Non esistono più i campioni di una volta, ma oggi c'è la TV!
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from the New York Times:
COMPARING Kobe Bryant's 81-point game last month to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game is like comparing an orange to an avocado. Physically, Wilt was a totally different player from Kobe, and he had a whole different skill set. As a center, Wilt was suited to playing right around the basket, while Kobe has systematically perfected just about any offensive designation you can name. Passing the ball, shooting threes, driving to the hoop, pulling up for mid-range jumpers ... he does it all, and he does it all very well. His versatility sets him apart from the rest of the league.
I think Kobe's Jan. 22 performance was more impressive than Wilt's 100-point night in 1962 because of the variety of ways he scored. He made 7 of 13 three-pointers, he was 18 of 20 from the free throw line, he drove the basket and he hit a number of mid-range jumpers. He did it all. What Wilt did was awesome, but he did it with a more limited arsenal.
The word "selfish" often comes up when people describe Kobe as a player. I disagree. Right now, given their roster, the Lakers benefit from as much offense as Kobe can produce. This was also the case with Wilt before he finally joined a talented Lakers team. In certain cases, a team wants a superstar to do whatever he can in the hope that the rest of the team can complement him and escape with a win. Kobe doesn't want to shoot the ball every time he comes down the court. His three championship rings came about when he played with Shaquille O'Neal, who was an offensive cog in that machine. Obviously, they were able to play together pretty effectively.
While I feel Kobe's accomplishment was more staggering than Wilt's, my opinion has nothing to do with Wilt's height advantage in his era. Sure, Wilt was physically superior to everyone on the court, but that was just one mark of his dominance. It's been like that with Shaquille O'Neal his whole career, and I don't see people playing down his achievements.
I also don't put much stock in the conspiracy theory that Wilt's teammates plotted to get the big man 100. Growing up in New York and going to Madison Square Garden regularly, I used to watch those early 60's Knicks teams that Wilt scored his 100 against quite a bit. They were terrible teams and played no defense. Wilt's Philadelphia Warriors teammates were no slouches, but it made sense to have the offense go through Wilt every trip down court — they needed as much scoring from him as they could get.
I think one of the most impressive aspects of Kobe's performance was that he did it in an era when millions of people worldwide either watched the game or saw the highlights. When Wilt hit the century mark, it was in Hershey, Pa., and only 4,000 or so fans saw the game. It was on the radio, but most people found out about it the next day reading the newspaper. That Kobe's feat was done with the world watching and under intense news-media scrutiny means that it will most likely resonate more than Wilt's game ever did.
As incredible as Kobe's night was, and as dominant as he's been all season long, this brand of basketball can't continue with winning results. Kobe's got one heck of a motor, but eventually exhaustion's going to set in. If I were Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, I would tell Kobe, "We're going to get you some help." Obviously, Kobe's going to be a target wherever he goes. Opponents are going to be double-teaming, maybe even triple-teaming him. His teammates are going to have to step up, or the Lakers need to look for outside help.
I don't think an individual-based team can ever win a championship in today's N.B.A. Michael Jordan was able to do many of the things that Kobe does, but things didn't turn around for the Chicago Bulls until Scottie Pippen's game started to develop and guys like Horace Grant, B. J. Armstrong and John Paxson came into their own. They established a high defensive standard and the offensive balance they needed to win.
Kobe's 81-point game should without a doubt stand alongside Wilt's 100 as one of the greatest individual feats in league history, and who's to say he won't one day break Wilt's 44-year old record? The world will be watching and waiting.
COMPARING Kobe Bryant's 81-point game last month to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game is like comparing an orange to an avocado. Physically, Wilt was a totally different player from Kobe, and he had a whole different skill set. As a center, Wilt was suited to playing right around the basket, while Kobe has systematically perfected just about any offensive designation you can name. Passing the ball, shooting threes, driving to the hoop, pulling up for mid-range jumpers ... he does it all, and he does it all very well. His versatility sets him apart from the rest of the league.
I think Kobe's Jan. 22 performance was more impressive than Wilt's 100-point night in 1962 because of the variety of ways he scored. He made 7 of 13 three-pointers, he was 18 of 20 from the free throw line, he drove the basket and he hit a number of mid-range jumpers. He did it all. What Wilt did was awesome, but he did it with a more limited arsenal.
The word "selfish" often comes up when people describe Kobe as a player. I disagree. Right now, given their roster, the Lakers benefit from as much offense as Kobe can produce. This was also the case with Wilt before he finally joined a talented Lakers team. In certain cases, a team wants a superstar to do whatever he can in the hope that the rest of the team can complement him and escape with a win. Kobe doesn't want to shoot the ball every time he comes down the court. His three championship rings came about when he played with Shaquille O'Neal, who was an offensive cog in that machine. Obviously, they were able to play together pretty effectively.
While I feel Kobe's accomplishment was more staggering than Wilt's, my opinion has nothing to do with Wilt's height advantage in his era. Sure, Wilt was physically superior to everyone on the court, but that was just one mark of his dominance. It's been like that with Shaquille O'Neal his whole career, and I don't see people playing down his achievements.
I also don't put much stock in the conspiracy theory that Wilt's teammates plotted to get the big man 100. Growing up in New York and going to Madison Square Garden regularly, I used to watch those early 60's Knicks teams that Wilt scored his 100 against quite a bit. They were terrible teams and played no defense. Wilt's Philadelphia Warriors teammates were no slouches, but it made sense to have the offense go through Wilt every trip down court — they needed as much scoring from him as they could get.
I think one of the most impressive aspects of Kobe's performance was that he did it in an era when millions of people worldwide either watched the game or saw the highlights. When Wilt hit the century mark, it was in Hershey, Pa., and only 4,000 or so fans saw the game. It was on the radio, but most people found out about it the next day reading the newspaper. That Kobe's feat was done with the world watching and under intense news-media scrutiny means that it will most likely resonate more than Wilt's game ever did.
As incredible as Kobe's night was, and as dominant as he's been all season long, this brand of basketball can't continue with winning results. Kobe's got one heck of a motor, but eventually exhaustion's going to set in. If I were Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, I would tell Kobe, "We're going to get you some help." Obviously, Kobe's going to be a target wherever he goes. Opponents are going to be double-teaming, maybe even triple-teaming him. His teammates are going to have to step up, or the Lakers need to look for outside help.
I don't think an individual-based team can ever win a championship in today's N.B.A. Michael Jordan was able to do many of the things that Kobe does, but things didn't turn around for the Chicago Bulls until Scottie Pippen's game started to develop and guys like Horace Grant, B. J. Armstrong and John Paxson came into their own. They established a high defensive standard and the offensive balance they needed to win.
Kobe's 81-point game should without a doubt stand alongside Wilt's 100 as one of the greatest individual feats in league history, and who's to say he won't one day break Wilt's 44-year old record? The world will be watching and waiting.
posted by il Mazz at 3:51 AM
4 Comments:
Ma io avevo sentito che c'erano state delle polemiche per i 100 punti di Chamberlain...
E' una storia non provata, che come sempore nascono quando la realtà si avvicina troppo ad una storia magica, epica. Storia che Kareem Abdul-Jabbar proprio in questo articolo nega. Comunque per quel poco che sò, pare che tutta la squadra dei Philadelfia Warriors, in cui giocava Chamberlain, avesse impostato la partita appositamente per fargli fare quei famigerati 100 punti, lasciassse ogni tiro, anche il più semplice a lui e l'allenatore non lo sostituì mai(infatti giocò tutti i 48 minuti)....ma poi che importa? lui comunque li ha messi a segno!
Bryant deve essere uno simpatico, ecco la reazione di uno dei tanti intervistati dopo la sua performance....L’ex coach di Georgetown, per esempio, John Thompson ha commentato: “Bryant ma per favore! Se Chamberlain giocasse contro i Raptors oggi farebbe 200 punti!".
La dichiarazione di Thompson mi sembra una cazzata.
Bryant Bryant Bryant.....forte finchè volete ma MJ era tutto un'altro livello.
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