2k3-4 Lakers

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

laker stans are idiots.

they still wont admit that kobe lost that series for them.

shaq was destroying anyone who tried to guard him, he dunked the ball like every other time he had a touch.

ben wallace didnt have a chance.


and kobe was jackin up shot after shot, all bricks.

tayshaun prince on kobe

It was so obvious that Kobe was playing for one thing and one thing only that series: Finals MVP. Well, if he couldn't that, he had at least one side objective: Prevent Shaq from winning Finals MVP again. And he sure did a great job as far as that objective was concerned.

He didn't give a rat's !*% if the Lakers won another championship if he didn't win Finals MVP with it. He got salty about all the talk that he only had 3 rings because of Shaq and that he was constantly being carried by Shaq. Another ring with Shaq being Finals MVP would only make it worse. So he figured ++%$ it. What the hell, he'll keep on shooting: Double or nothing, double or nothing over and over again throughout the series. The Lakers skipped the finals in the 02-03 seasons (Kobe's best season individually up to that point, and for the rest of his career BTW). He was confident that he was finally the man on the Lakers at that point. But he failed epically in that series. I am not even trying to sound insulting here, I am being dead serious. This is what happened. Compare the amount of touches/shots Kobe and Shaq had that series and then look at their field goal percentages. There is no way Kobe could've POSSIBLY thought that his play was helping the team throughout that series.

Easily your best Kobe post ever.  And quite possibly right on all counts. 

There is zero doubt those 2 were done at that point, and I have no idea how it got that bad.  They seemed to be doing ok in the first 3 rounds, they just needed to finish off Detroit.  How it changed in one week, or half week I'll never understand. 

  

 

[noreasonabledoubt]

Originally Posted by PMatic

The Lakers were 18-5 until Scott Williams ran into Karl Malone's knee in December, which he later re-injured in the playoffs.

That and this picture tells it all. After Medvedenko pissed Sheed off....it was sadly over. Plus Kobe and the Lakers didn't pass the ball to Shaq enough. If they had won, Shaq and Kobe would still be on the same team...maybe....maybe not, Phil wasn't ready to give the team to Kobe yet, but Shaq didn't work half as hard as Kobe did to get ready. Such a dilemma...sad.

 

[noreasonabledoubt]

Originally Posted by PMatic

The Lakers were 18-5 until Scott Williams ran into Karl Malone's knee in December, which he later re-injured in the playoffs.

That and this picture tells it all. After Medvedenko pissed Sheed off....it was sadly over. Plus Kobe and the Lakers didn't pass the ball to Shaq enough. If they had won, Shaq and Kobe would still be on the same team...maybe....maybe not, Phil wasn't ready to give the team to Kobe yet, but Shaq didn't work half as hard as Kobe did to get ready. Such a dilemma...sad.

 

[noreasonabledoubt]

Also, this is in no way like Miami, nobody colluded for 3 years to align their free agencies so they could try to be on the same team. 2 of the top 3 or 4 players right now in their prime are on the same team....cmon. If the NBA doesn't contract, this is going to get dumb. Competition is exciting, not 3 or 4 teams stacked against 32 teams...straight dumb.

 

[noreasonabledoubt]

Also, this is in no way like Miami, nobody colluded for 3 years to align their free agencies so they could try to be on the same team. 2 of the top 3 or 4 players right now in their prime are on the same team....cmon. If the NBA doesn't contract, this is going to get dumb. Competition is exciting, not 3 or 4 teams stacked against 32 teams...straight dumb.

 

[sooperhooper]

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

laker stans are idiots.

they still wont admit that kobe lost that series for them.

shaq was destroying anyone who tried to guard him, he dunked the ball like every other time he had a touch.

ben wallace didnt have a chance.


and kobe was jackin up shot after shot, all bricks.

tayshaun prince on kobe

It was so obvious that Kobe was playing for one thing and one thing only that series: Finals MVP. Well, if he couldn't that, he had at least one side objective: Prevent Shaq from winning Finals MVP again. And he sure did a great job as far as that objective was concerned.

He didn't give a rat's !*% if the Lakers won another championship if he didn't win Finals MVP with it. He got salty about all the talk that he only had 3 rings because of Shaq and that he was constantly being carried by Shaq. Another ring with Shaq being Finals MVP would only make it worse. So he figured ++%$ it. What the hell, he'll keep on shooting: Double or nothing, double or nothing over and over again throughout the series. The Lakers skipped the finals in the 02-03 seasons (Kobe's best season individually up to that point, and for the rest of his career BTW). He was confident that he was finally the man on the Lakers at that point. But he failed epically in that series. I am not even trying to sound insulting here, I am being dead serious. This is what happened. Compare the amount of touches/shots Kobe and Shaq had that series and then look at their field goal percentages. There is no way Kobe could've POSSIBLY thought that his play was helping the team throughout that series.

Seldom do I take his posts regarding LA seriously b/c he usually comes off bias or mad salty, but this is definitely on point. If Kobe himself were to read it today, he would probably cosign on it.

 

[sooperhooper]

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

laker stans are idiots.

they still wont admit that kobe lost that series for them.

shaq was destroying anyone who tried to guard him, he dunked the ball like every other time he had a touch.

ben wallace didnt have a chance.


and kobe was jackin up shot after shot, all bricks.

tayshaun prince on kobe

It was so obvious that Kobe was playing for one thing and one thing only that series: Finals MVP. Well, if he couldn't that, he had at least one side objective: Prevent Shaq from winning Finals MVP again. And he sure did a great job as far as that objective was concerned.

He didn't give a rat's !*% if the Lakers won another championship if he didn't win Finals MVP with it. He got salty about all the talk that he only had 3 rings because of Shaq and that he was constantly being carried by Shaq. Another ring with Shaq being Finals MVP would only make it worse. So he figured ++%$ it. What the hell, he'll keep on shooting: Double or nothing, double or nothing over and over again throughout the series. The Lakers skipped the finals in the 02-03 seasons (Kobe's best season individually up to that point, and for the rest of his career BTW). He was confident that he was finally the man on the Lakers at that point. But he failed epically in that series. I am not even trying to sound insulting here, I am being dead serious. This is what happened. Compare the amount of touches/shots Kobe and Shaq had that series and then look at their field goal percentages. There is no way Kobe could've POSSIBLY thought that his play was helping the team throughout that series.

Seldom do I take his posts regarding LA seriously b/c he usually comes off bias or mad salty, but this is definitely on point. If Kobe himself were to read it today, he would probably cosign on it.

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

Originally Posted by sooperhooper

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

laker stans are idiots.

they still wont admit that kobe lost that series for them.

shaq was destroying anyone who tried to guard him, he dunked the ball like every other time he had a touch.

ben wallace didnt have a chance.


and kobe was jackin up shot after shot, all bricks.

tayshaun prince on kobe

It was so obvious that Kobe was playing for one thing and one thing only that series: Finals MVP. Well, if he couldn't that, he had at least one side objective: Prevent Shaq from winning Finals MVP again. And he sure did a great job as far as that objective was concerned.

He didn't give a rat's !*% if the Lakers won another championship if he didn't win Finals MVP with it. He got salty about all the talk that he only had 3 rings because of Shaq and that he was constantly being carried by Shaq. Another ring with Shaq being Finals MVP would only make it worse. So he figured ++%$ it. What the hell, he'll keep on shooting: Double or nothing, double or nothing over and over again throughout the series. The Lakers skipped the finals in the 02-03 seasons (Kobe's best season individually up to that point, and for the rest of his career BTW). He was confident that he was finally the man on the Lakers at that point. But he failed epically in that series. I am not even trying to sound insulting here, I am being dead serious. This is what happened. Compare the amount of touches/shots Kobe and Shaq had that series and then look at their field goal percentages. There is no way Kobe could've POSSIBLY thought that his play was helping the team throughout that series.

Seldom do I take his posts regarding LA seriously b/c he usually comes off bias or mad salty, but this is definitely on point. If Kobe himself were to read it today, he would probably cosign on it.

The post was truth, but Malone being hurt affected that team more than the Kobe Shaq friction.
They were so much more talented than that Pistons team, but they didnt play as a team.
GP needed more touches, but your not going to change the number of Kobe or Shaq touches.
Malone still needed touches....
But the lakers failure to let GP go at Billups, the lack of touches for Shaq, and Kobe not being able to come through cost them that series.
Kobe shot the ball way too much but your sitting here and telling me that GP couldnt take Billups to school? Or that a healthy Malone wouldnt have helped?

 

[gangsta207therevolution]

Originally Posted by sooperhooper

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

laker stans are idiots.

they still wont admit that kobe lost that series for them.

shaq was destroying anyone who tried to guard him, he dunked the ball like every other time he had a touch.

ben wallace didnt have a chance.


and kobe was jackin up shot after shot, all bricks.

tayshaun prince on kobe

It was so obvious that Kobe was playing for one thing and one thing only that series: Finals MVP. Well, if he couldn't that, he had at least one side objective: Prevent Shaq from winning Finals MVP again. And he sure did a great job as far as that objective was concerned.

He didn't give a rat's !*% if the Lakers won another championship if he didn't win Finals MVP with it. He got salty about all the talk that he only had 3 rings because of Shaq and that he was constantly being carried by Shaq. Another ring with Shaq being Finals MVP would only make it worse. So he figured ++%$ it. What the hell, he'll keep on shooting: Double or nothing, double or nothing over and over again throughout the series. The Lakers skipped the finals in the 02-03 seasons (Kobe's best season individually up to that point, and for the rest of his career BTW). He was confident that he was finally the man on the Lakers at that point. But he failed epically in that series. I am not even trying to sound insulting here, I am being dead serious. This is what happened. Compare the amount of touches/shots Kobe and Shaq had that series and then look at their field goal percentages. There is no way Kobe could've POSSIBLY thought that his play was helping the team throughout that series.

Seldom do I take his posts regarding LA seriously b/c he usually comes off bias or mad salty, but this is definitely on point. If Kobe himself were to read it today, he would probably cosign on it.

The post was truth, but Malone being hurt affected that team more than the Kobe Shaq friction.
They were so much more talented than that Pistons team, but they didnt play as a team.
GP needed more touches, but your not going to change the number of Kobe or Shaq touches.
Malone still needed touches....
But the lakers failure to let GP go at Billups, the lack of touches for Shaq, and Kobe not being able to come through cost them that series.
Kobe shot the ball way too much but your sitting here and telling me that GP couldnt take Billups to school? Or that a healthy Malone wouldnt have helped?

 

[presequel]

Payton struggled all year. He didnt like the triangle, wanted to be in the post but with malone, shaq, and kobe already in the post there was no room for payton.

Malone getting injured is probably the biggest reason laker fans believe they didn't win the finals. with him on the court and as mediator, he was the link between shaq and kobe. once gone it was all hell.

Agreed that Kobe wanted that finals mvp and that may have gotten in the way. But Detroit was just a better team. And they proved it wasnt a fluke by getting back to the finals and like what, 7 straight ECF? They were a good team. Up until that point no one knew how good, none of them were really all stars cept for sheed, who was the difference maker.

 

[presequel]

Payton struggled all year. He didnt like the triangle, wanted to be in the post but with malone, shaq, and kobe already in the post there was no room for payton.

Malone getting injured is probably the biggest reason laker fans believe they didn't win the finals. with him on the court and as mediator, he was the link between shaq and kobe. once gone it was all hell.

Agreed that Kobe wanted that finals mvp and that may have gotten in the way. But Detroit was just a better team. And they proved it wasnt a fluke by getting back to the finals and like what, 7 straight ECF? They were a good team. Up until that point no one knew how good, none of them were really all stars cept for sheed, who was the difference maker.

 

[noblekane]

Originally Posted by nflowshoe

I wasn't a member of NT in 2004, what was the initial NT reaction when this team assembled? Was it like the Heat?

How was it after they lost in the finals? This had to be on off the most stacked starting 5 in NBA history any other better?

[table][tr][td]8[/td][td]Kobe Bryant[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]200[/td][td]August 23, 1978[/td][td]7[/td][td][/td][/tr][tr][td]1[/td][td]Maurice Carter[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-5[/td][td]210[/td][td]October 12, 1976[/td][td]R[/td][td]Louisiana State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]7[/td][td]Brian Cook[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-9[/td][td]234[/td][td]December 4, 1980[/td][td]R[/td][td]University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign[/td][/tr][tr][td]2[/td][td]Derek Fisher[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-1[/td][td]200[/td][td]August 9, 1974[/td][td]7[/td][td]University of Arkansas at Little Rock[/td][/tr][tr][td]17[/td][td]Rick Fox[/td][td]F-G[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]230[/td][td]July 24, 1969[/td][td]12[/td][td]University of North Carolina[/td][/tr][tr][td]3[/td][td]Devean George[/td][td]G-F[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]220[/td][td]August 29, 1977[/td][td]4[/td][td]Augsburg College[/td][/tr][tr][td]54[/td][td]Horace Grant[/td][td]F-C[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]215[/td][td]July 4, 1965[/td][td]16[/td][td]Clemson University[/td][/tr][tr][td]11[/td][td]Karl Malone[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-9[/td][td]250[/td][td]July 24, 1963[/td][td]18[/td][td]Louisiana Tech University[/td][/tr][tr][td]14[/td][td]Stanislav Medvedenko[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]250[/td][td]April 4, 1979[/td][td]3[/td][td][/td][/tr][tr][td]34[/td][td]Shaquille O'Neal[/td][td]C[/td][td]7-1[/td][td]325[/td][td]March 6, 1972[/td][td]11[/td][td]Louisiana State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]12[/td][td]Jannero Pargo[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-1[/td][td]175[/td][td]September 22, 1979[/td][td]1[/td][td]University of Arkansas[/td][/tr][tr][td]20[/td][td]Gary Payton[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-4[/td][td]180[/td][td]July 23, 1968[/td][td]13[/td][td]Oregon State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]21[/td][td]Kareem Rush[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]215[/td][td]October 30, 1980[/td][td]1[/td][td]University of Missouri[/td][/tr][tr][td]9[/td][td]Bryon Russell[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]225[/td][td]December 31, 1970[/td][td]10[/td][td]California State University, Long Beach[/td][/tr][tr][td]31[/td][td]Jamal Sampson[/td][td]F-C[/td][td]6-11[/td][td]235[/td][td]May 15, 1983[/td][td]1[/td][td]University of California[/td][/tr][tr][td]5[/td][td]Ime Udoka[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]215[/td][td]August 9, 1977[/td][td]R[/td][td]Portland State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]4[/td][td]Luke Walton[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]235[/td][td]March 28, 1980[/td][td]R[/td][td][/td][/tr][/table]

lol this team was old as dirt. never really paid attention to that. rick fox was 34. bryon russell was 33. horace grant was 38. gary payton was 35. karl malone was 40. damn

i will never talk about how old the lakers are currently again

then all the young garbage. luke walton. jamal sampson. slava medivenko. devean george. brian cook

 who drafted these losers?
  

 

[noblekane]

Originally Posted by nflowshoe

I wasn't a member of NT in 2004, what was the initial NT reaction when this team assembled? Was it like the Heat?

How was it after they lost in the finals? This had to be on off the most stacked starting 5 in NBA history any other better?

[table][tr][td]8[/td][td]Kobe Bryant[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]200[/td][td]August 23, 1978[/td][td]7[/td][td][/td][/tr][tr][td]1[/td][td]Maurice Carter[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-5[/td][td]210[/td][td]October 12, 1976[/td][td]R[/td][td]Louisiana State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]7[/td][td]Brian Cook[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-9[/td][td]234[/td][td]December 4, 1980[/td][td]R[/td][td]University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign[/td][/tr][tr][td]2[/td][td]Derek Fisher[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-1[/td][td]200[/td][td]August 9, 1974[/td][td]7[/td][td]University of Arkansas at Little Rock[/td][/tr][tr][td]17[/td][td]Rick Fox[/td][td]F-G[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]230[/td][td]July 24, 1969[/td][td]12[/td][td]University of North Carolina[/td][/tr][tr][td]3[/td][td]Devean George[/td][td]G-F[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]220[/td][td]August 29, 1977[/td][td]4[/td][td]Augsburg College[/td][/tr][tr][td]54[/td][td]Horace Grant[/td][td]F-C[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]215[/td][td]July 4, 1965[/td][td]16[/td][td]Clemson University[/td][/tr][tr][td]11[/td][td]Karl Malone[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-9[/td][td]250[/td][td]July 24, 1963[/td][td]18[/td][td]Louisiana Tech University[/td][/tr][tr][td]14[/td][td]Stanislav Medvedenko[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-10[/td][td]250[/td][td]April 4, 1979[/td][td]3[/td][td][/td][/tr][tr][td]34[/td][td]Shaquille O'Neal[/td][td]C[/td][td]7-1[/td][td]325[/td][td]March 6, 1972[/td][td]11[/td][td]Louisiana State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]12[/td][td]Jannero Pargo[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-1[/td][td]175[/td][td]September 22, 1979[/td][td]1[/td][td]University of Arkansas[/td][/tr][tr][td]20[/td][td]Gary Payton[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-4[/td][td]180[/td][td]July 23, 1968[/td][td]13[/td][td]Oregon State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]21[/td][td]Kareem Rush[/td][td]G[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]215[/td][td]October 30, 1980[/td][td]1[/td][td]University of Missouri[/td][/tr][tr][td]9[/td][td]Bryon Russell[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]225[/td][td]December 31, 1970[/td][td]10[/td][td]California State University, Long Beach[/td][/tr][tr][td]31[/td][td]Jamal Sampson[/td][td]F-C[/td][td]6-11[/td][td]235[/td][td]May 15, 1983[/td][td]1[/td][td]University of California[/td][/tr][tr][td]5[/td][td]Ime Udoka[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]215[/td][td]August 9, 1977[/td][td]R[/td][td]Portland State University[/td][/tr][tr][td]4[/td][td]Luke Walton[/td][td]F[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]235[/td][td]March 28, 1980[/td][td]R[/td][td][/td][/tr][/table]

lol this team was old as dirt. never really paid attention to that. rick fox was 34. bryon russell was 33. horace grant was 38. gary payton was 35. karl malone was 40. damn

i will never talk about how old the lakers are currently again

then all the young garbage. luke walton. jamal sampson. slava medivenko. devean george. brian cook

 who drafted these losers?
  

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Originally Posted by Iamjusayn

Originally Posted by nflowshoe

I remember hearing that year that phil jackson reached out to MJ to see if he want to play with the lakers to take some of the pressure off of kobe during his court cases....

  Link? Never heard this...rumor?

I vaguely remember this rumor. It came and went as quick as Karl Malone playing on the 2004 Olympics.

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Originally Posted by Iamjusayn

Originally Posted by nflowshoe

I remember hearing that year that phil jackson reached out to MJ to see if he want to play with the lakers to take some of the pressure off of kobe during his court cases....

  Link? Never heard this...rumor?

I vaguely remember this rumor. It came and went as quick as Karl Malone playing on the 2004 Olympics.

 

[0cks]

Too many mitten jokes... it got really played out on here...
One of the worst premature threads in S&T history

Vhich one for zee sweep?

During the season this team was hated on just as much as the Heat are now. Kobe was on trial so his name was rapist on here... Karl Malone never had many fans... Shaq was ornery... etc.
Really every blowout elimination loss in the Playoffs for the Lakers has been euphoric on NT... Spurs in 03, Pistons 04, Suns 06, Celts 08... Mavs 11

 

[0cks]

Too many mitten jokes... it got really played out on here...
One of the worst premature threads in S&T history

Vhich one for zee sweep?

During the season this team was hated on just as much as the Heat are now. Kobe was on trial so his name was rapist on here... Karl Malone never had many fans... Shaq was ornery... etc.
Really every blowout elimination loss in the Playoffs for the Lakers has been euphoric on NT... Spurs in 03, Pistons 04, Suns 06, Celts 08... Mavs 11

 

[presequel]

it was pretty much the first time the hall of famers both said they were joining a team in free agency, at least in recent memory.

granted they were both old, if you look at their stats the previous seasons both seemed to have plenty left and werent looked at like washed up veterans, they were legitimate threats.

they gave these away at first game i believe.

 

[presequel]

it was pretty much the first time the hall of famers both said they were joining a team in free agency, at least in recent memory.

granted they were both old, if you look at their stats the previous seasons both seemed to have plenty left and werent looked at like washed up veterans, they were legitimate threats.

they gave these away at first game i believe.

 

[shaqrules]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

laker stans are idiots.

they still wont admit that kobe lost that series for them.

shaq was destroying anyone who tried to guard him, he dunked the ball like every other time he had a touch.

ben wallace didnt have a chance.


and kobe was jackin up shot after shot, all bricks.

tayshaun prince on kobe

It was so obvious that Kobe was playing for one thing and one thing only that series: Finals MVP. Well, if he couldn't that, he had at least one side objective: Prevent Shaq from winning Finals MVP again. And he sure did a great job as far as that objective was concerned.

He didn't give a rat's !*% if the Lakers won another championship if he didn't win Finals MVP with it. He got salty about all the talk that he only had 3 rings because of Shaq and that he was constantly being carried by Shaq. Another ring with Shaq being Finals MVP would only make it worse. So he figured ++%$ it. What the hell, he'll keep on shooting: Double or nothing, double or nothing over and over again throughout the series. The Lakers skipped the finals in the 02-03 seasons (Kobe's best season individually up to that point, and for the rest of his career BTW). He was confident that he was finally the man on the Lakers at that point. But he failed epically in that series. I am not even trying to sound insulting here, I am being dead serious. This is what happened. Compare the amount of touches/shots Kobe and Shaq had that series and then look at their field goal percentages. There is no way Kobe could've POSSIBLY thought that his play was helping the team throughout that series.

Easily your best Kobe post ever.  And quite possibly right on all counts. 

There is zero doubt those 2 were done at that point, and I have no idea how it got that bad.  They seemed to be doing ok in the first 3 rounds, they just needed to finish off Detroit.  How it changed in one week, or half week I'll never understand. 

  

i'm so relieved that others saw this.  i argue this w/ all of my homies that are blinded.  they're so prideful that they can't accept or admit the truth.  i'm just wondering where the heck all these "laker fans" are to chime in?!?!  after that crap, that's when i knew frobe was selfish.  he couldn't wait for the torch to be passed...he just was too selfish.  it's sad cause that "team" or should i say roster should've had no problems winning the whole thing.  i really felt bad for malone and payton.  they too knew what was goin on and they couldn't do anything about it.  all this talk about malone being hurt...a 65% healthy malone was still more than enough to get the job done.  i know he was no where near sheed at the time, but still...it was more than enough with shaq in the middle. 

 

[shaqrules]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

Originally Posted by Girl thats Jules

laker stans are idiots.

they still wont admit that kobe lost that series for them.

shaq was destroying anyone who tried to guard him, he dunked the ball like every other time he had a touch.

ben wallace didnt have a chance.


and kobe was jackin up shot after shot, all bricks.

tayshaun prince on kobe

It was so obvious that Kobe was playing for one thing and one thing only that series: Finals MVP. Well, if he couldn't that, he had at least one side objective: Prevent Shaq from winning Finals MVP again. And he sure did a great job as far as that objective was concerned.

He didn't give a rat's !*% if the Lakers won another championship if he didn't win Finals MVP with it. He got salty about all the talk that he only had 3 rings because of Shaq and that he was constantly being carried by Shaq. Another ring with Shaq being Finals MVP would only make it worse. So he figured ++%$ it. What the hell, he'll keep on shooting: Double or nothing, double or nothing over and over again throughout the series. The Lakers skipped the finals in the 02-03 seasons (Kobe's best season individually up to that point, and for the rest of his career BTW). He was confident that he was finally the man on the Lakers at that point. But he failed epically in that series. I am not even trying to sound insulting here, I am being dead serious. This is what happened. Compare the amount of touches/shots Kobe and Shaq had that series and then look at their field goal percentages. There is no way Kobe could've POSSIBLY thought that his play was helping the team throughout that series.

Easily your best Kobe post ever.  And quite possibly right on all counts. 

There is zero doubt those 2 were done at that point, and I have no idea how it got that bad.  They seemed to be doing ok in the first 3 rounds, they just needed to finish off Detroit.  How it changed in one week, or half week I'll never understand. 

  

i'm so relieved that others saw this.  i argue this w/ all of my homies that are blinded.  they're so prideful that they can't accept or admit the truth.  i'm just wondering where the heck all these "laker fans" are to chime in?!?!  after that crap, that's when i knew frobe was selfish.  he couldn't wait for the torch to be passed...he just was too selfish.  it's sad cause that "team" or should i say roster should've had no problems winning the whole thing.  i really felt bad for malone and payton.  they too knew what was goin on and they couldn't do anything about it.  all this talk about malone being hurt...a 65% healthy malone was still more than enough to get the job done.  i know he was no where near sheed at the time, but still...it was more than enough with shaq in the middle. 

 

[knightngale]

Kobe was playing worse than Russel Westbrook in that series. Even the 3 that tied gamed 2 was a terrible shot 

 

[knightngale]

Kobe was playing worse than Russel Westbrook in that series. Even the 3 that tied gamed 2 was a terrible shot 

 

[noblekane]

to be fair, nobody besides shaq and i think rick fox shot well in that series for the lakers. nobody besides them shot over 39% smh. kobe shot 38% fisher 30% payton 32% malone 33%

another crazy stat was shaq with only 3 blocks. and payton couldnt guard billups.

the pistons got 60 more free throw attempts than the lakers aswell. and i know people wont admit this because back then everyone hated the lakers but there were a bunch of phantom foul calls. thats why you never blame refs because it all evens out at the end

but yea kobe taking 113 shots was disgusting and even more disgusting was kobe's 17% from 3point

 

[noblekane]

to be fair, nobody besides shaq and i think rick fox shot well in that series for the lakers. nobody besides them shot over 39% smh. kobe shot 38% fisher 30% payton 32% malone 33%

another crazy stat was shaq with only 3 blocks. and payton couldnt guard billups.

the pistons got 60 more free throw attempts than the lakers aswell. and i know people wont admit this because back then everyone hated the lakers but there were a bunch of phantom foul calls. thats why you never blame refs because it all evens out at the end

but yea kobe taking 113 shots was disgusting and even more disgusting was kobe's 17% from 3point