Kobe Bryant Dazzles NBA In Rookie Season

KobeBryant as of the year 2013 is one of the greatest players in LA Lakers and NBA history but in 1996 he was just an 18 year old kid out of high school trying to find his way in the league. Drafted 13^th overall by the Charlotte Hornets and then traded to the Lakers, Kobe Bryant was at that time one of only 5 players to make the jump from high school to the NBA (Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby).

The unique thing about that though is that Kobe was really the first guard or non big man to make that jump from high school to the NBA. Few Players love the game like Kobe “I always tried to hold a basketball, watch basketball, think about basketball, People told me to get away from basketball, but I can't. It's in my blood” Bryant said. As a guard who comes from high school to the NBA you need to have that passion for your craft. His father Joe “Jellybean” Bryant said it best when speaking about Kobe's transition "People say he's not 6-10 or 7 feet. I'm saying, `Now wait a minute. Sure, he's not 7 feet, but he's a smart player and he understands the game.' Nobody really ever said that, and that upset me a little because, to be a guard, you really have to understand the game”.

When speaking about Kobe then Lakers head coach Del Harris said the following "It's not just (his athleticism), I guess you would say it's the athleticism combined with so many skills. You get so many athletes who excite you with potential, but they don't have the ball handling or shooting skills. And here's a guy that actually has got all these things. It's just that it's in this young body.

He was dead on about the 18 year old kid from Lower Merion high school and when he put all of those things together he would go onto score 31,000 points and still counting, win 5 championships and become one of the most decorated careers in NBA history.

Although Bryant's rookie year of 1996-97 might have been limited he put on a show at the 1996 all-star game in Cleveland winning the dunk contest . Announcers drooled over his athleticism, players respected his dedication and fans marveled at his highlight tapes.Kobe Bryant was just scratching the surface of what he would become 17 seasons later.

Playoff Time 2013: Kevin Garnett

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 The term “Celtic Pride” is something that is abstract but pulsates throughout the entire Boston Celtic Locker room. I don’t think there are very many players who are “True Celtics” and exemplify what it means to be one more then Kevin Garnett. He has been loyal, played the right way and endeared himself to the garden faithful. When asked earlier in the season around the trade deadline about a possible trade to the LA Clippers Garnett responded by emphatically saying “If it's up to me, Garnett said, "I will live and die green all day”. Garnett refused to waive his no-trade clause and decided to give an NBA Title run one last shot in Green on the Parquet floor.

At this point in his career Garnett is all about preservation and understands that he needs to have energy left in the tank when the games really count in the playoffs. He isn’t the young man we saw in Minnesota lead the Timberwolves to the Conference finals, He isn’t putting up gaudy numbers, He isn’t even a power forward anymore as the NBA has evolved more into a run and gun fast paced league he has became a center. KG is a grizzled vet that understands his role on this Celtic team.

People often ask if “The Big Ticket” has anything left in the tank. Well he is 36 and Is still averaging 14 points per game with 8 Rebounds a game. It’s not Garnett like but that is more then serviceable for a guy playing on a team that’s fairly deep. If you ask him that question yourself he would probably tell you to just watch and then go out and have a big time playoff performance.

As the Celtics enter the playoffs they will take on Carmelo Anthony and a New York Knicks teams as underdogs. It is no secret that these two teams have a history of playing physical basketball. This is the kind of series Kevin Garnett was built for, the kind  of series where he can reannounce to the basketball world that he is still capable of being a dominant playoff performer. Will Kevin Garnett make a big time impact en route to a Boston first round upset of the Knicks? I guess that’s why they play the game

The NBA Playoffs begin April 20^th as the Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics take on Carmelo Anthony the New York Knicks

Playoff Time 2013: Carmelo Anthony

The purest Scorer in the league since George "The Iceman" Gervin, High School All-American and now 2013 NBA Scoring Champion are now some of the many Credentials Carmelo Anthony has earned in his career. The Question though is will he add an NBA ring to those credentials? Since his trade from Denver to the Knicks Melo has been scrutinized and then uplifted  by the New York Media and fans, he has been labeled one of the most overpaid players in the NBA by Forbes magazine. For all the scrutiny he has been through the past few years Melo has began peaking at just the right time and has been playing on an unreal level heading into the playoffs.

Like I alluded to earlier Carmelo is the scoring champ for the first time in his career but that's small stuff If Anthony wants to get the respect he deserves he is going to have to go through Lebron James and win a NBA Title. The Knicks did a great job developing chemistry early in the season which led them to the #2 seed in the East and a 3-1 record vs the defending Champion Miami Heat. There were a lot of moving parts this season in NY and Melo did a good job of leading his teammates and the Knicks on and off the court.

People make a big deal of how of how great a scorer Carmelo is and neglect the fact that he has committed himself to the other side of the ball on defense this season. We see Melo these days get after it and at 6'8 with a big body the former Syracuse star can be an asset on defense when his head is in the right place. A lot of credit has to go to Mike Woodson and the defensive philosophy he has established in NY, because of that the Knicks are getting more timely stops.

The Knicks enter the playoffs in what looks to be a playoff series that has an old-time basketball feel to it against the arch rival Boston Celtics. It's no secret that these teams have a history of physical play which extends beyond physicality and into verbal warfare. What I am speaking about is Kevin Garnett's "Honey Nut Cheerio"  Comments in regards to Anthony's wife. This will be a great 1st round test for the Knicks vs. the Underdog Celtics, expect things to be physical.

These Playoffs will play huge role in shaping the legacy of Carmelo Anthony as a Knick. He can either be known as a great player who never won a championship like Patrick Ewing or Become Legendary and put his name With the Likes of Walt Frazier and Willis Reed and become the driving force toward the 1st Championship Banner in Madison Square Garden in 40 years. Will Melo deliver NYC a Championship? we will see but the Ultimate road to a ring goes through Lebron James and the Miami Heat.

The NBA Playoffs begin April 20th as Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks take on Paul Pierce and the #7 seeded Boston Celtics.