"Anybody can go out and take a lot of shots and end up with 81 points..." Michael Jordan on Kobe

LakerJam

Michael Jordan on Bryant's 81-point game: "Anybody can go out and take a lot of shots and end up with 81 points, but if you lose, who cares? He was in a great rhythm and went out and played well, so you have to commend him for that. If I were on the other side, there would be no way I would have been able to be in that game without six fouls."

Link: http://www.courant.com/sports/basketball/hc-nbanotes0212.artfeb12,0,6352613.story?coll=hc-headlines-basketball

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For those that insist MJ was so "classy" in his response to Kobe's 81, there you have it. Apparently, there was nothing terribly special about Kobe scoring 81. It's so easy that "anybody" can do it if they just take a lot of shots and are in a good rythym. Never mind the stamina involved whereby Chauncy Billups even said that he couldn't ever do it, because he doesn't have that level of physical fitness. Never mind that MJ, himself, never did it. Or that no one in the history of the game other than Wilt Chamberlain ever did it. What class for MJ to down play Kobe's 81 just to make the rest of the guys in the NBA feel just as gifted as Kobe Bryant. What a swell guy.

Yeah, that's real class all right. Turning the 2nd best (if not the 1st best) scoring performance in NBA history, into nothing more than a guy taking lots of shots while in a good groove.

KoolMo · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:48 am Post subject:

I think he was highlighting the importance of the win. It's worded in an ugly way, or at least the heading of this top is. And he is partly correct. If the other great players of the game came out shoot first for 48 minutes and got to the free throw line 20+ time they'd have a chance. I think they would have to START the game shoot first.

sodapoppenski · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:48 am Post subject:

There are a couple threads that have mentioned this, just so ya know.

I think the quote actualy first came out 4 or 5 days ago. They were
talking about it on one of the TNT broadcasts too.

Kobe>Lebron · Star Player Joined: 20 Aug 2002 Posts: 3571

Wolverine · Last edited by Wolverine on Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:59 am; edited 1 time in total

LALfan4life · Star Player Joined: 11 Jul 2004 Posts: 1266

Yeah anyone can get 81 points Jordon

I'm under the impression that if MJ ever gives anyone other than himself a genuine complement his heart will explode.

LakerJam · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:59 am Post subject:

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58380

Jordan is a competitor, Jam.

Growing up (though I was in my teens and the height of immaturity) competition was all about hating your opponent and being jealous of opponent success.

But then again, these guys aren't me in high school - they are grown up Pro's.

Though, even if MJ has won 6 rings - Kobe did something he (MJ) could never do. That HAS to give him that itch he talks about. It must really piss off Jordan that the media and fans in general are seeing a SG put up a better show that he was ever able to.

Ofcourse Jordan is still the better player because he won more rings and was a smarter player in his 30's than Kobe is now - BUT What Kobe has done 2-3 games this season has been unheard of ... Even by lengends like Micheal Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

As a human Micheal should show more class. As a competitor, I expect him to hate this feeling of being one upped.

sodapoppenski · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:12 am Post subject:

Reggie Miller has always been extremely competitive.

Not only that, but he's said some things that were on thin-ice class-wise.

Even Reggie was classy about Kobe's 81. He did that 5-minute interview
on PTI and, from those I've heard, payed Kobe more respect and
compliments for that game than any other current or former player I
heard any quotes from.

I'm with ya that lots of "competitors" will be jealous on the inside, etc of
Kobe's success (the 81 in particular right about now)... but class is still
class, and certain players just don't have it (Vince is my best example
from the comments I heard on Kobe's 81).

Jordan's I do think may have been misread a bit, but it's still pretty
shallow.

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58380

Oh it's classless the way Jordan put it. No doubt. He hasn't really commended Kobe or come out and said anything that others have. Larry Bird, Magic, Baylor, Jabar (the guys with that kind of legend status) all have really said some very kind and classy words.

But then again - Who's place is Kobe taking with these sort of performances? The guy is one upping Jordan's great one game heroics.

That's why Jordan probably has a huge fire under his ass over this. He probably saw the hype and media twist and turn over Bryant. Kobe went from most hated to most feared.

Jordan can't really like the feeling of being one upped. I'm glad he's reacted this way. It shows that even he knows that Kobe's outdone him at a period of basketball.

GoldenThroat · Moderator Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 37474

It is beyond the grasp of my mind that an 81 point performance needs to be defended.

Lakers 71-72 · Star Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 5059

Kobe doesn't get calls like Jordan did. Maybe Jordan's conscience is bothering him.

dries · Starting Rotation Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 726

clone · Star Player Joined: 28 Apr 2001 Posts: 2655 Location: LA

Anybody? Come on Mike. He just confirmed of what I knew all along: he was and will always be an A-Hole.
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JayInLA · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:01 am Post subject:

Oh man, anything short of giving Kobe a blow-job is considered hate around here. Get a clue, he did compliment Kobe's 81. That remark might come off as snide, but I'm sure he meant nothing by it. I mean, don't expect everyone to slobber all over Kobe's nutz after such a great perfomance.

Scherm · Star Player Joined: 12 Apr 2001 Posts: 4155

It reminds me of Pat Riley's quote that anybody could score 81 if they shot 70 times. How about if they took 46 shots?

And how many could get themselves open that often when the other team was running defender after defender at them?

Nothing diminishes former superstars more than their reluctance to compliment their successors. You can either be gracious like Bill Russell or you can be a grumpy old man who starts every sentence with "Back in my day..."

Bergamotichek · Retired Number Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 16777206

Sour grapes

kells1220 · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:30 am Post subject:

Who cares what he thinks. Kobe's performance was amazing. End of discussion.

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58380

BigAssLakerFan · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:59 am Post subject:

Well, MJ says anybody can go out and take a lot of shots and end up with 81. Kobe took 46 shots and ended up with 81; while MJ took 49 shots (1/16/93) and ended up with under 69.

Those are the facts, end of discussion.

D-Dogg · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:05 am Post subject:

Glad I never liked that anus.

T3D · Sixth Man Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 51

kobe has taken shots at jordan b4. I remember when Jordan was coming back to the league and kobe was saying how it was funny that jordan was returning when the nba was up for its tv contracct.

Warlord23 · Starting Rotation Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 239

Jordan is a competitor to the core. And can you blame him? Like Pippen said, in today's league, the guards get kid glove treatment. When the young Jordan was making his name in the league, flagrant fouls were hardly called except for really vicious blows. Hand-checking was allowed, and there were a bunch of tough, no-nonsense defensive teams that gave you no quarter. Today, the NBA tries extra hard to protect its product.

And unlike the so-called "Jordanesque" players of today (Kobe, Lebron, Tracy, Wade, Vince, et al), Jordan actually worked tremendously hard on defense. Most of the high-scoring SGs of the present day play defense once in five games, if at all. Forgive him for not being impressed. After all, he played with these same guys and dropped 20 ppg at a better shooting % at the age of 40, with a bum knee to boot.

LakersFanESS · Starting Rotation Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 789

Jordan said it was all about the win, right? Didn't he lose that game against the Celtics when he scored 69 points in the playoffs?

Canuck · Star Player Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Posts: 1316

Just has no class!