The "Kobe was a sidekick" argument needs to stop

[Johnny Vulture]

Kobe admits to being sidekick

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/blogs/...obe-Bryant-Shaq-sidekick-video-191065851.html

/thread

 

[JYoung24]

Then whose stat line is whose? Glen Rice, Kobe, Shaq, Horry, and Harper are all represented.

222 points,100 rebounds, 14 assists, 6 steals, 16 blocks
69 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 steals, 1 block
65 points, 29 rebounds, 20 assists, 8 steals, 1 block
55 points, 31 rebounds, 17 assists, 5 steals, 6 blocks
78 points, 23 rebounds, 21 assists, 5 steals, 7 blocks


And don't bring some other series or other year into play. Kobestans claim all 5 rings, so you to defend this "ring claim" on it's own merits regardless of what happened other years.

And to answer your other stupid assertion, no, I don't consider Westbrook or any of those other guys a sidekick. Sure, some teams have a leader, and Kobe openly said that the Lakers were Shaq's team. But being the team leader doesn't relegate others to "sidekick" status. That's why the ring-counting is stupid - multiple players and the coach all contribute to a team winning a ring, so rings are never an individual accomplishment, just a part of each player's legacy. I point out that falsehood by pointing out the hypocrisy in Kobestans attributing titles to Kobe that were clearly a team accomplishment, usually with Kobe not being the #1 factor, yet those same Kobestans fail to attribute titles to significant contributors on other teams.

Kobe wasnt a superstar yet in 2000 I said that but he still wasn't a role player

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

Kobe wasnt a superstar yet in 2000 I said that but he still wasn't a role player

He was getting around 23/6/5 while being a lockdown defender. He was the best player on the team in game 7 of the western conference finals. I'd say this definitely was his first season as a superstar. Leading your team through game 7 when Shaq has a quiet 18/9 qualifies in my book, especially when the big guys biggest basket came on a lob Bryant threw to him.

 

[JYoung24]

He was getting around 23/6/5 while being a lockdown defender. He was the best player on the team in game 7 of the western conference finals. I'd say this definitely was his first season as a superstar. Leading your team through game 7 when Shaq has a quiet 18/9 qualifies in my book, especially when the big guys biggest basket came on a lob Bryant threw to him.

Those playoffs he started to emerge as a superstar but he had a shakey finals

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

Those playoffs he started to emerge as a superstar but he had a shakey finals

Yeah he had a terrible 2000 finals. I'm sure some of it was due to injury when he turned his ankle 9 minutes into game 2, but his shooting percentages were bad too. He would get better each of the next two finals but I think his leading them through game 7 against Portland was enough for me to qualify him in my opinion as a superstar. He had something around 25/11/7/2/3. Doing that at 21 with your team's season on the line to reach the finals while the best player on earth isn't having a great game is really remarkable.

 

[JYoung24]

Yeah he had a terrible 2000 finals. I'm sure some of it was due to injury when he turned his ankle 9 minutes into game 2, but his shooting percentages were bad too. He would get better each of the next two finals but I think his leading them through game 7 against Portland was enough for me to qualify him in my opinion as a superstar. He had something around 25/11/7/2/3. Doing that at 21 with your team's season on the line to reach the finals while the best player on earth isn't having a great game is really remarkable.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Kobe wasnt a superstar yet in 2000 I said that but he still wasn't a role player

So what space between "superstar" and "role player" did Kobe carve out in 2000, yet Scottie Pippen supposedly never reached?

He was getting around 23/6/5 while being a lockdown defender. He was the best player on the team in game 7 of the western conference finals. I'd say this definitely was his first season as a superstar. Leading your team through game 7 when Shaq has a quiet 18/9 qualifies in my book, especially when the big guys biggest basket came on a lob Bryant threw to him.

Yeah, that's borderline superstar, like Jimmy Butler or something. But Scottie Pippen has had LOTS of series like that, so I'm not seeing how Kobe qualifies and he doesn't.

In Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals, Robert Horry scored 21 points in the 4th quarter and overtime and basically turned the series to the Spurs. Hit a huge three at 3:47 to tie the game, two free throws at 2:15 to tie, a dunk at 1:46 to tie, a three at 1:17 to give them a 1-point lead, a dunk at 1:25 in overtime to get them within 2, and a three with 5 seconds let in overtime for the win. That game was even more clutch than Kobe's game 7, so I'm not seeing one game suddenly giving a ring "superstar credit".

Kobe admits to being sidekick

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/blogs/...obe-Bryant-Shaq-sidekick-video-191065851.html

/thread

Damn...well, not much anyone can say to that.


(Again, not that I think that invalidates him in any way...just the idea of out-of-context ring-counting is suspect always, and especially stupid the way Kobestans do it.)

 

[Johnny Vulture]

Damn...well, not much anyone can say to that.


(Again, not that I think that invalidates him in any way...just the idea of out-of-context ring-counting is suspect always, and especially stupid the way Kobestans do it.)

It makes him the GOAT sidekick in my opinion but Kobe stans won't ever admit it.

They'll copy and paste his stats and ask you if they're "sidekick numbers" but if he's publicly admitting he was Robin, it's time to let go. He still went on to be one of the GOATs so that's what most people will remember anyway.

 

[OG_StankBrefs]

Kobe admits to being sidekick

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/blogs/...obe-Bryant-Shaq-sidekick-video-191065851.html

/thread

lol Oh dese nikkas bout to avoid dis shyt like dat one fat bish starin at da party.

 

[The Goodz]

Kobe admits to being sidekick

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/blogs/...obe-Bryant-Shaq-sidekick-video-191065851.html

/thread

From the sidekick himself, 20 pages of trying to cover the truth just ruined in one link.

Kobe stans the floor is yours to spin your way outta this one

 

[Johnny Vulture]

From the sidekick himself, 20 pages of trying to cover the truth just ruined in one link.

Kobe stans the floor is yours to spin your way outta this one

They'll avoid this like the Chris Childs two-piece special

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

So what space between "superstar" and "role player" did Kobe carve out in 2000, yet Scottie Pippen supposedly never reached?




Yeah, that's borderline superstar, like Jimmy Butler or something. But Scottie Pippen has had LOTS of series like that, so I'm not seeing how Kobe qualifies and he doesn't.

In Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals, Robert Horry scored 21 points in the 4th quarter and overtime and basically turned the series to the Spurs. Hit a huge three at 3:47 to tie the game, two free throws at 2:15 to tie, a dunk at 1:46 to tie, a three at 1:17 to give them a 1-point lead, a dunk at 1:25 in overtime to get them within 2, and a three with 5 seconds let in overtime for the win. That game was even more clutch than Kobe's game 7, so I'm not seeing one game suddenly giving a ring "superstar credit".





Damn...well, not much anyone can say to that.


(Again, not that I think that invalidates him in any way...just the idea of out-of-context ring-counting is suspect always, and especially stupid the way Kobestans do it.)

You're right that one great performance doesn't make a star. He had however, had a very good 1999 season and a great 1999-2000 season. Scottie was a superstar in my book though. Horry was indeed super clutch in game 5. It's the best game he ever had I think, but I think game 7 2000 was a bigger showing because if the Spurs lost that, they would trail 3-2 going home, but could win the series by protecting home court. If Bryant doesn't have his huge game, Los Angeles loses game 7 on their floor, and there isn't a worse way for your season to end than losing game 7 at home. Out of context ring counting is awful. I mean what's being on the 1997 Bulls really do for the legacy of Robert parish? Nothing I can imagine. I don't mean to discredit big shot rob. He was one of my favorite players to watch in the clutch and he stole a lot of souls late in games. I'm simply stating that I think the game where you could say Bryant reached superstar status was that game 7 performance. He came back the next season after his awful 2000 finals and averaged something close to 28/5/5. Debating which performance is most clutch is pointless since both teams needed every play these guys made in those games. I just try to appreciate great plays being made in big games.

 

[Dirty D]

Kobe admits to being sidekick

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/blogs/...obe-Bryant-Shaq-sidekick-video-191065851.html

/thread

Kobe Stans =