Comments on: Q&AK Rev. 3 Vol. 1: Introduction and Shaq vs. Kobe vs. Mike Mills http://www.lunaradventures.net/2006/01/23/qak-rev-3-vol-1-introduction-and-shaq-vs-kobe-vs-mike-mills/ exploring a little bit of everything Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:54:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andrew http://www.lunaradventures.net/2006/01/23/qak-rev-3-vol-1-introduction-and-shaq-vs-kobe-vs-mike-mills/comment-page-1/#comment-600 Andrew Mon, 30 Jan 2006 21:44:42 +0000 http://www.lunaradventures.net/2006/01/23/qak-rev-3-vol-1-introduction-and-shaq-vs-kobe-vs-mike-mills/#comment-600 <p>Quinn: 20 years flies, doesn't it? if the Lakers were in the finals, do you think Kobe would let Lamar Odom take the game winning shot, even if he had the best look? Absolutely not. But Michael Jordan had no qualms about letting John Paxson or Steve Kerr take the last shot -- he knew basketball is a team game, and he made everyone around him better. And he trusted them as teammates. Kobe has no interest in doing this. I don't want to hear the excuse that he has no supporting cast -- maybe it's not a championship calibur supporting cast, but the supporting cast isn't so bad that they deserve to never see the ball. Chris Mihm is a great up and coming player -- a better player than Jordan ever had in the middle (Luc Longley, Bill Cartwright, etc.). Lamar Odom is a nice forward. He's not alone out there, but he chooses to be.</p> <p>Greg: You make a good point. Vince is original, Tmac is original, Dirk is original, etc. Kobe even has the same jump shot as Jordan -- the mechanics look similar, and they even have that very almost-flat-but-not-quite look to them. Sorry Kobe, you're no MJ. I mean, Mike Bibby just scored 44 points in a game. Mike Bibby! The rules changes help perimeter players in ways that Jordan never had. I bet Jordan could have scored 81 in today's rules, and I bet there are even other players in today's NBA that could score 81 if they took every shot. If tmac's back ever gets healthy, I bet he could, if Jeff Van Gundy just told him "yo, Tmac, no passing today, mkay?"</p> Quinn: 20 years flies, doesn’t it? if the Lakers were in the finals, do you think Kobe would let Lamar Odom take the game winning shot, even if he had the best look? Absolutely not. But Michael Jordan had no qualms about letting John Paxson or Steve Kerr take the last shot — he knew basketball is a team game, and he made everyone around him better. And he trusted them as teammates. Kobe has no interest in doing this. I don’t want to hear the excuse that he has no supporting cast — maybe it’s not a championship calibur supporting cast, but the supporting cast isn’t so bad that they deserve to never see the ball. Chris Mihm is a great up and coming player — a better player than Jordan ever had in the middle (Luc Longley, Bill Cartwright, etc.). Lamar Odom is a nice forward. He’s not alone out there, but he chooses to be.

Greg: You make a good point. Vince is original, Tmac is original, Dirk is original, etc. Kobe even has the same jump shot as Jordan — the mechanics look similar, and they even have that very almost-flat-but-not-quite look to them. Sorry Kobe, you’re no MJ. I mean, Mike Bibby just scored 44 points in a game. Mike Bibby! The rules changes help perimeter players in ways that Jordan never had. I bet Jordan could have scored 81 in today’s rules, and I bet there are even other players in today’s NBA that could score 81 if they took every shot. If tmac’s back ever gets healthy, I bet he could, if Jeff Van Gundy just told him “yo, Tmac, no passing today, mkay?”

]]> By: Greg http://www.lunaradventures.net/2006/01/23/qak-rev-3-vol-1-introduction-and-shaq-vs-kobe-vs-mike-mills/comment-page-1/#comment-592 Greg Sat, 28 Jan 2006 13:48:50 +0000 http://www.lunaradventures.net/2006/01/23/qak-rev-3-vol-1-introduction-and-shaq-vs-kobe-vs-mike-mills/#comment-592 <p>The one thing missing in Kobe's game is originality. Had he come along 20yrs in the future, people may have praised him. But since he came along as "the greatest" was leaving the game, most of us can't accept him. That brings up the "originality" problem for Kobe. Everything he does, every move he makes, all his mannerisms, even the way he walks and chews gum, came from MJ. The guy doesn't have one original move in his bag or even in his step, it's all about "if I could be like Mike." We've all imitated our heroes on the court or tried a certain move, but it was at the "Y" or some kid's backyard. No one cared if you tried to rip some guys moves off and whether it failed or not. We all were doing it. But for a guy like Kobe with all his talent, to completely rip off the greatest player ever, is a crime. Look around the league and in previous decades, most guys are original in their particular styles & moves. Vince Carter's game isn't a copycat, Tmac's game is not a copycat, Dwade is all original, and so on. Magic Johnson said something once when he was growing up, "Everyone wanted to be Dr.J on the playgrounds." Let's look at Magic's game, did he come into the NBA and remain a Dr.J wanta be, no! He wanted a little originality and that's what made him great. Original players are great and remembered as such. If only Kobe could've come along in 2020. By then, most of us who had seen MJ play, would've been overjoyed to see Kobe. He would've reminded us another era in time. Much like Dr.J did for the Elgin Baylor fans. There's still one problem though, who would he be copying in 2020 if he didn't have an MJ to watch? So I guess we'll never know if this kid could've been original in any era.</p> The one thing missing in Kobe’s game is originality. Had he come along 20yrs in the future, people may have praised him. But since he came along as “the greatest” was leaving the game, most of us can’t accept him. That brings up the “originality” problem for Kobe. Everything he does, every move he makes, all his mannerisms, even the way he walks and chews gum, came from MJ. The guy doesn’t have one original move in his bag or even in his step, it’s all about “if I could be like Mike.” We’ve all imitated our heroes on the court or tried a certain move, but it was at the “Y” or some kid’s backyard. No one cared if you tried to rip some guys moves off and whether it failed or not. We all were doing it. But for a guy like Kobe with all his talent, to completely rip off the greatest player ever, is a crime. Look around the league and in previous decades, most guys are original in their particular styles & moves. Vince Carter’s game isn’t a copycat, Tmac’s game is not a copycat, Dwade is all original, and so on. Magic Johnson said something once when he was growing up, “Everyone wanted to be Dr.J on the playgrounds.” Let’s look at Magic’s game, did he come into the NBA and remain a Dr.J wanta be, no! He wanted a little originality and that’s what made him great. Original players are great and remembered as such. If only Kobe could’ve come along in 2020. By then, most of us who had seen MJ play, would’ve been overjoyed to see Kobe. He would’ve reminded us another era in time. Much like Dr.J did for the Elgin Baylor fans. There’s still one problem though, who would he be copying in 2020 if he didn’t have an MJ to watch? So I guess we’ll never know if this kid could’ve been original in any era.

]]> By: Quinn http://www.lunaradventures.net/2006/01/23/qak-rev-3-vol-1-introduction-and-shaq-vs-kobe-vs-mike-mills/comment-page-1/#comment-588 Quinn Wed, 25 Jan 2006 17:17:21 +0000 http://www.lunaradventures.net/2006/01/23/qak-rev-3-vol-1-introduction-and-shaq-vs-kobe-vs-mike-mills/#comment-588 <p>Sir, I am honored you chose my question to answer first. Has it really been 20 years? Dang, I think it has been.</p> <p>Agree 100% w/ your Kobe sentiments. He's a good basketball player but he's not a superelite player like MJ. MJ elevated the play of everyone on his team; almost by definition, scoring 81 points in a game goes against this.</p> Sir, I am honored you chose my question to answer first. Has it really been 20 years? Dang, I think it has been.

Agree 100% w/ your Kobe sentiments. He’s a good basketball player but he’s not a superelite player like MJ. MJ elevated the play of everyone on his team; almost by definition, scoring 81 points in a game goes against this.

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