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| team rivalry |
Competition of National Basketball Association or popular with the acronym NBA season 2015/2016 has started the playoffs per Sunday (17/4). There are 16 teams that compete in order to win Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Unfortunately, of the 16 teams, the name of the Los Angeles Lakers did not make the list. Yes, the club winning 16 NBA titles, the second largest after the Boston Celtics, have failed to qualify for the playoffs for only finished the season with a record very badly 17-65.
The bad performance of Lakers itself seemed to be closing a career that does not impress to the legend of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant, who decided to retire once this season ends. Kobe, which strengthens the Lakers since 1996 chose to end his basketball career at the age of 37 years after quite often struggling with injury in recent times.
But Kobe is still Kobe, in his last official game last week (14/4) against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center, he scored 60 points to carry the Lakers won 101-96. Note 60 points itself is the highest scores recorded in a match that could be made NBA player in this season.
The overall appearance of the legend in this season remains classy. Based on statistics from basketball-reference.com, Kobe has statistics 17.6 PPG (points per game), 3.7 RPG (rebounds per game), 2.8 APG (assists per game), 0.9 SPG (steals per game) and 0.2 BPG (block per game ).
This entry was even better than his statistics in the first season and second career in the NBA.
During the 20 years of action on the field, Kobe is known as a tough athlete, smart and very good at keeping the performance. Thanks to it anyway, Kobe could achieve five NBA championship rings together with the Lakers, one time selected as the best player or MVP (Most Valuable Player) NBA, twice elected as the best player of the NBA finals, 18 times selected as All-Star and won the contest Slam dunk in the All-Star game in 1997.
It's classy, right? Not many NBA players could carve such a feat.
Plays exactly like the NBA living legend, Michael Jordan, also made Kobe often compared to the master. Both are a top-notch shooting guard. Clever on release long distance shots but also experts penetrating into the paint area.
When Jordan became the foundation of the Chicago Bulls, Kobe is the mainstay of the Lakers. Yes, Jordan was the Bulls, Kobe is the Lakers. As simple as that. But the judging who is better between the two is not a simple and easy matter. You should check the statistics both of them to pass judgment.
It is not complete if talks about Kobe but did not mention the name of Shaquille O'Neal. The name of a former teammate Kobe in Lakers, who work together to win three NBA titles in the period 2000-2002. The combination of both became a powerful weapon for Lakers under Phil Jackson's tutelage in flinging rivals.
But, do you know that actually Kobe and Shaq often involved rivalry and did not like each other at the time?
Teammate but did not get along and they could be the NBA champion was a story that really unique, was not it? But in reality, it was.
When they play together, both Kobe and Shaq were often at odds with each other, mock, and criticized each other. Jackson fortunate to be able to control the situation to make them "very get along" on the field. Their dispute even told by Jackson through his book The Last Season: A Team in search of Its Soul.
When in the game, they were always trying to look better than others. Scored more than others to make the action more impressive than others. Do not be surprised also, if rarely high fives or revelry among them. If any, it would have been more based on respect alone.
As often mentioned by media, Kobe did not like Jackson's choice that makes Shaq as the game core of Triangle Offense strategy. On the other hand, Shaq also jealous with the Kobe popularity in the eyes of Lakers fans so sales of the jersey Lakers with the name of Kobe being the most at the time.
Added with their egos that were so looming, this discord was tapered until then Shaq trade-in to the Miami Heat in 2004 and Kobe signed a newer contract with Lakers.
Kobe-Shaq dispute reminds me of some other rivalry involving teammate. Among them was Oliver Kahn-Jens and Lehmann in Football -Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna in the arena of Formula 1 (F1).
Who does not know the figure of Kahn and Lehmann, both of them were great goalkeepers of the German national team in the 1990s to the 2000s.
The difference, Kahn and Lehmann had never played in the same club. But do not ask how fiercely they compete for the number one position in the national team goalkeeper.
Teased to each other until criticized mixed with ridicule became a very common thing. This made Uli Hoeness, Bayern Munchen former big boss, hoping to Juergen Klinsmann, coach of the range of 2004-2006, to mediate this personal conflict.
Both have a good ability that makes two of them obviously did not want to lose than others. Unfortunately, the position of goalkeeper in a football game only provides one place. Added with high selfishness, then the dispute was hard to resist.
When Kahn made a mistake, then vigorously Lehmann would immediately attack. Conversely, when Lehmann was doing stupid things, Kahn did not hesitate threw a counterattack.
While it might produce only minor effects, but the dispute itself, ultimately, more result in failure for the German national team. In the 2000 European Cup and the 20014 European Cup, they were ravaged. While in the 2002 World Cup and the 2006 World Cup, Germany still unable to steal the trophy.
While F1 is so famous as the fastest car race in the World, have been born of a great competition involving a great rider who became F1 bigwigs favorite, Alain Frost and public idol, Ayrton Senna.
Both were most talented driver ever in F1. The late 1980s to early 1990s was the era in which Prost-Senna was competing and took turns into a champion of the world.
Rivalry stems from the different teams, in the end, became very hot after Senna joined McLaren in 1988. Prost was the mainstay rider of McLaren since 1984 and has earned two world titles with the English team, namely in 1985 and 1986.
Known as a quality rider, the arrival of Senna at McLaren looked like carrying a time bomb into the team. Because of Prost and Senna was not the kind of rider who is willing to lose. Being the best is their goal.
Teammate rivalry was inevitable for both of them even though only two seasons (1988 and 1989) to defend the same team. In the two seasons also both took turns being the world champion. McLaren himself always come out as the world championship constructor in two seasons.
The Hot competition of Prost-Senna at McLaren reached its peak in 1989, precisely at the Japanese GP. At that time, the Prost-Senna competed for the first post, but both were involved in a collision at the corner of Casio Triangle chicane.
Prost race was over while Senna was able to continue the race to win the race. But unfortunately, in the end, Senna was disqualified from the race. And make the effort chasing Prost in the standings became more impossible.
Efforts appeal was also rejected so make Prost's way into a world champion was more spacious. The reaction of Senna? Clearly furious.
In any sports, the rivalry is very difficult to avoid. Rivalry can create such a bad case of dispute, argument, ridicule and other negative things.
But the rivalry also can raise a healthy competitive spirit that needed by any athlete, growing desire to continue to grow better over time, including with teammates.
Kobe-Shaq, Kahn-Lehmann, and the Prost-Senna has shown us about it. Although everything is not always giving good results for the team.
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