mj over kobe.. easy decision to make.. kobe is not as clutch as michael.. and kobe never averaged a .500 FGP season.. that means every 2 shots that mj put up, 1 goes in.. amazing efficiency.. the highest FGP kobe has is .469, compared to mj at .539 ( nba.com ).. now, magic highest is .565.. of course there's really no objective way of measuring a player's hustle game i.e. chasing loose balls, running for a fast break, running to defend a fast break.. but i would say mj first, magic a very very very close second (almost a first) and kobe last..
MJ scored 51, 45, 45, 44, 43, 41, 41, 40 and multiple 30+ point games as a 38-40 year old player on bad knees with quarter of athleticism and speed he use to have. And that is all BEFORE the hand checking and rule changes in 2005..
Unleash 23-30 year old MJ into todays league and it is all over..
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"Farewell, Damos... Ash, Pikachu... And you. All of my beloved." -- Arceus
Yes Kobe is the Jordan of this era but look at last season's play offs. That kind of tells you that Kobe as good as he is IS NOT MJ.
Kobe has that edge over others in the league today and had a great team to fall back on plus the coach that got Jordan to where he is today. Yet he could not pull off what Mike has done.
MJ was working teams back then....when all the rules such as hand check were still in effect. kobe's era, i felt, had better INDIVIDUAL players but as far as a team game...Jordan had it tougher. Piston even had to invent a Jordan rule to stop the guy lol.