Advertise Write for Us

Kobe Saves the Day, but Bynum Steals the Show

February 24, 2010 – Kevin Burke

Even at the tender age of 31, Kobe Bryant is still inarguably the most talented player in the league (the Kobe vs. LeBron debate isn’t even really a debate as far as I’m concerned) and his performance against the Grizzlies Tuesday night is exactly why. After sitting 5 games, plus the All-Star Game, due to a bum ankle, Kobe picked up right where he left off. In his 1,000th career regular season game, he reminded everyone why he is excellence personified. He dropped 32 points, grabbed 7 boards and handed out 6 assists. He also hit the game winning 3 with 4.3 seconds left on the clock as he scored the final 9 points for the Lakers. It was a classic performance by number 24.

But that wasn’t the impressive part of the game for me. What impressed me the most was that Andrew Bynum didn’t get hurt. In each of the last 2 years in games against the Grizzlies in the beginning of the calendar year, Bynum suffered serious knee injuries. On January 13, 2008, at the Staples Center, Andrew dislocated his left knee cap in somewhat of a phantom play, and was lost for the season (that ended up being the only reason why the Lakers lost to the Celtics in the Finals, but I digress). On January 31, 2009, Kobe rolled into Bynum’s right knee causing it to hyperextend. He came back later in the season but wasn’t as effective, despite the Lakers still winning the championship. Well, they played Memphis again tonight but luckily for LA, he walked away unscathed (I’m glad because I didn’t want to have to put him into the Greg Oden Club). Because of recent history and his luck in games against Memphis, him walking off the court under his own power was far more impressive than anything Kobe did tonight. With their full unit in tact, they will be next to unbeatable come playoff time.

If you’re looking for your everyday, predictable basketball talk, then go somewhere else, because Kevin Burke of The Kevin Burke Project brings provocative, thought provoking content about basketball as only he can. For example, I bet you’ve never heard anyone provide legitimate reasons as to why Tim Duncan may be overrated, so buckle your seat belts and enjoy the ride.

Grading the Mid-season 2010 NBA Trades

Lebron James Pre-Game Routine is Borderline OCD [Video]

Check Out These Hot Stories On The Web

Comments

  • Don Jeremy

    Question is Kevin: Why are the Lakers in late game situations with a sub .500 team like the Grizzlies in the first place. To me the Lakers even with Kobe’s late game heroics aren’t the top team. Cavaliers and Nuggets are head and shoulders above the Lakers right now and would kill them in a 7 game series.

  • Pingback: uberVU - social comments

  • Pingback: === popurls.com === popular today

  • Umo Trinko

    Seems to me that Kobe is WAY full of himself lately!

    Jess
    http://www.true-privacy.es.tc

  • http://www.thekevinburkeproject.com Kevin Burke

    Don, good point about the Grizz being a sub .500 team, but even the 72-10 Bulls lost to the lowly Bucks. Can’t win them all. You can’t call any team “head and shoulders” above the Lakers with a straight face. Denver is good but they can’t beat LA in a 7 games series. The core of each team is the same as last year when LA won in 6.

    And if you’re that good, you should be full of yourself.

  • Don Jeremy

    @Kevin – how can you say the Lakers would beat the Nuggets in a 7 game series this year when the Nuggets have beat the Lakers convincingly every time they have played them this season? You got to quit living in the past, Nuggets are the truth this year.

    Even last year that series ended in 6 but could have gone either way. A couple games were one or two calls from going the other way. It was the Lakers time, but this year clearly is the Nuggets time in the West.

  • Matt

    Don Jeremy, Cavs and the Nugs lost to the Grizzlies this season… and there is no way the nugs are above the lakers they dont have the discipline which was apparent in last years western conference finals which the nuggs lost because they couldnt do the little things (like passing an inbound pass)… cavs are prolly the only team that is on the same level as the lakers

  • http://www.thekevinburkeproject.com Kevin Burke

    Well said Matt. And let’s not forget that Kobe is playing with 9 fingers.

  • Jeff

    Kevin: when you say the Kobe vs Lebron debate isn’t even in question, what did you mean by that? Lebron is the best player in the league hands down. Kobe may be the most talented, but there is no debate as to who is the best player in the NBA: Lebron. I’m a laker fan, but that’s just the truth.

    For the record Matt, this is professional play; any team can beat the other on any given night. That’s why there are upsets. Just because A beat B, but B beat C doesn’t mean A is better than C.

    The Nuggets may not be favorites to win the title, but they can play just as well as the Lakers and Cavs and are legitimate candidates for a run at the title.

  • Pingback: masgol.com » Blog Archive » Regresa Kobe y se anota el triunfo

  • Kevin Burke

    Jeff: I guess I view most talented and best player as synonymous. If you have to give the ball to someone for the final shot to win the game, there’s no way you would pick LeBron over Kobe. No way. LeBron would just end up passing it to a role player (see Donyell Marshall) for the final shot.

    LeBron’s best attribute is that he’s bigger than everyone else. Kobe’s best attribute is that his mechanics are flawless. Therein lies the difference between the two. LeBron doesn’t do anything better than Kobe offensively (I’m strictly talking scoring the ball here). But don’t confuse what I’m saying…of course LeBron is still a great player though.

  • http://paiddirectory.megafoo.com paid directory

    Kobe Bryant is really good at basketball.

  • http://vzwpix.mobi verizon

    This season should put the Kobe vs LeBron debate to rest.

  • Pingback: NBA Power Rankings: Week 17 | The Hoop Doctors