Is the scoring title Kobes?

[Reality]

Whatever you can do A.I., I can do one better.

That seems to be what's going on scoringwise this season.  
Calm down Laker posters, I am not dissing Kobe on this front.  He's hitting 50% or even better the past month and dishing out a few high assist games.  So let his 40 bombs continue.  

It just seems like he is not going to be denied.
I don't buy one iota that neither he or A.I. are not concerned about who is in front.  I think that both want to win the scoring title badly, irregarless the cliche babble "I don't even think about that, it's just about the team winning. Blah blah."

So, with his conditioning etc, is the scoring title all but Kobes to win or lose this year?  Irregardless of what kind of a push A.I. puts on, will Kobe do one better?

I will say i do hope both teams are either both in the playoffs, or both out at the exact same juncture.  Cause I'd hate to see a scoring runup scenario in some meaningless end of season games.  Course if they both were out we could see some pretty funny runup games.

[Guest_Randy]

Actually, I don't believe that either Kobe or AI are really focused on the scoring title -- both of these guys COULD put up higher numbers but I think both are focused on trying to get their teammates involved and winning games.  I actually think Kobe got a bit embarrassed over some of the comments after his 81 point game.  I think both of these guys would rather make the playoffs than win the scoring title (although I'm sure they wouldn't mind winning the scoring title if that happens).

[Derek Bodner]

Yeah.  AI's shot totals haven't been going up too much lately, just his effectiveness.  I mean, if he's able to get to the line 15+ times a game, you take it.  It's not his fault he drops 30 points on 17 shots vs the bucks, or 33 pts on 20 shots vs the pacers.  Or 38 pts on 23 shots vs the bulls.

Eventually the effectiveness will go down to normal levels, and his scoring will as well.  It's not a conscious decision to score, it's just a time where he's exceptionally efficient.

[rickortreat]

IMO, AI is more focused on getting the team going.  He knows the Sixers chances of winning ar much better when he gets Igoudala and Webber off early in the game. His assists are up as well.

AI is playing the best basketball of his career now, but he and Webber are at the point in their careers where they want a ring. They can't get there this year with the players around them, but they can start building that team by establishing good team play.

I don't think even Kobe feels that he can go anything special with this Laker team, so all he has is personal awards to go after.

I think it's more likely that Kobe will get the title, since AI has other more important concerns.  On the other hand, if the Sixers need AI to fill it up, he'd be more than happy to oblige.

I think the olympic snub along with the need to get into the playoffs will keep AI playing at a high level the rest of the season.

[westkoast]

IMO, AI is more focused on getting the team going.  He knows the Sixers chances of winning ar much better when he gets Igoudala and Webber off early in the game. His assists are up as well.

AI is playing the best basketball of his career now, but he and Webber are at the point in their careers where they want a ring. They can't get there this year with the players around them, but they can start building that team by establishing good team play.

I don't think even Kobe feels that he can go anything special with this Laker team, so all he has is personal awards to go after.

I think it's more likely that Kobe will get the title, since AI has other more important concerns.  On the other hand, if the Sixers need AI to fill it up, he'd be more than happy to oblige.

I think the olympic snub along with the need to get into the playoffs will keep AI playing at a high level the rest of the season.

I dont know what you are basing your 'AI is more focused than Kobe' comment from.  Other than maybe his assist avg not sure how you are judging that 3000 miles out of the Laker market.

The Lakers and Sixers are in the same exact boat.  I don't think the Lakers are going to do anything special and ditto for the Sixers.  Not sure why you seem to think that either .500 basketball teams are going to make a cinderella story after being inconsistant the entire year.

AI and Kobe are both in the same boat in the terms of that have to get other people off for their teams to get a good shot at winning.  Kobe knows that and has lowered the amount of shots he is taking to try to send the ball around.  He also has been a bit more selective in his shots and that is why his shooting % has gone up in the last month or so.  Ditto for AI.   Dont let your disliking for a player make you assume insane things.  Both teams want to goto the playoffs.  Both players want to win.  They are competitors.  If you really want to get into it Kobe has more to prove than AI does when it comes to his basketball team.  Kobe has to get his team into the playoffs or get a load of crap from the basketball world.

Is it Kobe's scoring title? Nah because AI can go on a tear at anytime.  We still have alot of games to go and AI, up until this season, has been a better scorer than Kobe has.

[Guest_Randy]

IMO, AI is more focused on getting the team going.  He knows the Sixers chances of winning ar much better when he gets Igoudala and Webber off early in the game. His assists are up as well.

AI is playing the best basketball of his career now, but he and Webber are at the point in their careers where they want a ring. They can't get there this year with the players around them, but they can start building that team by establishing good team play.

I don't think even Kobe feels that he can go anything special with this Laker team, so all he has is personal awards to go after.

I think it's more likely that Kobe will get the title, since AI has other more important concerns.  On the other hand, if the Sixers need AI to fill it up, he'd be more than happy to oblige.

I think the olympic snub along with the need to get into the playoffs will keep AI playing at a high level the rest of the season.

You REALLY should take those Sixer glasses off before you even stop to type -- you know what the difference in record between Philly and the Lakers?  Try nothing!  You obviously think the Sixer team is much better than their current record but then again, you think Dalembert is a great center!   :rolleyes:

I don't think that Kobe has given up on the Lakers any more than AI has the Sixers -- and I don't think either of them will.  They will keep trying to make their team the best and take them as far as possible -- and be unhappy with themselves that they were unable to will them beyond whatever point they go.  I don't think that either player is focused on how good their team is -- I think they keep trying to see how good their team CAN become!

Sometimes your "homerism" is beyond compare!

[rickortreat]

I'm not being critical of Kobe here.  If his team doesn't make the playoffs, I won't be blaming him, but his teamates.  

I don't think the Lakers upside potential this season is equal to the Sixers.  Philly has a shot at winning their division and getting the number 3 slot in the E.C. They have young players who are starting to come into their own, teamed with two experienced players who are or have been all-stars.

Do you seriously think Phil Jackson has a team out there capable of winning this year?  By the time they are compettive enough again, who among Kobe's teamates will be good enough to be on that team?



 

[westkoast]

Do you seriously think Phil Jackson has a team out there capable of winning this year?  By the time they are compettive enough again, who among Kobe's teamates will be good enough to be on that team?

Capable of making the playoffs but due to the fact that if they do make the playoffs its going to be in a lower seed.....no I dont think they are capable of winning much if they do make the playoffs.  There are very few teams in this league who could beat Spurs, Dallas, or Suns in the first round.  The Lakers are def not one of those teams.

I know you are not being critical of Kobe here.  I am just saying that they (Ai and Kobe) are in the same boat here.  Both are competitive, both want to win, and both have to do alot for that to happen.  Believe me, knowing how Kobe is I think going to the playoffs is 50x more important than a pointless scoring title.   Competing with your self in your gym while everyone else is playing the best of the best competition in the playoffs just doesn't sound so great if you are a competitor.

[Lurker]

And I would add that if the Lakers were in the Northwest division they would be fighting for a 3 seed also.  Rick, just because the Sixers are in the running for a 3 seed doesn't mean they are any better than a mediocre .500 club.  Especially when the difference between a 3 seed and the 8 seed is 2 games.

[Laker Fan]

The Sixers are 6-9 against teams with winning records since January versus the Lakers 5-7 record in the same period and you say the Sixers have more upside???

Kobe is clearly as interested in winning as Iverson is, AND HAS JUST AS MUCH TO PLAY FOR. Both of these teams will likely sneak into the playoffs as an 8th or perhaps a 7th seed, only to fall in the first round, where is that more upside for the Sixers? And they say Laker fans look through team colored glasses, Rick my boy, you outdo us all.

[rickortreat]

Just be around at the end of the season to see where these teams end up.  True the Lakers are in a more difficult division, but thats the way it is now.

The Sixers continue to go through a lot of changes, but there has been a definite change in their play.  

I don't expect them to continue to be a .500 team going forward.  I think the Lakers will stay about the same, but some of the teams that are behind them are ones I projected to be ahead of them, and squeeze LA out of that last spot.

I said at the begging of the season I didn't think the Lakers would make the playoffs.  So far I've been wrong, simply because some of the other teams I thought would be ahead of them didn't play well.  Sacramento comes to mind as one of those teams that may now be better than the Lakers.

Meanwhile NJ goes hot and cold, so who knows what will happen.  If they get on a hot streak again, the Sixers will have trouble catching them, but the Nets seem to be faltering.

If you saw that game on Sunday, they narrowly lost to the Pacers in a game they should have won.  A bad loss, considering they were ahead, but it seems clear there's not much difference between the teams as neither one could take control of that game.

Cleveland is ahead in the standings, but they are not that good a team.  Outside of the Pistons and the Heat, no one in the East is demonstratably better than the Sixers.  No one in LA thinks the Lakers are or could be the third best team in their conference.  



 

[westkoast]

Cleveland is ahead in the standings, but they are not that good a team.  Outside of the Pistons and the Heat, no one in the East is demonstratably better than the Sixers.  No one in LA thinks the Lakers are or could be the third best team in their conference.

No one thinks Philly is the 3rd best team in their conference either.  They just happen to be in a weak division.  No one in the east is better than Philly?  Clevland is 10 games up on the win column.  Yet they are not a good team?!  10 wins over .500 and they are an average team?    No one is going to agree with you on that one.  NJ has been playing well enough to keep their top seeding and there are two teams right on the tail of the Sixers for that 7th spot.

Your reasoning just is not making sense here.  You are getting on NJ for being hot and cold but then go on to say you dont think Philly will do the same.  Based on 60 games played they are doing the exact same things LA/NJ are doing...which is playing inconsistat.  I dont see how you expect the Lakers to stay around .500 and Philly to go on a tear when they both are .500 basketball teams.   Both 6-4 over the last 10, both are sub .500 on the road, and both play better at home.  EXACT same situations.

And the Lakers are in a virtual tie for the 7th spot  and 3 games back from the 6th spot.  While the Bucs/Bulls are 1 and 3 games back from Philly.  All the situations are stacking up the same but the Lakers wont make the playoffs and the Sixers will?!??!  :huh:  Isn't this something that Laker fans have taken verbal lashing for?  For having blind love for their basketball team??