You've got one quote from Phil comparing Kobe's clutch ability to Michael's. I've got about 100 more that I'll share in an upcoming show where Phil also compares the 2. It won't be as helpful to your argument.
Did you actually say you would take Rondo over Rose? OMG. Rondo has 3 HOF players on his team. What does Derrick have?
I have given many quotes from Phil comparing the 2. He was the first to start the comparisons. I have quotes from many others also. They are plastered all over this forum. I have shown video where he says they are comparable. I never heard him say that Kobe was better, but he does say that Kobe has some skills better than Jordan and shows in areas where Jordan is better than Kobe. I have posted quotes from Winter and Johnny Bach comparing the two as far as competitive nature, and if Kobe is on par with Jordan in clutch ability. What else do you need? Phil Jackson hates to compare the two, probably because people take it too personal. Which is sad.
I also posted Jordan and Kobe playing against each other in a game when Kobe was a 19 year old bench player. Did you see that? I think Kobe held his own in that game. Not bad for a teenager. You don't want to give him props because he is in LA? Cool, don't do it. I am giving an objective opinion. There will be many players in the future comparable to Jordan, and maybe some better players. And when it happens, I will have no problem in saying it. Kobe is top 5 in NBA history to me. I have him behind Jordan and Kareem. To say he is not comparable to Jordan is nothing but homer talk, plain and simple.
This Kobe/Jordan stuff sounds like someone trying to change the subject from a losing argument...find one quote from a GM in the NBA that would take Rose over Durant...just one. Would love to read it. Even Dumars wouldn't make that move...
I don't know about you but I have no problem, no problem, analyzing a players abilities without looking at who he plays with. The fact is all of those players say that Rondo is what makes the team go. He has ability. If he didn't, they would not be in contention right now. Those HOF players are older and not able to do what they used to do...lets not act like they are in their primes.
Also, it is easy to point out the 36 point game...you watched the series, and you didn't see Rondo doing his best Magic Johnson imitation in that series against Rose? You have to be kidding me. It seems you don't value defense very much. Perimeter defense is very, very important, and it was a big problem for Rose in that series. The only credible backcourt defender in that series was Hinrich. Unfortunately, he had to guard 2 wing players and a point at the same time...nobody can do that.
By the way, Rondo is not that great a defender on the ball, he is excellent at getting steals but he is not a very sound defender. Rondo's receiving all league honors has solely to do with him racking up steals. Chris Paul is all league defense also, and he is also sub par as a defender, but he has a lot of steals over the course of a season. Again, lazy analysis, done by just looking at stats by the voters.
