Magic telling it how it is.

[celticmaestro]

This was a great little read. Magic Johnson, despite being a Laker legend, has always been one of my favorite players. He's a good person and, in my opinion, a straight talking and sensible analyst.

I have to agree with what he says both about the best player in the NBA and about the NBA returning to it's highest peak.

Thoughts?

Link.

[Fafnir]

This was a great little read. Magic Johnson, despite being a Laker legend, has always been one of my favorite players. He's a good person and, in my opinion, a straight talking and sensible analyst.

I have to agree with what he says both about the best player in the NBA and about the NBA returning to it's highest peak.

Thoughts?

Link.

Good article for the most part. I don't agree about Kobe being the best in the league though LeBron is a much better player. He's just on a worse team.

Which is the only problem I have with reasoning like Magic's he equates team success to the level of the player. We've all seen great players play on mediocre to awful teams. Basketball is a team game and you really do need three high quality players to get anywhere in this league.

[Truck Lewis]

i agree with Magic for the most part....I just love seeing Pierce getting such respect from a legend such as Magic.  It is about time

[celticmaestro]

i agree with Magic for the most part....I just love seeing Pierce getting such respect from a legend such as Magic.  It is about time

Yeah that's kinda what I was thinking too. He's getting his due now finally and it's good to see.

[crownsy]

yea, TP for the article, magic pretty much has my view of paul. Glad to see him finally getting some respect among non-celtic legends. Mabey, just mabye, barkley will mention him during a highlight this year...

[CelticsWhat35]

I'm just surprised by who started the thread, based on the title.  I was sure it was everyone's favorite fan of 29 teams.  But I digress.  I actually agree, for the most part.  Kobe is the best player in the league, IMO, and Pierce definitely outplayed Kobe when it counted.  What I don't agree with is Magic's assessment that the Lakers are the "world's team"?  When did that happen?  They may have a few Europeans on there team, but the Celtics had a huge fanbase globally before the league even began making efforts to extend overseas.  The Celtics are the best franchise in the world and always will be.

[celticmaestro]

I'm just surprised by who started the thread, based on the title.  I was sure it was everyone's favorite fan of 29 teams.  But I digress.  I actually agree, for the most part.  Kobe is the best player in the league, IMO, and Pierce definitely outplayed Kobe when it counted.  What I don't agree with is Magic's assessment that the Lakers are the "world's team"?  When did that happen?  They may have a few Europeans on there team, but the Celtics had a huge fanbase globally before the league even began making efforts to extend overseas.  The Celtics are the best franchise in the world and always will be.

I'd be lying if I said the title was unintentional

As much as it pains me to say it, the Lakers are the "World's team." In the UK, every second basketball fan is a Lakers fan. Same goes for other European countries I've visited (with the exception of Germany). In Asia, more or less the same. You have to put that down to the success of the Lakers in the early part of this century and just accept that most people jumped on the Shaq-Kobe bandwagon. It's a horrible fact, but a fact nonetheless.

[LarBrd33]

Kobe is better than Pierce.   Pierce isn't on that level.  But the Kobe thing seems to be overhyped by the media as some heir to Jordan's throne or something.  I don't totally understand the Kobe thing, honestly.  LeBron, IMO is better in pretty much every way other than shooting and clearly is the best player in the league today. 

[CelticsWhat35]

Kobe is better than Pierce.   Pierce isn't on that level.  But the Kobe thing seems to be overhyped by the media as some heir to Jordan's throne or something.  I don't totally understand the Kobe thing, honestly.  LeBron, IMO is better in pretty much every way other than shooting and clearly is the best player in the league today. 

I don't agree with that.  I think Kobe is a better shooter, passer (slightly), defender and ball-handler than LeBron.  But LeBron is such a freak physically.  His combination of speed and size is something hardly ever seen in this league.

[ACF]

I'm just surprised by who started the thread, based on the title.  I was sure it was everyone's favorite fan of 29 teams.  But I digress.  I actually agree, for the most part.  Kobe is the best player in the league, IMO, and Pierce definitely outplayed Kobe when it counted.  What I don't agree with is Magic's assessment that the Lakers are the "world's team"?  When did that happen?  They may have a few Europeans on there team, but the Celtics had a huge fanbase globally before the league even began making efforts to extend overseas.  The Celtics are the best franchise in the world and always will be.

I'd be lying if I said the title was unintentional

As much as it pains me to say it, the Lakers are the "World's team." In the UK, every second basketball fan is a Lakers fan. Same goes for other European countries I've visited (with the exception of Germany). In Asia, more or less the same. You have to put that down to the success of the Lakers in the early part of this century and just accept that most people jumped on the Shaq-Kobe bandwagon. It's a horrible fact, but a fact nonetheless.

Add Denmark to that list 

[Redz]

I liked this response by one of the readers

Bryant is a breathing shoe contract, he's not even a person.

[nickagneta]

Magic and Pierce are boys and Magic even turned over his summer game in LA into the hands of Baron Davis and Paul due to his fondness for the two of them and their commitment to the city of LA. If Magic would have a personal bias it might lean Pierce's way. For him to reason Kobe as the best shows me he put aside any biases and picked who he thought was best. I find that respectable. I also think he is right.

[Fafnir]

Magic and Pierce are boys and Magic even turned over his summer game in LA into the hands of Baron Davis and Paul due to his fondness for the two of them and their commitment to the city of LA. If Magic would have a personal bias it might lean Pierce's way. For him to reason Kobe as the best shows me he put aside any biases and picked who he thought was best. I find that respectable. I also think he is right.

You don't think the fact that Kobe is a Laker is a competing source of bias? Magic is a member of the Laker organization and part owner for the franchise. I don't think it shows he put aside "any biases".

It is just his opinion, we can't parse his "biases" to add value to his opinions. They are what they are, the opinions of of one Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr.

[Fafnir]

Kobe is better than Pierce.   Pierce isn't on that level.  But the Kobe thing seems to be overhyped by the media as some heir to Jordan's throne or something.  I don't totally understand the Kobe thing, honestly.  LeBron, IMO is better in pretty much every way other than shooting and clearly is the best player in the league today. 

I don't agree with that.  I think Kobe is a better shooter, passer (slightly), defender and ball-handler than LeBron.  But LeBron is such a freak physically.  His combination of speed and size is something hardly ever seen in this league.

Kobe is a better jump shooter. But LeBron rebounds better, shoots a higher percentage (because he can attack the rim more), and also passes very well.

LeBron is better because of his physical abilities rather than skills. But he's still better. What remains to be seen is how he continues to expand his game, he's so young.

[zerophase]

magic is right. i hate kobe but i'm not going to deny he's a good player. pierce just doesn't get the recognition because he isn't that flashy like kobe and lebron. you don't see pierce flying through the air for a dunk very often.