Now, I don’t know about you….but I’m-a go ahead and choose that last option.
Because there’s no way I’m going with this other guy’s list! Carmelo Anthony at number one is acceptable, but the sanity stops there. Shawn Marion at number three? Hedo Turkoglu at number five?? Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson at number seven???
These guys are more clutch than Kobe? Come on!
It’s not until number 25 on the list that we find Bryant’s name. And the names in front of him continue to border on bizarre: Rashard Lewis at number six, Mike Bibby at number nine, and Vince Carter at number 20?
Vince Carter…really??
The idea itself is preposterous. But to actually research it, write it, then to go on national sports talk radio and defend it…now that’s downright laughable.
Yet, there he was defending the numbers to his last breath. Finally, as the list seemed to crumble under the weight of its own absurdity, the author then switches to his other point that the Lakers, and indeed all teams, would be much more effective in crunch time if they would just run their offense and ditch the isolation plays.
Yes, that’s exactly what the Lakers should do. They should abandon what’s gotten them to this point and turn the play-calling over to the stat geeks!
Go back in history…
What if Magic had passed up the baby-sky hook in Boston Garden and instead hit Kurt Rambis with Game 4 and the 1987 NBA Championship on the line?
What if Kobe had never crossed-over Scottie Pippen and hit Shaq with The Alley-Oop of all alley-oops, against Portland in the 2000 Western Conference Finals, and instead gave the ball to a wide open Rick Fox.
What if Reggie Miller had chosen to run the offense instead of scoring an improbable eight points in eleven seconds verses the Knicks in 1995; including 2 miracle three pointers in the final seconds that Knick fans are still scratching their heads over!
Or, what if Jordan never took “The Shot” against the Cleveland Cavs in 1989 or the last shot against Bryon Russell and the Jazz in 1998 and instead passed off to teammates that were more than likely open somewhere else on the floor?
