Michael Jordan thinks Kobe is better than Lebron

[The Young One]

Yesh, he has a size advantage. That makes him a better player. IF you can pick two players who are exactly even in every other way, but one's four inches taller, you take the taller player because it gives you a rebounding advantage, it makes him a better offensive player, yadda yadda yadda. You can't discount the fact that LeBron's a better rebounder because he's taller. He's taller, and that makes him a better rebounder, which contributes to the fact that you can argue that he's a better player.

I don't like LeBron at all, but at this point in his career, he's simply a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant.

80 percent of the nation disagrees with you.

 

[werebarret]

80 percent of the nation disagrees with you.

Yes, and I'm sure of you asked this question before "The Doucebaggery", more of the nation would agree with me.

 

[The Young One]

Naw man..the tide started to change in the celtics series. It probably would've been even around then. But when bean won his 5th...there was no debate.

 

[werebarret]

Naw man..the tide started to change in the celtics series. It probably would've been even around then. But when bean won his 5th...there was no debate.

Yes... Because the nation only cares about what happened yesterday. What happened last week. The nation forgets that LeBron James lead a team that started Sasha Pavlovic and Donyell Marshall to the finals. Forgets that LeBron James scored 25 straight points for the Cavs in game 5 of the ESF that same year. Forgets that LeBron James has won back to bakc MVPs. The fact that the nation thinks that Kobe's a better player doesn't matter. Who looks better right now? The guy who's laying low after winning a championship, or the guy who made a f*cking fool of himself the whole offseason, pissed off the entire country, and established the new most-hated team in America

Rings don't mean <Censored> for who's the better player right now. Right now, when you and I wake up tomorrow morning, when the season starts, LeBron James will be a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant. The fact that Kobe Bryant won titles in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010 doesn't mean <Censored> for who's the better player in 2011.

 

[The Young One]

Then explain to me why did the best player quit on his team?

LeBron is more talented and gifted than kobe.

But skillwise...no and not even mentioning the intagibles.

The nation also forgot that kobe bryant got kwame brown and smush parker and brian cook to the playoffs while averaging the highest single season point average since mj in the 80's. LeBron himself said kobe was better. And his bff wade said it too. What's there to debate?

 

[werebarret]

Passing/Playmaking- LeBron
Rebounding- LeBron
Finishing- LeBron
Defense- Kobe, but it's not as wide a margin as you'd think. LeBron has improved significantly has a defender
Athleticism- LeBron by a <Censored>ing mile.
Efficiency- LeBron.
Shooting- Kobe by a mile.

LeBron's better at just about everything. Statistically, he scores more than Kobe, does so more efficiently, and can impact a game in many, many, many more ways than Kobe can. He's a bigger, stronger, faster, Kobe with less shooting touch. At this point in their respective careers, LeBron is simply a better basketball player than Kobe. I'm not debating all-time, I'm not debating legacy. Right now, LeBron is just entering his prime. Kobe's at the end of it. Right now, LeBron James is a better player.

 

[RipCity32]

Passing/Playmaking- LeBron
Rebounding- LeBron
Finishing- LeBron
Defense- Kobe, but it's not as wide a margin as you'd think. LeBron has improved significantly has a defender
Athleticism- LeBron by a <Censored>ing mile.
Efficiency- LeBron.
Shooting- Kobe by a mile.

LeBron's better at just about everything. Statistically, he scores more than Kobe, does so more efficiently, and can impact a game in many, many, many more ways than Kobe can. He's a bigger, stronger, faster, Kobe with less shooting touch. At this point in their respective careers, LeBron is simply a better basketball player than Kobe. I'm not debating all-time, I'm not debating legacy. Right now, LeBron is just entering his prime. Kobe's at the end of it. Right now, LeBron James is a better player.

I've been preaching this forever. I love you.

 

[The Young One]

Passing/Playmaking- LeBron
Rebounding- LeBron
Finishing- LeBron
Defense- Kobe, but it's not as wide a margin as you'd think. LeBron has improved significantly has a defender
Athleticism- LeBron by a <Censored>ing mile.
Efficiency- LeBron.
Shooting- Kobe by a mile.

LeBron's better at just about everything. Statistically, he scores more than Kobe, does so more efficiently, and can impact a game in many, many, many more ways than Kobe can. He's a bigger, stronger, faster, Kobe with less shooting touch. At this point in their respective careers, LeBron is simply a better basketball player than Kobe. I'm not debating all-time, I'm not debating legacy. Right now, LeBron is just entering his prime. Kobe's at the end of it. Right now, LeBron James is a better player.

You forgot some things
Clutch-Kobe
Heart-Kobe
Leadership-Kobe



Passing is a wash..I cant think of a guard that averaged over 7 assists playing for phil. Kobe is just as good a playmaker when need to be.

Rebounding...Ill give that to lebron but kobe is a damn good rebounder.

Finishing..I disagree with. I think thats a wash. Lebron drives more to the basket but kobe is a damn good finisher in the lane by looking at some of his finishes.


Keep in mind..kobe was playing with a bad knee.



It's a reason guys like magic/kamla are apologizing to bryant for saying lebron is better than him.

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Debate over....

Your not gonna change my opinion and Im probably not gonna change yours so Im threw.

 

[ZigZag]

Passing/Playmaking- LeBron
Rebounding- LeBron
Finishing- LeBron
Defense- Kobe, but it's not as wide a margin as you'd think. LeBron has improved significantly has a defender
Athleticism- LeBron by a <Censored>ing mile.
Efficiency- LeBron.
Shooting- Kobe by a mile.

LeBron's better at just about everything. Statistically, he scores more than Kobe, does so more efficiently, and can impact a game in many, many, many more ways than Kobe can. He's a bigger, stronger, faster, Kobe with less shooting touch. At this point in their respective careers, LeBron is simply a better basketball player than Kobe. I'm not debating all-time, I'm not debating legacy. Right now, LeBron is just entering his prime. Kobe's at the end of it. Right now, LeBron James is a better player.

Of course LeBron has more assists. He's got the AI sh/t going on, only passing when he knows he's gonna get it. Plus the Lakers are not designed for Kobe to be passing.

SMH man you didn't include nearly all the things that pull together and form a basketball player. Kobe's intangibles are off the chart.

Building a franchise, of course you'll want LeBron. But when we're talking about the best player currently and the last 8 years, no f/cking hesitation--KOBE.

 

[werebarret]

yeah, like LeBron James is going to come out and say that he's the best player in the NBA. Imagine how much of a jackass he'd look like.

you just throw out stuff that's impossible to quantify as why Kobe Bryant is a better player.

You want to throw out the clutch thing? http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM

Kobe's clutch? His career shooting % in the NBA Finals is at about 40%.
Take a look at that.

LeBron dropped the ball this year against the Celts, but last year, against the Magic, his team lost when he was averaging 38/8/8. I suppose he should have done more, shouldn't he? In Cleveland, LeBron had to carry his team night in and night out. Every night, especially in the playoffs, LeBron had to go off for 30/7/7.. For the last seven years, LeBron has had to carry his team, and they've still consistently been one of the upper-echelon teams in the Eastern Conference... Compare that to the 2 years post-Shaq for Kobe. Middle-of-the-pack team in the NBA, first round exits both years.

LeBron's a gutless <Censored>, but the simple fact of the matter is, he can do more things well on a basketball court than Kobe Bryant.

You're confusing who is better with who is greater. Kobe Bryant is greater than LeBron. He's got the intangibles, the guts, the desire. But that doesn't change the fact that LeBron is infinitely more gifted than him, and, at this stage in their careers, a better basketball player.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Yesh, he has a size advantage. That makes him a better player. IF you can pick two players who are exactly even in every other way, but one's four inches taller, you take the taller player because it gives you a rebounding advantage, it makes him a better offensive player, yadda yadda yadda. You can't discount the fact that LeBron's a better rebounder because he's taller. He's taller, and that makes him a better rebounder, which contributes to the fact that you can argue that he's a better player.

I don't like LeBron at all, but at this point in his career, he's simply a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant.

You didn't even bother responding to the other 90% of my statement.

 

[werebarret]

Rebounding comes strictly from his size advantage though. Kobe is as good of a rebounded compared to other SG's as LeBron is to other SF's. I would say passing is pretty even too. You'll bring up that his APG is higher, but that's due to the style of offense/his ability to get to the basket. Kobe is a better defender as well, and intangibles such as leadership, performance under pressure, etc... Kobe is miles ahead.

you act like the ability to get to the basket is meaningless. It's the single most important thing in basketball. If you can get to the basket, good things will happen. You either get a high percentage shot, an open look for a teammate, or you get fouled. Being able to get to the basket is the single most important skill to have offensively. You try to negate one thing that LeBron does well by attributing it to something else he does well. It doesn't make any sense. I suppose that shooting contested 21 footers is a better way to play offense than going to the basket though.

As for performance under pressure, LeBron blows everyone out of the water for that. Look it up if you don't believe me. In 4th quarters with less than five minutes left/overtime, LeBron is the best player in the league, and it's not even close.

Kobe shoots at about 40% for his career in the finals. I suppose that's playing well under pressure, right? Everyone lauds him for the last two titles, but what about his stinker in the 04 Finals where he tried to chuck his way to a Finals MVP trophy? Or 08, where his team blew a 20 point lead to the Celtics in game 4 and then was absolutely massacred in the deciding game 6?

 

[Swag_Surfin]

Lebron is a cry baby. He has talent, but Kobe is a god where Lebron is just a Man.

 

[werebarret]

Lebron is a cry baby. He has talent, but Kobe is a god where Lebron is just a Man.

like I said... LeBron is better than Kobe. Kobe is greater. I can't explain my opinion any better than that.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

you act like the ability to get to the basket is meaningless. It's the single most important thing in basketball. If you can get to the basket, good things will happen. You either get a high percentage shot, an open look for a teammate, or you get fouled. Being able to get to the basket is the single most important skill to have offensively. You try to negate one thing that LeBron does well by attributing it to something else he does well. It doesn't make any sense. I suppose that shooting contested 21 footers is a better way to play offense than going to the basket though.

As for performance under pressure, LeBron blows everyone out of the water for that. Look it up if you don't believe me. In 4th quarters with less than five minutes left/overtime, LeBron is the best player in the league, and it's not even close.

Kobe shoots at about 40% for his career in the finals. I suppose that's playing well under pressure, right? Everyone lauds him for the last two titles, but what about his stinker in the 04 Finals where he tried to chuck his way to a Finals MVP trophy? Or 08, where his team blew a 20 point lead to the Celtics in game 4 and then was absolutely massacred in the deciding game 6?

So you're going to discredit Kobe for his past two rings because of his playoff performance in 2004 when he was 26? LeBron, at a very similar age, had a far worse playoff series in the EC-Semis this year than Kobe did in the Finals in 2004.

LeBron is the best under pressure? No, simply no. He gets the most shot attempts because Cleveland had no one else to go to, so if you want to go by PPG in the last 5 minutes, sure. But who would you rather have on your team in a tie ball game with 5 seconds left?

And it was all Kobe's fault they lost those series and yet you're not giving LeBron any blame for the past two years because "he did all he could do"? Give me a break. Kobe averaged 26 PPG in that series against Boston's excellent team defense. AND IT'S HIS FAULT THEY LOST, when LeBron struggles worse two years later, IT'S NOT HIS FAULT? Talk about being a hypocrite.

You also try to act like Kobe himself can't drive to the basket well. I know you think your opinion means more than anyone else's because you come onto SI everytime you have an opinion and type up 5 paragraphs, but I'm telling you right now that you are wrong. 80% of America is RIGHT, and Kobe IS better. LeBron can prove me wrong, but he has yet to do so.

 

[Swag_Surfin]

So you're going to discredit Kobe for his past two rings because of his playoff performance in 2004 when he was 26? LeBron, at a very similar age, had a far worse playoff series in the EC-Semis this year than Kobe did in the Finals in 2004.

LeBron is the best under pressure? No, simply no. He gets the most shot attempts because Cleveland had no one else to go to, so if you want to go by PPG in the last 5 minutes, sure. But who would you rather have on your team in a tie ball game with 5 seconds left?

And it was all Kobe's fault they lost those series and yet you're not giving LeBron any blame for the past two years because "he did all he could do"? Give me a break. Kobe averaged 26 PPG in that series against Boston's excellent team defense. AND IT'S HIS FAULT THEY LOST, when LeBron struggles worse two years later, IT'S NOT HIS FAULT? Talk about being a hypocrite.

You also try to act like Kobe himself can't drive to the basket well. I know you think your opinion means more than anyone else's because you come onto SI everytime you have an opinion and type up 5 paragraphs, but I'm telling you right now that you are wrong. 80% of America is RIGHT, and Kobe IS better. LeBron can prove me wrong, but he has yet to do so.

Im from Cleveland, born and raised. This is prolly the most accurate Ive hever heard Lebron sized up and broken down. He is not and never will be as good or better than Kobe. kobe is the best in the NBA. All the money, wins, points and rings should tell you that.

 

[werebarret]

So you're going to discredit Kobe for his past two rings because of his playoff performance in 2004 when he was 26? LeBron, at a very similar age, had a far worse playoff series in the EC-Semis this year than Kobe did in the Finals in 2004.

LeBron is the best under pressure? No, simply no. He gets the most shot attempts because Cleveland had no one else to go to, so if you want to go by PPG in the last 5 minutes, sure. But who would you rather have on your team in a tie ball game with 5 seconds left?

You also try to act like Kobe himself can't drive to the basket well. I know you think your opinion means more than anyone else's because you come onto SI everytime you have an opinion and type up 5 paragraphs, but I'm telling you right now that you are wrong. 80% of America is RIGHT, and Kobe IS better. LeBron can prove me wrong, but he has yet to do so.

I didn't say anything about Kobe's ability to drive to the basket. You're the one who basically said "LeBron's assists don't matter because he drives to the basket more. Kobe's more than capable at getting to the basket, but more often than not, he finds himself shooting contested 20 footers.

It's not just PPG. LeBron scores more and does so more efficiently, and has done so for the last several years. If you don't believe me, look it up. And if you won't look it up, then the point is doesn't mean anything. You're so blinded by your hatred of LeBron, it's sad. I hate the <Censored>'s guts and think he's a <Censored>, but I can still look at his game objectively.

And I'm not discrediting Kobe for anything. I'm just reiterating the point that I made earlier about recent history. About how that the fact that Kobe has currently won back to back rings overshadows just about everything for him right now. It overshadows that he once tried to force his way out of LA because of two down years. It's amazing how with the acquisition of Pau Gasol, Kobe goes from a volume scorer, a chucker, who can't win without Shaq to someone who people say can challenge Jordan for the GOAT. Kobe's also made a jackass of himself many times. Remember the tape of him ripping Andrew Bynum, an 18 year old? I'm sure most of the nation would have said that LeBron was better than Kobe in 05-07, when LeBron was leading a bunch of scrubs to the Finals and Kobe, while having his statistically best years, was getting his ass handed to him by the Suns in the first round. It's amazing. LeBron buys a ticket for game 5 against the Celtics and makes a jackass out of himself the whole summer with his "The Decision" bull<Censored>, and suddenly everyone thinks he can't play for <Censored>. I suppose the fact that in the last two playoff exits, he's averaged in the 34/8/8 range doesn't matter at all.

The nation hates LeBron, and rightfully so. He doesn't have "it". Kobe does. He doesn't have the willpower to elevate his own team as the alpha dog, so he's going to join another alpha dog to try and win a title. Kobe didn't do that. For all of his <Censored>ing and whining, Kobe did stick it out in LA, and was rewarded for it. Pau Gasol came to his team, and as a result, they won back to back titles. Kobe has the competitive desire that LeBron lacks, and that's why he's going to go down as a far greater player. He's greater, and in 2005/2007, he was better than LeBron. But right now, on July 24th 2010, LeBron is a better basketball player.

 

[werebarret]

And it was all Kobe's fault they lost those series and yet you're not giving LeBron any blame for the past two years because "he did all he could do"? Give me a break. Kobe averaged 26 PPG in that series against Boston's excellent team defense. AND IT'S HIS FAULT THEY LOST, when LeBron struggles worse two years later, IT'S NOT HIS FAULT? Talk about being a hypocrite.

I never said that it wasn't LeBron's fault he lost when he struggled. I'm pointing out how even when LeBron plays absolutely amazing, his team cannot pick up the slack. Just like Kobe in 2005-2007, when he was averaging 35 per game, the most since Jordan's 37.1 season in the 80s, and putting up 40 points fairly regularly. If Kobe struggled then, the Lakers lost, just like Cleveland from 2003-2010. If LeBron struggles, game over.

And when did I say that it's not his fault? I said how LeBron dropped the ball this year with the Celtics, and they lost. all I did was point out that LeBron can play about as well as anyone can be expected to play over a playoff series, and his Cavs can STILL lose. Remember in the 09 ECF where LeBron scored 49 <Censored>ing points, and his team still lost 107-106? What else do you want the man to do?

And in 2008, Kobe played liek dog<Censored>. 40% shooting from a superstar is terrible over a 6 game series. 26 PPG doesn't mean <Censored> when it takes 22 shots per game to get there.

 

[$tunna]

Whoa, I didn't know there were still people that believed Bron was better then Kobe LOL