The Official Lakers Vs. Magic Thread

Surprising. Kobe is not the "best closer in the game" like he's made out to be. However, he's usually solid on the free throw line. I was surprised by how many he missed..unlike him. Kind of reminded me of Billups during the denver-la series.. a 90 percent free throw shooter who missed a lot of free throws in that series.

Um, do we really have to revisit Billups' performance in his last series???

:D:D:D:D:D
 
Surprising. Kobe is not the "best closer in the game" like he's made out to be. However, he's usually solid on the free throw line. I was surprised by how many he missed..unlike him. Kind of reminded me of Billups during the denver-la series.. a 90 percent free throw shooter who missed a lot of free throws in that series.
I couldn't believe that shit... He's not Reggie Miller-- my definition of money from the free throw line-- but he's one of the most consistant...
 
Re: Magic Thread

ok cranrab kobe scored 81.

- wilt scored 100

and?

is there something significant about falling short of a scoring milestone by 19 points?

ok, then. david robinson scored 71 with fewer shot attempts and a higher FG%. so where do you want to go with this?
 
Re: Magic Thread

and?

is there something significant about falling short of a scoring milestone by 19 points?

ok, then. david robinson scored 71 with fewer shot attempts and a higher FG%. so where do you want to go with this?

All those points don't mean shit if the team doesn't get the W

Point, blank, period.
​
 
Re: Magic Thread

and?

is there something significant about falling short of a scoring milestone by 19 points?

ok, then. david robinson scored 71 with fewer shot attempts and a higher FG%. so where do you want to go with this?

nobody else has got that close to wilt's number and scoring 81 is a milestone in and of itself , how many points u ever score in a game.
 
Gasol has been shooting a very high percentage during the playoffs..he definitely should be getting more shots

Yes but Gasol is getting a lot more touches during the course of the game.
He along with most of the other Lakers are more apt to pass up some shots than Kobe. That's just the way it is.
Gasol could have easily taken 15-20 shots without really forcing anything. That's not on Kobe. He is distibuting the ball.
Kobe hurt his team by forcing the issue a little too much at critical times in the game and of course the missed free throws.
If Gasol continues to have the high shooting percentage with more attempts the Lakers won't have a problem with that at all.
If Bynum can put up 12-15 points consistently, it would help the Lakers tremendously.:cool:
 
Yes but Gasol is getting a lot more touches during the course of the game.
He along with most of the other Lakers are more apt to pass up some shots than Kobe. That's just the way it is.
Gasol could have easily taken 15-20 shots without really forcing anything. That's not on Kobe. He is distibuting the ball.
Kobe hurt his team by forcing the issue a little too much at critical times in the game and of course the missed free throws.
If Gasol continues to have the high shooting percentage with more attempts the Lakers won't have a problem with that at all.
If Bynum can put up 12-15 points consistently, it would help the Lakers tremendously.:cool:


I don't mention anything about Kobe. I just said simply that Gasol should be getting more shots.

I wouldn't count on the 12-15 from Bynum though.

But Gasol is an extremely difficult player to defend because he can score with both hands, has good post up moves, and can also hit the mid range jumper.

I've yet to see anyone in the playoffs that could really "stop" him. Even on his misses, he usually get VERY high quality shots. They need to get him more shots..
 
I don't mention anything about Kobe. I just said simply that Gasol should be getting more shots.

I wouldn't count on the 12-15 from Bynum though.

But Gasol is an extremely difficult player to defend because he can score with both hands, has good post up moves, and can also hit the mid range jumper.

I've yet to see anyone in the playoffs that could really "stop" him. Even on his misses, he usually get VERY high quality shots. They need to get him more shots..

paul_pierce-arton21142-240x240.jpg


:yes:​
 
When has that team proven that it can handle adversity? Don't tell me that the Game 7 win against the Houston Rockets is your proof. :smh:

Nigga WHAT?!! How about still winning enough to get home court advantage when their Big Man (Bynum) went down in the middle of the season, who BTW was averaging around 15 pts 10 reb before the injury....How about returning to the Finals a year later after being accused of being a soft team...How about continuing to win when the bench production slid to a all season low for a long stretch in the regular season and in the playoffs this year? Like I said cuzz, you don't watch enough LAKER games to comment on the squad!
 
Surprising. Kobe is not the "best closer in the game" like he's made out to be. However, he's usually solid on the free throw line. I was surprised by how many he missed..unlike him. Kind of reminded me of Billups during the denver-la series.. a 90 percent free throw shooter who missed a lot of free throws in that series.

So Kobe has an of night down the stretch now he's not the best closer. Man get out of here. You have nights where you miss free throws its apart of the game but to say he's not the best closer is going a lil bit too far. So if he's not the best closer then who is?
 
So Kobe has an of night down the stretch now he's not the best closer. Man get out of here. You have nights where you miss free throws its apart of the game but to say he's not the best closer is going a lil bit too far. So if he's not the best closer then who is?

i think that title "best closer" is a little silly. I dont think there is a "best closer". Its a term that some sports analyst started to use that can now be heard and used every where. Just like when someone said Kobe doesnt "make his teammates better", the world took that and stuck that label on him. Now everyone says it. Not saying its not true, just have to clarify that before the brigade comes at me.
 
So Kobe has an of night down the stretch now he's not the best closer. Man get out of here. You have nights where you miss free throws its apart of the game but to say he's not the best closer is going a lil bit too far. So if he's not the best closer then who is?

He's never been the best "closer". That's always been a media "myth". Ray Allen hit more clutch shots in the Boston/Orlando series than anything else during the entire playoffs.. Kobe included.

quoted

"Important note: Kobe's reputation as a "killer" at the end of games remains overblown. The site www.82games.com just posted a study of game-winning shots from the last five-plus seasons (regular seasons and playoffs since the 2003-04 season) that revealed Kobe was shooting 14-for-56 (25 percent) with one assist and five turnovers, and made 12 of 15 free throws. So let's say that was 70 possessions total, including Sunday night. ... He only had one assist in nearly six years???"


If you want to know who statistically are the best closers.


2008-09 Crunch-Time Rating Leaders
Player--------------(Rating)-----Crunch-time stats (per 40 minutes)
1. LeBron James, CLE (+20.0) 47.0 pts, 11.1 reb, 10.6 ast, 54.0 FG pct
2. Chris Paul, NO (+11.4) 37.3 pts, 8.7 ast, 3.6 stl, 90.0 FT pct
3. Kevin Garnett, BOS (+10.6) 64.7 FG pct, 11.3 reb, 3.3 blk
4. Dwyane Wade, MIA (+10.4) 41.0 pts, 7.8 ast, 4.1 blk, 2.5 stl
5. Carmelo Anthony, DEN (+9.2) 40.3 pts, 6.9 reb, 51.7 FG pct, 56.2 3-pt FG pct

However, If I personally had the game on the line and had to choose one person in the game to take the game winning shot, I would choose Ray Allen :yes:
 
i think that title "best closer" is a little silly. I dont think there is a "best closer". Its a term that some sports analyst started to use that can now be heard and used every where. Just like when someone said Kobe doesnt "make his teammates better", the world took that and stuck that label on him. Now everyone says it. Not saying its not true, just have to clarify that before the brigade comes at me.

It's a silly title and yep... people run with it without even defining what it means in the first place (criteria, etc).

However, I think the most clutch late game shooter is Ray Allen...just my personal opinion though.
 
It's a silly title and yep... people run with it without even defining what it means in the first place (criteria, etc).

However, I think the most clutch late game shooter is Ray Allen...just my personal opinion though.

i'd go with ray, hedo and rashad are some clutch shooters too.
 
i'd go with ray, hedo and rashad are some clutch shooters too.

I think at the end of the game, if the Lakers want to go with Kobe with the last shot, they should maybe feed him in the post? His last three attempts from the top of the key at the end of the game (this series and denver) has resulted in 2 turnovers and 1 blocked shot.

However, I think the real problem is that he always looks to shoot the last shot... so teams are sending multiple players at him and he's still attempting to force it instead of hitting the open man. Phil Jackson really got on Jordan about that and I think he really became even harder to defend at the end when he begin to give the ball up to the wide open shooter (how many games did Kerr and Paxton end with go head jumpers?). and then.. that is why he would be matched up one on one with Russell, etc.. because defenders knew if they left their man...Jordan would feed it without hesitation (towards the end of his career).

The defense is not being honest because they aren't worrying about Kobe passing the rock... If he does that once or twice.. the defense would really be at his mercy and he would get better looks at the end of the game..
 
i think that title "best closer" is a little silly. I dont think there is a "best closer". Its a term that some sports analyst started to use that can now be heard and used every where. Just like when someone said Kobe doesnt "make his teammates better", the world took that and stuck that label on him. Now everyone says it. Not saying its not true, just have to clarify that before the brigade comes at me.
I've been thinking this... The "best closer" label has really been a roundabout way of saying that LeBron is a better player overall but hasn't proven himself in the biggest situations.
 
I've been thinking this... The "best closer" label has really been a roundabout way of saying that LeBron is a better player overall but hasn't proven himself in the biggest situations.

That doesn't make any sense because the media has already hailed Kobe as 'the best closer'. I think a VERY small portion of the public has given that to Lebron although he has more game winning shots or shots to the tie the game over the last several years than anyone.. including Kobe.

Or are you saying that instead of calling Kobe the "best player" the media is instead of calling him the "best closer"? I may not have understood your reply the first time reading it.. but I think the second one is what you were alluding to...
 
That doesn't make any sense because the media has already hailed Kobe as 'the best closer'. I think a VERY small portion of the public has given that to Lebron although he has more game winning shots or shots to the tie the game over the last several years than anyone.. including Kobe.

Or are you saying that instead of calling Kobe the "best player" the media is instead of calling him the "best closer"? I may not have understood your reply the first time reading it.. but I think the second one is what you were alluding to...

Basically they are saying that Lebron is a better player but Kobe is the better at closing out games...I personally think this is some shit the media created in order not to piss Kobe off by saying Lebron is better than him..."best closer" wtf :hmm: that is just some created media bullshit
 
Basically they are saying that Lebron is a better player but Kobe is the better at closing out games...I personally think this is some shit the media created in order not to piss Kobe off by saying Lebron is better than him..."best closer" wtf :hmm: that is just some created media bullshit

It's like they have a script to read...because it's mentioned several times per game by the commentators...like they all have to say it 4-5 times a game...
 
I've been thinking this... The "best closer" label has really been a roundabout way of saying that LeBron is a better player overall but hasn't proven himself in the biggest situations.

That doesn't make any sense because the media has already hailed Kobe as 'the best closer'. I think a VERY small portion of the public has given that to Lebron although he has more game winning shots or shots to the tie the game over the last several years than anyone.. including Kobe.

Or are you saying that instead of calling Kobe the "best player" the media is instead of calling him the "best closer"? I may not have understood your reply the first time reading it.. but I think the second one is what you were alluding to...

Yeah, it's the second one-- the "best closer" label as applied to Kobe.

What I meant is that Kobe is referred to as the best closer because he has more rings and more experience but the accolade of "best player" no longer applies (in the view of the people saying this). It's a euphemistic way of acknowledging his record and history and still praising him but it subtly implies that he's not the #1 guy you want for the first 47 minutes of the game.
 
Magic Thread

It's like they have a script to read...because it's mentioned several times per game by the commentators...like they all have to say it 4-5 times a game...

most of these catch phrases are (innocent) concoctions of the media. the problem is the mindless lemmings who regurgitate it (here and) everywhere.

the genesis of tobe's bullshit "killer instinct"? picked up immediately after the nationally televised game between the cavaliers and fakers.

the genesis of "best closer"? i'm pretty surprised nobody here picked up on that one. came from the tongue-in-cheek comment made during TNT's heavy-duty on-air campaign for kyra sedgwick's television show.

the least knowledgeable people in the room are typically the ones who repeat the buzzwords to feign insight.
 
Last edited:
Re: Magic Thread

so this whole thread turns to kobe bashing but once they win none of u will be around :rolleyes:

I'll be here. I fully expect the Lakers to win this series.

I don't think this is Kobe bashing.. even Lakers fans and kobe fans like Tim Rock were agreeing with the misconstrued and false "best closer" talk. It's not bashing... it's just pointing out why it's really not true.
 
The defense is not being honest because they aren't worrying about Kobe passing the rock... If he does that once or twice.. the defense would really be at his mercy and he would get better looks at the end of the game..

I thought that he would phase out of that mentality when in the Denver series when he passed the ball when the defense closed out on him and Fish hit those 3s...but Game 2 of the Finals, he had the chance to pass the ball off to Odom but took it himself...

Everyone knows he has the ability to make Orlando pay when Lee is on him...It is just up to him to exploit that mismatch.
 
Back
Top