[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by StrayBullet

And so without Nash, the Suns are nothing? Amare, Shawn Marion, Barbosa, Diaw... But without Kobe, ....Lamar Odom, Smush, Andrew Bynum, Luke Walton, Sasha Vujavic are better off? The Lakers had a better record without Kobe, right? Sure.

I agree with you; Steve Nash and Kobe are different players. Nash is a point guard and Kobe is a swingman. But when you're constantly double and triple-teamed, you're above .500 in the Western Conference, with a roster full of scrubs and "9th mans" and Luke Walton starts to look promising, I'd think you're making you're teammates better.

Yes... yes. We all know the arguments, "Nash is so unselfish and Kobe is a ball-hog." "Kobe plays for himself." ...blah, blah, blah... In case anyone hasn't been watching, Kobe has completely changed his game. Phil said he was "uncoachable". He comes back. Talks it over with Kobe last season and they make the playoffs and almost knock-off the would-be, "MVP" and his Suns. Same thing this season. Kobe is ALOT different now than he was 2 years ago.

The Lakers go on a 7 game losing streak and Phil basically had to force Kobe to start shooting and STOP PASSING!!! And now they're on a 5 game winning streak since then. 4 consecutive 50-point games, 43 on Sunday and a winning streak, while the rest of the team has been playing poorly.

Yea... I'd rather take Steve Nash too.

All I'm sayng is last year without Stoudamire (who I would consider one of their key players) the Suns went to the Western Conf. Finals. This season when Nash misses games the Suns are criticised for uninspired play.

As I said, if I was picking a fantasy team where personal stats were all that mattered, I'd pick Kobe. But since basketball is played with 5 guys on each team, one player who can make the other 4 that much better is a rare quantity.