Re: CNNSI's John Hollinger gives "Most Overrated All-Star" award to.. . (gue...

[CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/14/03 7:43:08 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
dajubo@earthlink.net writes:

> In my opinion, Kobe is more over-rated by those who call him the best player 
> in the league or say that he's better than Jordan.  (What about Garnett, 
> Shaq, T-Mac and Duncan---aren't they just as good or better than Kobe?)
> 
> -David



Exactly!   The Lakers have a losing record and a pitiful "winning" percentage 
w/out Shaq in the lineup this year.  Kobe hasn't "carried" the Lakers at all. 
And to further amplify the point, I'd suggest all the network talking heads 
look a little closer at his supposed near record breaking run of consecutive 
40+ point games. 

If I recall, two of them came against the Jazz going against Cal Cheaney who 
is well past his prime and not capable of making Kobe exert much energy on D; 
two of the games came against the Knicks and Allan Houston who has been on 
few, if any all-defensive ballots and in fact, in one of the games, Kobe 
completely coasted on the defensive end of the floor and let Houston drop 50+ 
points on the Lakers. 

Additionally. how many people can name the starting "2" guard on the Nuggets? 
Two more of the games in that run came against Denver. One game came against 
the Blazers with Rueben Patterson out; one game against Indy with Ron Artest 
serving a suspension (has Reggie Miller ever been on any defensive ballots?); 
one game came against Houston guarded by an undersized Cuttino Mobley; and 
one game was against Seattle immediately following the Ray Allen/Payton trade 
in which Ray didn't suit up.

I can't deny the accomplishment and the consecutive game run but even David 
Aldridge called him on it toward the end of the streak saying it (the streak) 
had become "all about Kobe" and no longer in the context of team first.

Garnett, T-Mac, AI, and Duncan have ALL carried their respective teams this 
season. Once again, Kobe has ridden Shaq's coat tails just as he has in the 
prior three seasons. Take Shaq off the Lakers and they are in the LeBron 
James sweepstakes, plain and simple.


                
    
CeltsSteve