Jeff Van Gundy defends Kobe Bryant during Game 6 2010 NBA Finals vs Boston

During Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, Jeff Van Gundy felt criticism of Kobe was unfair. Kobe had just came off a 38 point performance in a Game 5 loss in which he scored 19 points in the 3rd (extending from the end of the 2nd to middle of the 3rd quarter he scored 23 straight points for LA) going 7-9 and hitting his first 7 shots! However LA couldn't get stops and Kobe's performance went to waste as the Lakers went down 2-3 in the series. JVG had enough of the Kobe Bryant criticism and felt he was going to let the world know it.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Jeff
• Van
• Gundy
• defends
• Kobe
• Bryant
• Game
• 2010
• NBA
• Finals
• Boston
• Celtics
• respect
• Mark
• Jackson
• Breen
• basketball

[toosauce]

real recognize real. i've never heard any coach or nba player say anything negative about kobe. every player has said kobe is the best of this generation. dumbass media and stupid ass casual fans no nothing about basketball.

[sp00kyfrank]

Kobe has also been playing through injuries that seriously can affect your game (torn ligaments, bum wrist, problem is 2 of his fingers on his shooting hand, bum knee, etc etc) during the last few years. even during his championship years,he played through injuries normal players would have sit out. And they give such high praise to MJ for playing one game with the flu.... Haters gon hate.

[cicirunner]

@SidBuford1414 Also, Kobe isn't shooting 45% this year. He is shooting 43.9% and it keeps dropping. He is streaky. In the last 2 games (against shitty teams) he shot 51%. The 3 games before that (against good teams) he shot 37%. The 2 games before that (shitty teams) he shot 50%. Then 7 games before that (good and bad teams) he shot 37%.

[cicirunner]

@SidBuford1414 Kobe tried to guard Lin in the 4th quarter dude. He got owned. I'm not saying Lin is better than Kobe. All I'm saying is Jeremy had a better game than him on that given night.

[cicirunner]

@SidBuford1414 But the dude is inconsistent. He will shoot 50% for 3 games and then shoot under 40% for 3 games.

[SidBuford1414]

@cicirunner if you make 45% of your shots on the night, trust me nobody's going to complain. that's approximately 5 makes for every 11 shots. that's not bad at all

[24chargerboi]

How can you guys comment on here and say Kobe is not great? Are you fucking kidding me? Do you even watch the guy play? If you say Lebron is better then you are a dumbass! Wait and see what happens when Lebrons athleticism goes away. MJ and Kobe only seemed to get better when it happened to them but just wait and see.

[imfreeinfinity]

@cicirunner Lebron has just became a villian a year and a half ago. Kobe has been hated since he entered the league. Kobe knew the media loves to build you up then tear you down. Lebron is just getting a taste what Kobe has been going through. They gave lebron the reputation and status he did not deserve back then. Now he will truly have to earn every bit of respect like Kobe does. Your partially correct but everything is a technicality for Lebron here on out.

[cicirunner]

@keithplaywitit You can call it basic facts. I call them relevant and current facts. Sure Kobe has hit some big shots in his career, but recently he has not shown that. In their last championship where they beat Boston in Game 7, his shooting was so off that he couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat.

[keithplaywitit]

@cicirunner he has proven it fool, last year was a bad year for the whole lakers team and not for Kobe alone. even the ratliff, steve blake sign were bad on its own, it made the team worst than having vujacic and farmar in the lineup. you clearly dont know a lot about basketball you base your comments on basic facts lol

[cicirunner]

@eyyobaby Jordan is too competitive to ever admit a thing like that. He said a few years ago that he thought Kobe was the best player in the league, but he wasn't speaking in terms of greatest all time.