Comments on: Ballin’: Kobe Bryant http://ballerblogger.com/2008/11/26/ballin-kobe-bryant/ NBA blog Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:06:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Brandon Hoffman http://ballerblogger.com/2008/11/26/ballin-kobe-bryant/comment-page-1/#comment-9633 Brandon Hoffman Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:50:56 +0000 http://ballerblogger.com/?p=776#comment-9633 I think Kobe deserved it that season too. I still can't believe the Lakers started Smush Parker and Kwame Brown for two seasons. I also agree that Diaw was a big part of Phoenix's success that year. He's very talented, he just hasn't been consistent the past few seasons. I think Kobe deserved it that season too. I still can’t believe the Lakers started Smush Parker and Kwame Brown for two seasons.

I also agree that Diaw was a big part of Phoenix’s success that year. He’s very talented, he just hasn’t been consistent the past few seasons.

]]> By: A-Train http://ballerblogger.com/2008/11/26/ballin-kobe-bryant/comment-page-1/#comment-9589 A-Train Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:54:05 +0000 http://ballerblogger.com/?p=776#comment-9589 That season Kobe was the best player in the league BY FAR. He put up one of the top-five best individual seasons ever and carried a grossly mediocre Lakers team to 45 wins and a playoff berth. I am not a Kobe Bryant fan. But I am still pissed off he didn't win the MVP Award that year. He deserved it 100%. Instead, the NBA and its writers chose the highly likable, good-for-the-league Steve Nash. But damn if Kobe didn't deserve it. In the game highlighted above, he scored 62 through three quarters as the 13-11 Lakers beat the 17-7 Mavericks. The Mavs would go on to the Finals. He single-handedly CARRIED the Lakers that year. As good as Nash was, he still had a strong supporting cast. One could even argue Boris Diaw's amazing Phoenix debut saved the season following Amare Stoudemire's season-ending injury. In 70 starts that year, Diaw averaged 14 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists on 53% shooting. In his 70 starts, the Suns were 49-22 (.690). In the 11 games he came off the bench, they were 5-6 (.454). He was HUGE. Despite having the second most first place votes, Kobe finished not only behind Nash but also LeBron and Dirk. Nash ran away with the award. I came to the conclusion these subjective awards are just as worthless as All-Star appearances. Kobe was the best player in the NBA that year... and it wasn't even close. That season Kobe was the best player in the league BY FAR. He put up one of the top-five best individual seasons ever and carried a grossly mediocre Lakers team to 45 wins and a playoff berth.

I am not a Kobe Bryant fan. But I am still pissed off he didn’t win the MVP Award that year. He deserved it 100%.

Instead, the NBA and its writers chose the highly likable, good-for-the-league Steve Nash. But damn if Kobe didn’t deserve it.

In the game highlighted above, he scored 62 through three quarters as the 13-11 Lakers beat the 17-7 Mavericks. The Mavs would go on to the Finals.

He single-handedly CARRIED the Lakers that year. As good as Nash was, he still had a strong supporting cast. One could even argue Boris Diaw’s amazing Phoenix debut saved the season following Amare Stoudemire’s season-ending injury. In 70 starts that year, Diaw averaged 14 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists on 53% shooting. In his 70 starts, the Suns were 49-22 (.690). In the 11 games he came off the bench, they were 5-6 (.454). He was HUGE.

Despite having the second most first place votes, Kobe finished not only behind Nash but also LeBron and Dirk. Nash ran away with the award. I came to the conclusion these subjective awards are just as worthless as All-Star appearances.

Kobe was the best player in the NBA that year… and it wasn’t even close.

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