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Now, I’d put Garnett a cut ahead of Dirk Nowitzki and Dan Issel.
To be an all-time great, you have to be a dominant scorer in the final three minutes of games. You have to be a guy who can get to the rim and the free-throw line in the clutch. I just don’t see it with Garnett. He’s a 7-footer with too much skill.
Shaq won four titles because he was too raw to leave the lane. Moses Malone won three MVP awards because he refused to leave the paint.
I like KG. He’s a wonderful human, a terrific example of how to handle going straight from high school to the pros. But he’s killing his reputation with all the perimeter jumpers. He looks like the second coming of Ralph Sampson. No one remembers Ralph Sampson fondly. Everybody talks about Hakeem Olajuwon and the Dream Shake down on the low block.
Kobe is doing everything possible to drive into the lane, and Garnett is foolishly leaving the post to fire 20-footers. Kobe, a three-time NBA champ, knows the paint is where championships happen. Garnett doesn’t.
•OUTLOOK: The Lakers are breathing easier after their 87-81 victory in game three. They feel right at home at Staples Center, where they’re 9-0 in the postseason and perfect over the last two months.
•KEY FOR CELTICS: Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have to make their presence felt. Garnett scored only 13 points Tuesday and shot six for 21. Pierce has to do better than his six points on two-for-12 shooting in game three.
•KEY FOR LAKERS: This can’t be another two-man show (Kobe Bryant and Sasha Vujacic). LA’s four starters other than Bryant combined for 22 points on seven-of-28 shooting.
To reach Jason Whitlock, call 816-234-4869 or send e-mail to jwhitlock@kcstar.com. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com | Star News Services
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