Dave Smith

With all due respect to Mychal Thompson, Vic “The Brick” Jacobs and almost every Laker fan I come in contact with, Kobe Bryant is not better than Michael Jordan….

Granted, Kobe is a great player and on his way to cracking the Top-Five, but he still has a long way to go before he’s on Jordan’s level….

Here’s three reasons why MJ is better:

1) Jordan was much better defensively, taking on the opponent’s top scorer on most nights and usually shutting him down. He played hard on almost every possession and made life miserable for his opponent. Kobe, on the other hand, has always been overrated defensively and doesn’t play hard all the time. He’s always been a gambler; going for steals, drifting and attempting to get cheap baskets off of spectacular plays. I never saw MJ get lit up defensively the way Kobe does and, unlike Kobe, don’t remember opponents taking him off the dribble and blowing by him.

2) Michael was much stronger physically and it was almost impossible to take the ball from him. I think he’s pound-for-pound the strongest player in NBA history; which is why he was such a great defender and finisher.

3) When you look at their career field goal percentages, it’s obvious Jordan was better at getting to the basket and finishing; another tribute to his strength. Kobe has never shot 50% in a single season, while MJ was a career 50% shooter and shot over 50% six times. This shows Michael had better shot selection and finished around the basket better than anyone in NBA history.

As for those who say Kobe is a superior outside shooter, the stats don’t support it. Bryant is a career 34% shooter from three-point range, while Air Jordan’s career total was 33%….

I love Kobe and am a lifelong Laker fan, but he is not the player Jordan was….

Now, when Kobe gets his sixth championship, maybe I’ll say he was Michael’s equal. If he gets a seventh, maybe he’s the greatest player ever….

But he has a long way to go….

One last thing….

The hell with Kobe being the greatest player in history, he’s not even the greatest Laker. I have him third, behind Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar….

Magic has five championships, all with the Lakers, and Kareem has six, five with Los Angeles….

If Kobe wins his fifth as a Laker, then we can begin the conversation about him being the equal of Magic and Kareem. And when he wins his sixth, he officially becomes the best Laker ever to wear the uniform….

But hold on, people, he’s not there yet….

Woke up this morning, scanned the headlines and came across this gem on SportsbyBrooks:

“This morning venerable NBA writer Ailene Voisin of the SACRAMENTO BEE speculated that Kings Coach Paul Westphal’s recent punishment of Spencer Hawes was related to illness of Westphal’s wife. That is, that the stress of that situation was affecting Westphal’s judgement.

Voisin called Westphal’s punishment of Hawes “excessive” while noting:

And this from an unconventional thinker who considers right-wing blowhard Rush Limbaugh one of his friends?”

Reaction: Westphal is one of the genuinely nice people I’ve ever known and this is a cheap shot by Voisin. I don’t know exctly what went on between Paul and Hawes, but to bring his politics and friends into this is totally out of bounds and Voisin should be suspended by her newspaper….

Arnie Spanier, my old radio partner and long-time friend, worked in Phoenix years ago and invited then Suns’ coach Westphal to his wedding. Not only did Paul show up, he gave a nice toast and was friendly and cordial to everyone there….

This is the tyoe of person he is….

Yes, Westphal is a Conservative Republican, but what does that have to do with anything? I’ve known him for years and have as high an opinion of him as anyone I’ve ever dealt with in sports. He’s honest, sincere, a man of his word and doesn’t deserve to be disparaged just because Voisin disagrees with his politics and disapproves of his friends….

In her world, I guess being a Republican makes you “an unconventional thinker.”….

And so what if he’s a personal friend of Limbaugh? It’s none of Voisin’s business who Westphal associates with and she comes across as an uncaring, elitist blowhard….

Especially with Paul’s wife struggling with her health. Westphal has been shuttling back and forth between L.A. and Sacramento to help care for her and this must be the toughest thing he’s ever dealt with….

For Voisin to speculate that Westphal’s suspension of Hawes was a result of “the stress of his wife’s illness affecting Westphal’s judgement” is absurd and cruel….

And then she criticizes his politics and calls a friend of his names?….

Check that recommendation that she be suspended. She should be fired….

So why did Westphal suspend Hawes? It was probably because of his pathetic one-rebound performance in a loss to the Suns, followed by these post-game comments about Westphal’s substitution patterns:

“All year we’ve kind of been dealing with that,” he said. “When you think you have kind of gotten over that hump, it comes back up again. That’s the philosophy, so you’ve just got to deal with it. Everyone up and down the roster has had a taste of that, so everyone can relate. I think it’s kind of tough, the not-knowing part on a game-to-game basis, to get in that rhythm. But that’s the way it’s going and there’s not a whole lot you can do about it.”

Reaction: I like Hawes as a player and think he has a bright future, but he’s soft and sometimes frustrates the Kings coaching staff by not playing hard. In the game against Phoenix, he got pushed around, didn’t play hard and got one rebound; which is totally unacceptable for a seven-footer….

Should he have been suspended for a game? It’s not for me to say, because I’m not in the locker room and don’t know what’s happened during the course of the season….

Maybe this has been going on for a while and Paul wanted to send a message to the young guy that he needs to toughen up and play harder….

Evidently Voisin has it all figured out, though. Westphal is a right-wing nut job who associates with a right-wing blowhard and has completely lost his mind because his wife is ill….

I know it won’t happen, but Voisin should be getting ripped nationally for this….

Wow, after five games away and some actually claiming the Lakers are better off without him, Kobe Bryant worked his magic again in a come from behind win over the Grizzlies….

As usual, the Beanster nailed shot after shot down the stretch, including a three-point dagger with four seconds left to give the Lakers a one-point lead….

Question: How in the hell was Kobe so wide open for that three in the closing seconds? Leading by two, you’d think Memphis coach Lionel Hollins would have surrounded Bryant with all five players and not allowed him to touch ball….

Every time Kobe nails a dagger in the closing seconds, I simply cannot believe opposing coaches allow it….

It’s kind of like clock management in football; sounds simple in theory, yet there’s not a coach in the NFL who knows how to do it….

If I’m an NBA coach, there’s no way Kobe touches the ball in such a situation. If someone else beats me, so be it….

On the Lakers final possession, all it took was a screen by Pau Gasol to free Bryant for the shot. As soon as Gasol set the pick, two Grizzlies should have jumped the screen and surrounded Kobe; but I guess Hollins thought he was due to miss….

Unbelievable….

After reading the following in the New York Daily News, I’m calling bulls***….

“Talk about a gold medal couple!

Figure skater Evan Lysacek is dating fellow Olympic gold medalist, gymnast Nastia Liukin, People.com reports.

The couple, who first met in October 2008 while performing on the NBC special “Skating & Gymnastics Spectacular,” confirm that they have been dating since last summer.

“We became good friends and have become really close since then,” said Lysacek, 24, who noted that the relationship has become stronger since he escorted Liukin to the ESPY awards last July.

Liukin, 20, traveled to Vancouver to cheer on her beau, who became the first American man to win the Olympic gold medal for figure skating in 22 years.

“To see his dreams come true was amazing,” said Liukin, who won a gold medal for all-around gymnastics in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“Even though we’re not in the same sport, we got to connect at the same level because there’s nothing like the Olympics,” she said. “It was nice to be on [the] other side of things and be the support system, but I was nervous.”

Reaction: I’ve seen Lyasacek interviewed, watched his body language and don’t believe he’s dating Liukin. I also don’t believe he dated Tanith Belbin, either. Just my opinion, but I believe Lysacek would have more interest in Johnny Weir than either of these hotties….

After charges of spousal abuse were made against him, former Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield and his wife reached out to Dr. Phil, who took the two of them to dinner with the understanding the Real Deal and his third wife would go on the shrink’s show….

The result, to say the least, was interesting….

“The truth is Evander did not like Dr. Phil and what he was proposing,” a source said. “He felt he was totally man-bashing him. Despite all of Dr. Phil’s assurances there was a big clash of personalities and Evander simply didn’t want to do it.”

Reaction: I don’t believe Holyfield wanted to visit Dr. Phil and did it only to diffuse the domestic violence charges. Evander is old school, says the man of the house makes all the decisions and believes it’s perfectly okay to cheat on your wife….

Evidently he also believes it’s okay to discipline her….

His lawyers probably told him that going on McGraw’s show would be beneficial when it came time to stand in front of a judge….

But when Dr. Phil started in with the new age crap about making a marraige work, the old school beliefs surfaced and Evander could take no more….

By the way, Dr, Phil pulled off one of the greatest scams in history when he came out with his lion of weight loss products. For a man as grossly overweight as McGraw to actually convince silly women that he was an expert in weight loss is astounding….

A fat guy selling a weight loss plan? Now that’s a guy with some stones….

What’s next, Dr. Phil shampoo and conditioning products for men?….

Everywhere I went today; the gym, the market, walking the dog and on the internet, I noticed a fascinating thing is going on: Almost everyone is telling me the Lkaers are better without Kobe Bryant and should get rid of him….

Yes, I’m impressed with the way the team has played in the three games without Kobe, but there is no way they win the championship without him….

It’s one thing to play unselfishly, move the ball beautifully and beat teams in the regular season. But when it comes to the playoffs and winning close games against good teams, you have to have a great closer like Bryant….

He’s the best clutch shooter in the NBA, gets to the free throw line in the closing minutes and plays lock down defense when properly motivated….

But there is no doubt the Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season without Kobe. They’re moving the ball, playing unselfishly and defending at championship levels. Hell, they’ve held three consecutive opponents under 90 points and two of them are championship contenders….

Pau Gasol looks like he has a new lease on life and playing as if a giant weight has been lifted off his shoulders. There’s a bounce in his step, a smile on his face and the past two games he’s averaged 21 points and 19 rebounds. He’s also not the soft guy who disappeared in the Finals against the Celtics….

He’s challenging shots, rebounding and become a real force in the post….

The big question is this: Is Gasol playing well because of Kobe’s abscence or Andrew Bynum?….

In my opinion, he’s playing much better because Kobe is not there….

With or without Bynum, Pau would get lots of touches. With Kobe playing, however, Gasol hardly touches the ball ….

The solution is simple: If Bryant shoots less and pass more, the Lakers are unbeatable. Can you imagine what a force this team would be if they were this unselfish with Kobe on the floor?….

His teammates are not Kwame Brown, Smush Parker or Chris Mihm, so there is no reason Kobe shouldn’t trust them and keep the ball moving….

Here’s another thing: I’ve said for years that Kobe is the most overrated defensive player in NBA history and I’ve seen nothing to change my opinion. He goes for low percentage steals, drifts, leaves his man open and gets beaten off the dribble consistently. Sure, he can lock his opponent down when he feels like it, but unfortunately he doesn’t feel like it often….

I had Steve Kerr on my show last year and asked him about what it was like to be guarded by Bryant. “I loved it when he guarded me,” he said. “He drifts, goes for steals and left me open all the time. Of course, if he wanted to he could lock me down and I wouldn’t be able to get a shot off. But fortunately for guys like me he doesn’t defend hard all the time.”….

This is why he’s not as good as Michael Jordan. As talented as Kobe is, he’s not the defender Michael was, isn’t physically as strong and doesn’t finish around the basket as well….

The evidence is MJ is a career 50% shooter while Bryant has never shot 50% for a season….

And here is a much bigger question: With Kobe’s contract expiring after next season, I’d be very careful about giving him a five-year extension at the maximum level. I know he keeps himself in great shape and has an unbelieveable tolerance to pain, but next season will be his 15th and he’s also been going deep into the playoffs and playing for the national team during the summer….

He’s approaching 40,000 minutes played, which is when players normallly begin to decline. He’ll be 32 next season, but he’s a very old 32 and there’s a lot of tread on the tires….

If you give him five years and around $130M, which is what it would take, the deal would expire in 2016, when Kobe would be 37….

My offer would be three years at the max, which would be around $80M. This would take him to age 35, when his skills would probably be in serious decline….

GM’s always have to think about the future and a five year extension through 2016 might just cripple any plans to rebuild. It could be a Tracy McGrady/Penny Hardaway/Allen Houston situation, where a once outstanding player is now destroying your salary cap and any chance of bringing in new players….

Maybe I’m wrong and Kobe will still be going strong at 37, but history and father time say otherwise. He’ll be in his 20th season and a shell of his former self….

A three-year extension at the max should make everyone happy….