Kobe, his game has no holes or weaknesses.
Whereas LeBron still has a ways to go with a few things. If LeBron ever develops a jumper as consistent as Kobe's then the NBA is in trouble, but as it stands he can be taken out of the game if you pack it in like the Spurs did last year and make him a jump shooter. With LeBrons speed and strength it makes him nearly impossible to stop if he gets up a head of steam, he just absorbs contact and dudes seem to bounce off him. Plus he has great court vision and can find the open man in traffic. He has all the physical talent to be the GOAT but he has to master the game on both ends the way Jordan and now Kobe have.
The argument for Kobe or LeBron reminds me of the old Jordan or Magic debate years ago. Obviously LeBron is more physically gifted than Magic (Magic was far more skillful though) but their games are somewhat similar whereas Kobe has been compared to Jordan for years with how he plays. The one thing that they all have in common is that do whatever is needed to win, Kobe has been criticised for years for being a ballhog but imo all he tries to do is win.
Being a Laker fan his shot selection used to frustrate me (usually when he missed) but if you think about it a Kobe fadeaway over three defenders is probably a better percentage shot than a Walton, Kwame or Smush attempt. Now that he has better players around him you see him trust his teammates to finish the plays, take better percentage shots(because the defense isnt focused on just him) and the triangle offense is working beautifully. Jordan was exactly the same when he played with scrubs, people only seem to remember Jordan under Phil Jackson but before that he wasnt giving that ball to anyone who couldnt make the shot because he wanted to win so bad. This is where LeBron is similar to Magic in the fact that he will give the ball up and keep setting up his guys even if they miss, Jordan and Kobe didnt have that kind of patience but you cant argue with their results.
So for now its Kobe>LeBron, but LeBron works on his game and improves every year so the gap will get smaller as he improves and father time catches up to Kobe.
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It's not even close really. Very few people ever mention the fact that Kobe is a multiple All-Defensive team. LeBron's defense is adequate, at best. When you say "best player", that means both ends of the floor.
__________________ "I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy."
I don't know about that. Lebron might have gotten off to a better start than Kobe(career wise in terms of numbers), but he doesn't strike me as someone who will be playing at a high level in their late 30's. Kobe is a pure a shooter as they come, but he could easily be driving the lane as frequently as Lebron does, but someone who plays like that, someone who relies so heavily on their athleticism wont last as long.
I think in Kobe's case, some significant career records will fall, at the pace he is going, if he's able to play until he's 38, considering he's only 29 and the way he plays then sky's the limit.
I hope Lebron is able to improve his jump shot, because right now he is not a shooter, he's a scorer.
i'm a bit of a sceptic anyway, but i dont think lebron is going to be the person people want as in a new michael jordan style posterchild. hes an amazing player, and yes, has all the potential in the world. but theres things lacking there that needs a lot of work.
kobe, is easily better, considering hes the best player in the nba at this present time. i'd even put kevin garnett above lebron. if kg had a team like lebron has he would have taken the twolves further. as it is, look what hes done with the celtics.
Kobe is better than Lebron now but you know if Lebron had Shaq 5 or 6 years ag at this stage in his career he would have won as well. He went to the finals last year with nobody really complimenting him that well.
Kobe wont win another one imo. The Spurs are way too much for the Lakers in a playoff series.
Yeah and if Kobe replaced Kerr on the Bulls he would have 3 more rings....
I don't see your point in mentioning that. Who is to say Lebron would have hittin' those game winners or been as clutch as Kobe. You just don't know. I think it shows how much of a hater someone is to say that in the first place. The fact of the matter is, Kobe won 3 rings and the Lakers wouldn't have won any without him. Lebron lead his team past the Nets, a Wizards team with Arenas and the Pistons, and when he finally ran into a West team, they got swept. Were not ignorant people here buddy, we know the West is far superior to the East. The Lakers have had to play the Suns these past two seasons, and when the Cavs ran into a team of that calibur, they got swept, it's not rocket science.
When Lebron is able to master a jumpshot that is as fluid as Kobe is, then we can put him into the discussion. But right now it's no question for me, Kobe is the best and most skilled player in the NBA.
Last edited by Lord Evolution on Mar 8th, 2008 at 06:45 AM
Plus, add to all that the fact that LeBron, until this year, never even wanted to take that last shot. He doesn't have the killer instinct Kobe has. Remember when Kobe was a rookie? In the play-offs against the Jazz, he took, and airballed, 2 3-pointers late in the game. For a rookie to have the balls to do that in the play-offs you just had to know that was one heartless muthaf**ka right there. Everyone knew he was destined to hit those shots in the future.
__________________ "I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy."
Anyways, I would put Lebron and Kobe at a even level right now. Kobe is more of a complete offensive player but Lebron has a more destructive offensive game as I've never seen players just give up when he's driving. If he works on his mid range and post up game like Jordan did, Lebron could score 100 in a game. Both are very good defenders. That was a weakness of Lebron season's prior, but now the dude is a beast and especially with his freak athleticism, he can easily shut down any guard or forward in the league.
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Last edited by Dr. Strangelove on Mar 9th, 2008 at 09:20 PM
You can argue that LeBron is the MVP of this year. And I will argue back in favor of Bryant. But in no way, shape, for or fashion is LeBron a better player than Kobe. Kobe is the best by far right now. Best baketball player on the planet.