If the Lakers miss the playoffs, will it hurt Kobe's legacy?

[Knick Killer]

Personally, I think it will hurt it big time. I realize he's not in the prime of his career but I can't think of any other legends who had STACKED teams like this that have completely failed. What do you guys think?

[TucsonClip]

I think its safe to say its not Kobe's fault for the rest of his team sucking and playing terrible defense, despite him having his best season since '06-'07.

[Wilt_The_Stilt]

Not really. Kobe has been in the league for a long time. He is a proven commodity. If after all this time you are going to argue his legacy has significantly changed due to one season, you aren't evaluating things correctly.

And the Lakers are stacked if you only look at the name on the jersey, but Kobe, Nash, and Pau are all past their primes. Kind of like the Rockets in the late 90's.

[Basel]

I think Kobe's legacy is pretty much set in stone. I don't see anything that can take away from it at this point - his legacy can only be added to if he wins rings. What he's doing right now at his age is incredible. He's not at fault for the Lakers' lack of success this season, despite people naturally wanting to blame him because he's the leader of the team.

[Jamel Irief]

Considering 98% of HOFers either never make it to year 17 or are severely washed up, than I say no.

Would it have helped his legacy more if he retired after 2010?

[E.H. Munro]

Honestly this will be more a black mark against Howard. I do think that Bryant could have handled the situation a little better when the deal was made (I have a suspicion that he may have had a history with Howard similar to Garnett's). But Bryant always leaves it out on the court. I don't think that anyone can say that about Howard for the last year and a half.

[Headliner]

This will be on Howard for not living up to the Laker reputation of big men in the past. It will be a disappointment on Kobe's career that a team with this much talent on paper couldn't get it done, but it won't hurt his legacy.

[JBKB]

Well, most fans measure success by championship rings, which is why so much pressure and ridicule from fans had been targeted towards Lebron James before he zipped their lips by winning one of the rings that he confidently delcared to receive.

Kobe has 5 rings, so he has pleased the fans in that department. Also, even if the Lakers don't make the playoffs, Kobe will have benefitted himself in some way (stat-padding, stat-inflation, etc). Therefore, Kobe will retire with stellar accomplishments regardless of his winning or losing.

Come on, were talking about Kobe here. Even when defenses QUADRUPLE-TEAMED him, Kobe's offense still prevailed!

[XxIrvingxX]

Originally Posted by JBKB

Well, most fans measure success by championship rings, which is why so much pressure and ridicule from fans had been targeted towards Lebron James before he zipped their lips by winning one of the rings that he confidently delcared to receive.

Kobe has 5 rings, so he has pleased the fans in that department. Also, even if the Lakers don't make the playoffs, Kobe will have benefitted himself in some way (stat-padding, stat-inflation, etc). Therefore, Kobe will retire with stellar accomplishments regardless of his winning or losing.

Come on, were talking about Kobe here. Even when defenses QUADRUPLE-TEAMED him, Kobe's offense still prevailed!

I understand you're new and all, but your biased agenda towards Kobe is already starting to get old. I mean really old. Now granted you aren't worse than Drizzay, at least you acknowledge his talents, but your claims of Kobe being a stat hog and that being all he cares about is an idiotic claim.

If this were 2005-2007, then you would have every right to call him a ball hog, I still stand by my word that he was a ball hog those years. HOWEVER, he did it because he wanted to win, not because he wanted impressive stats, but because he wanted to win.

Was Kobe happy at the end of those years? Absolutely not. He wanted to get traded at one point because he was unhappy with his teams inability to get anywhere in the playoffs. He was convinced to stick around, but that alone proves he cares a hell of a lot more about winning than he does stats.

So please, enough with your biased hate towards Kobe already.

[kbdullah]

Definitely think the biggest reputation hit will be to Dwight Howard. To follow up the Indecision with no postseason begs criticism.

[JBKB]

Originally Posted by XxIrvingxX

I understand you're new and all, but your biased agenda towards Kobe is already starting to get old. I mean really old. Now granted you aren't worse than Drizzay, at least you acknowledge his talents, but your claims of Kobe being a stat hog and that being all he cares about is an idiotic claim.

If this were 2005-2007, then you would have every right to call him a ball hog, I still stand by my word that he was a ball hog those years. HOWEVER, he did it because he wanted to win, not because he wanted impressive stats, but because he wanted to win.

Was Kobe happy at the end of those years? Absolutely not. He wanted to get traded at one point because he was unhappy with his teams inability to get anywhere in the playoffs. He was convinced to stick around, but that alone proves he cares a hell of a lot more about winning than he does stats.

So please, enough with your biased hate towards Kobe already.

Ouch, I was never trying to get off on the wrong foot. : )

To be honest, I have the utmost respect for Kobe's skill. He is an amazing player, and one of my favorite players to watch. I have no problem with the Lakers, and I am affected in no way by their lack of success. I have no biases towards Kobe Bryant in any way. He is among the greatest I have ever seen play the game.

However, to say Kobe isn't a stat-padder is an outright lie. Kobe has ball-hogged his entire career. He has taken on triple-teams instead of passing to the two open teammates just to prove his superiority, and often succeeded too. Lets go back to the 2011 All-Star game when Kobe Bryant ball-hogged his way to All-Star MVP.

When Kobe's career is over, I will always see him as one of the greatest, most impressive players to ever play the game. However, I will not honor the vast majority of his achievements because they were earned immorally, and unfairly.

Hubie Brown said it best, "Kevin Durant or Lebron James could easily be the league's highest scorer if they were more selfish."

Kobe is selfish, and that explains many of his accomplishments.

Kobe isn't the only stat-padder. Kevin Love is a perfect example too. When he went on his excessive rebounding frenzy, I will never forget what a Timberwolves fan who followed every single Wolves game told me. According to him, he witnessed multiple times in which Love's teammates were in reach to grab a rebound, but instead moved out the way so Kevin Love can grab the rebound. That's immoral, and a perfect example of stat-inflation if you ask me. : )

I am probably the least biased person. Oh, and I apologize about so many smiley faces. I'll try to cut back using them.

[Jace]

Howard could get a pass for his back surgery. Those aren't easy to come back from, especially a big man.

Wouldn't be a blemish on his legacy because in the end his stats will be very good, especially for his age. There aren't stats to represent the poor effort he's given defensively, which has contributed to their struggles. He's too old and done too much for it have any real effect either way.

I think the coaches and perhaps Pau will shoulder most of the blame.

[Ron]

Kobe is one of only five players in the history of the NBA to score over 30,000 points. He's got third all-time scoring in the history of the league wrapped up unless he suffers a career-ending injury. He has five championship rings. He has two scoring titles. He has two Finals MVP awards, an NBA season MVP award and four All-Star game MVP awards. He once scored 81 points in a single game, the second most in the history of the league. And he is clearly going to be a first ballot HOFer.

His legacy is already cemented in stone.

[doctordrizzay]

He was always shit, that this season proves that.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by doctordrizzay

He was always shit, that this season proves that.