Still Magic


Today goes down as yet another series ending choke by Kobe. 2003 crying on the bench
2007 quitting in 2nd half game 7 refusing to shoot
2008 biggest 2nd half Finals collapse ever in game 4, quitting in game 6
2011 swept by the Mavericks quitting in game 4. Teammates give out bush league cheap shots during the meltdown. Magic's teams had more pride than that.

Oh and 2004 feuding with Shaq takes precedence over playing winning team ball vs inferior Pistons

Will this silence all the "kobe has 5 rings - almost 6 - and is as good as Jordan was?" bull****?

Only wearing the Laker uniform: Magic

Career, including time with other team: Kareem

"Magic's teams had more pride than that." Magic also had better teams than Kobe did.

I think Jordan is the best to ever do it but Kobe has been the closest to him in my opinion.

Just my opinion but Magic hands down. He made everybody on his team better and was one hell of a floor leader.

Can't win them all. Magic just had a better attitude than Kobe, so he was more graceful in the losses. He didn't act like a baby when things weren't going well.

Also, both players had amazing supporting casts, but I'd have to say Magic always had more help. Kareem/Scott/Worthy/Cooper/Green was better than anything Kobe ever had.

For sheer talent and will to win, I'd put them on the same plane. But Magic was always my favorite player growing up, so he's one step above in my book.

[This message has been edited by MassAggie97 (edited 5/9/2011 9:31a).]

I'd say it's a toss-up at this point. Maybe give the edge to Kobe given that he's had to play against a stacked Western Conference for the duration of his career.

going to go with numbers alone on this one.

kobe is the greatest laker. they both have 5 rings, but kobe's scoring was needed.

magic was amaznig. but he mightve had the best supported cast in the history of the nba around him. kareem, big game james, etc.

quote:

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going to go with numbers alone on this one.

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Maybe because you are too young to really remember Magic. How old were you on Nov 7 1991? 7?

Or maybe you just hadn't jumped on the bandwagon then.

Good - go with the numbers.

More rebounds than anyone in NBA history not named Russell or Chamberlain.

More points than anyone in NBA history - PERIOD!!!

11,000 points more than any other Laker in history !!!

That's right - I said >>>> 11,000 !!!!!!!

It sure aint magic or kobe.



Laura

I am one of the biggest Magic Johnson fans alive (he's the reason I'm a Laker fan) but Kobe is the better overall player of the two. I'd still call Magic the greatest Laker ever because of all the intangibles. The Lakers are the Lakers, and have been for 30-plus years, because of Magic.

In my mind, Kareem doesn't count for this because of all those years in Milwaukee.

Yeah - all those 6 yrs in Milwaukee ???

He played 14 yrs for the Lakers.

That's more years than Magic played for the Lakers, so please re-think this.



Laura

As a franchise it must be nice to not only have to argue who the greatest is, but to have that argument include: Magic, Kareem, Kobe, Chamberlain, Shaq, West, etc. Pretty incredible group of talent that have been such big parts of that organization.

Hell, throw Elgin Baylor into the mix also.

(Too bad the bulk of his career was during the Celtics 8 in a row from 1959-1966.)

Wilt, Elgin Baylor & West>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bosh, lbj, & Wade.



Laura

Thanks for your in-depth analysis, Laura.

[This message has been edited by NickNaylor (edited 5/9/2011 12:11p).]

Your welcome Nick.

Looks like you've got 2 more posts left before you hit your daily rookie limit.

If you're going to use all of them just to heckle from the audience, be sure to choose your spots wisely.

Regardless, welcome to the board !



Laura

The Lakers, and the NBA for that matter, went big-time on the cape of the Bird-Magic rivalry. For those that were around in the 1980's, basketball fans generally liked their hometown team and had a vested interest in either the Lakers or the Celtics. That didn't happen in those years when it was only Kareem in LaLa-land.

Kareem was in L.A. for years before that. It took all of one year for the Lakers to win a title once Magic joined up and they won it with Magic PLAYING KAREEM'S POSITION (and getting 42/15/7) in the closeout game of the Finals while Kareem was hurt. Throw in the charisma and childlike joy with which he played as well as the unknowing anticipation of what would happen at the the end of a Showtime fast break when Magic was leading it...those are all things that make Magic the greatest Laker ever in my opinion. He has one of the most apt and well-deserved nicknames in sports for all those reasons.

Now if he wasn't such a terrible TV personality... :-(