vs det and disappeared that series vs phx... it happens to everyone</label>

[dlunc3]

wtf happened to the format in that last message?

[manny24]

gasol choked this time...the rapist does not deserve all of the blame here but let's just say mj would have found a way to win that game even with the stiffs the lakers had on the court and leave it at that.

[dlunc3]

gasol choked this time...the rapist does not deserve all of the blame here but let's just say mj would have found a way to win that game even with the stiffs the lakers had on the court and leave it at that.

kobe and mike brown deserve the blame... kobe went 2-10 in the 4th... bynum/gasol took 2 shots total in the 4th

[iQon]

Certainly not for a lack of effort... does nobody remember Kobe demanding a trade?


Oh, and

Your point? Hakeem demanded a trade, shall we strip the 2 championships from his legacy?

Oh, and let's not forget this guy!