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May 08, 2006
Ross Siler: Sir Charles and Kobe
Everything always comes back to the Lakers, even after Game 1 of the Clippers/Suns series. I'm not sure who stuck around to watch "Inside the NBA" on TNT but apparently Kobe Bryant and Charles Barkley are having a little disagreement.
According to Charles, Kobe exchanged 20 text messages with him after Charles accused Kobe of being selfish by taking only three shots in the second half of Game 6. Charles said Kobe should have gone down in a "blaze of glory" shooting the ball.
Charles said Kobe didn't appreciate what he said and made it known. And Charles was in a defense mode I've never seen, repeatedly saying Kobe is the best player in the NBA and that he has no agenda in what he says on TV.
Maybe TNT should have paid a little more attention to the highlights they showed from the second half of Game 6. They had Smush Parker charging into Steve Nash, Brian Cook clanking a 3-pointer and Ronny Turiaf missing a jumper from the elbow.
The common denominator in all three plays was Kobe taking a double-team and moving the ball to an open teammate. That's what worked for them all series. The Lakers were down 15 points at halftime with Kobe carrying the team in the first half. Maybe he should have scored 50, maybe he shouldn't have. But Phil and Kobe were both right that the Lakers had no chance getting back in the game as a one-man show.
The Lakers lost that game on defense. Who shoots 61 percent in any game, let alone Game 7?
Posted by Ross Siler at May 8, 2006 10:46 PM
Comments
ross
you're not too observant. it would be one thing if KoMe was passing the ball to an open teammate, and then maybe moving a bit to draw the defense (KoMe can do that, you know) or perhaps getting into position to grab an offensive carom.....but he wasn't. he was passing the ball and just standing there.
quit drinking the KoMe kool-aid and admit that Bryant was, is, and will always be a Me First kind of athlete.
Posted by: Hopper at May 10, 2006 03:18 PM
Finally... someone else has the nerve to put Charles in his place... I'm so tired of this guys talking out of his rear... and for Kobe to be blamed for everything that went wrong... because when everything went right... it was the Lakers as a team... but when it all went down hill... everyone blames Kobe... My only wish was that Kobe was allowed to answer Charles barkley's comments live on TNT!
Posted by: Martin at May 14, 2006 12:32 AM
You're lucky Martin, Kobe will be on TNT all Wednesday night, discussing with Barkley. KB will take Barkley into the octagon ;)
Posted by: Marcel at May 16, 2006 01:37 PM