23 or 24 continued
Friday, March 23, 2007
Defense: Kobe is a perennial NBA All-Defensive First Team selection, and frankly this isn' teven a competition between he and LeBron. The King has picked it up on the defensive end in the second half of year according to some analysts, but still isn't a lock-down one-on-one defender in this league (perhaps because although he is a ridiculous athlete, his lateral movement isn't as swift as everyone thinks and players seem to have no trouble driving right by him). Kobe not only guards the other team's best player when games are on the line, but also gets matched up against the opposition's best defender and gives his team a huge advantage on both ends. Edge: Kobe Bryant.
Intangibles: LeBron has a sixth sense on defense, and often comes up with big-time steals that nobody else can make, however his and Kobe's steal numbers are nearly identical, as are their blocked shot totals. LeBron is a better passer, there's no questioning that, although their assists are very similar and regardless of what some say, LeBron has a far superior supporting cast. LeBron is also seven years younger, and seven years down the road he could...and I mean COULD end up doing things that Kobe never did. But will he ever be able to drop 65 points in a game when he's being double and triple-teamed and simply dominate on both ends of the floor? It's just too difficult to say at this point. Slight Edge: LeBron James.
Will to Win: You'd be delusional to not understand that Kobe Bryant is simply the most competitive person in the NBA (After all, he is the only guy who actually tried in the All-Star game this year). His team is terrible...which is probably why he's decided to put them on his back and carry them into the playoffs, and those of you who are going to say that Lamar Odom is a great player had better not even start with it...yea he is good if you like a 6'10" guy who settles primarily for jumpers and is one of the most prolific "chargers" in the game when he goes to the hole. Kobe has spent most of this year deferring to these average-at-best players, and it's been nice to see that he can play that style too, however the problem is that they just do not win games when Kobe doesn't dominate (Case in point: 3-0 over the last 3 games with Kobe scoring 65, 50 & 60 respectively, all in games that were competitive down the stretch).
Kobe knows that they aren't going to even make the playoffs if he doesn't step it up, and lately thats precisely what he's done. Did i mention the fact that he also doesn't back down from anyone, as we saw the other night when he dropped 65 on the Blazers and nearly "Dropped" Jarrett Jack late in the fourth quarter? LeBron has played great as of late as well, scoring a boat-load of points, but the Cavs have lost two in a row and even commentators are wondering why he hasn't tried to take over these games until late (Lebron loves to rack up points when they're down 15 in the fourth, but a lot of the time this is too little, too late). As far as his "will to win," we are all still wondering when it will take center stage (Yes, he did dominate the Wizards series last year...but where's this drive been ever since?) Lebron doesn't hit game-winning shots, and often settles for bad shots when he could simply drive to the basket and win the game that way (That wouldn't look as sweet on sportscenter would it?).
Edge: Kobe Bryant. Many of you believe that LeBron will end up being the greatest player in the history of the NBA, and MJ is still the measuring stick. At this point in his career, Kobe is doing everything that Jordan did with a far worse team (Oh he also doesn't have the luxury of a Scottie Pippen on his side who is one of the top 50 players of all time, a lock down defender and also a great scorer and passer). Their statistics at this point in their careers are nearly identical, with very slight edges going to both in different categories. Kobe also possesses that insane ability to start off a game and make fans call all of their friends a few minutes into the game in anticipation that he just might score 100 on any given night (I have called the SportsBoy at least five times this year to discuss this very concept...and we've even discussed a potential KobeTV channel that would broadcast all Lakers games so that fans don't have to watch it transpire on GameCenter when he goes off like last night).
Who knows what the future will hold for LeBron...will it be championships in Cleveland, or a new city and a new franchise? Will he develop a jumpshot that is impossible to stop like Kobe has, or will he remain player who commentators ask, "Why isn't he going to the basket?" We simply don't know, yet we hope and dream that one day we'll be watching Lebron thinking the same things that we think when we tune into a Lakers game these days...in a Cavs uniform.
photo courtesy of newsday.com
