Comments on: Preview & Chat: The Memphis Grizzlies

By: Brian Tung

Brian Tung — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 23:41:24 +0000

The funny part is when ESPN runs its stats on Most X by a Player Not Named Wilt.

Cary, I don’t know if Kobe is really clutch. It’s very hard to say, because he gets double and triple teams at the end of games more than probably any other player on any other team. I made this same point on Usenet: Remember that KG buzzer beater a couple of months ago that was the highlight of the night? It was an 18-footer from the left side free throw line extended.

As I recall, he was single teamed (or at most a weak double team). Does that *ever* happen to Kobe? So even though his last-minute shooting percentage is on the low end, compared to the rest of the NBA, I’m not sure you can draw a lot from that, because the defense against the Lakers is so obvious at the end of the game. He does make some remarkable shots, that’s for sure–but he takes a lot of them, too.

Another point I made on Usenet: The Lakers this season, as a whole, have been remarkably unclutch. They have squandered late leads more often than they have took them away from others. This recent game against Portland and that January (?) game against Sacramento were the only two times I can remember them making the shots late in the game, and in the Sacramento game, they gave up a lead to put themselves in that situation.

By: Cary D

Cary D — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:01:25 +0000

Heard an interesting debate about comparing Kobe to Wilt in individual ability and Michael Jordan to Bill Russell in terms of winning/team play.

Kobe, again, carries that chip on his shoulder, no matter how brilliant he plays. Unless he wins it all (guess 3 champs is not enough), it’ll never be sufficient in the media’s viewpoint unless he does one better than Jordan.

Is it me, or has Kobe been nothing but a clutch performer in his NBA career? Kobe is only 28. That is the same age that Jordan finally “became” that overall package and all-around winner.

Kobe has another 10 years in him barring major injury or assassination. Let’s view his career at that point, shall we?
This is something to watch, no matter how you look at it.

By: Exick

Exick — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:58:39 +0000

“Has anyome ever scored 50+ in four straight games?”

Do you even have to ask? Wilt. He did it two separate times. 5 straight and 7 straight.

By: dan reines

dan reines — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:46:50 +0000

19- Wilt did it 7 times and 5 times.

in general, any NBA question that starts with “Has anybody ever…” can probably be answered with “Yes. Wilt.”

One day, somebody’s going to do something that Wilt never did, and THEN things are going to get interesting. I sure hope that somebody is Kobe.

By: skigi

skigi — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:44:41 +0000

19-
Yes, Wilt the Stilt did it 7 straight games once and then 5 straight games another time.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:15:24 +0000

Has anyome ever scored 50+ in four straight games?

By: CTDeLude

CTDeLude — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 15:38:24 +0000

I’m thinking this might actually be a bit of strategy for the Lakers being imployed at the moment. Make Kobe as lethal a scoring threat as possible so that come playoff time whatever team matches up will do exactly one poster said above, quadruple team Kobe. I mean, if teams get suckered into believing one man has the possibility of beating them it will put them at a disadvantage guarding anyone else because they’ll probably consider them inferior or something.

Just a thought.

By: Mico

Mico — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 15:02:44 +0000

we needed 60 points from kobe to win by two…

the win is great, Kobe is great but something just doesn’t seem right

By: burningjoe

burningjoe — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:48:06 +0000

That 24 guy is pretty good

By: Muddywood

Muddywood — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:36:50 +0000

That really is a case of someone running into his elbow. I can see how the refs could have called a foul. But watching it on replay, Kobe already had his elbow out and Dante runs into it.

Kobe is the best roadshow the NBA has going right now. He makes it look so easy.