May 30, 200818 yr I do not subscribe to the logic either than Lebron's "supporting cast" is a bad as people make it out to be. You would think it is Lebron and 4 guys off the street. Is it great? No. But good enough for the Eastern conference. And he won the Eastern conference last year and took the team w/ the most wins in the NBA this year to a game 7 where he dropped 45 on them but just barely fell short. In a couple of years when he and D. Wade or C. Anthony play for the Brooklyn Nets he'll start winning championships. Name one player for the Cavs other than Lebron that would start for the Lakers. Now name one that starts for the Pistons. Celtics. Spurs.
May 30, 200818 yr Lebron is already incredible. He's a great player and the second best player in the league. I'm not arguing that Lebron hasn't made some big shots. He's taken plenty of them so he's going to make a few. Nor, will I say that Kobe never misses in those situations, he does. But, consistently, Kobe delivers and Lebron doesn't when the game is on the line. That, more than anything else, separates Kobe Bryant from Lebron James and everyone else in the NBA. I won't dispute, that for 3 quarters of a game, you can make a great argument. But, in the 4th quarter, what most people call "winning time" King James pulls a vanishing act that would make Houdini jealous, while Kobe Bryant is front-and-center, making clutch shot after clutch shot and willing his team to victory. That's the difference and it is a BIG difference. If you want a guy who can fill it up and stuff the stat sheet for 36 minutes, then I won't argue with you. You can have Lebron. I'll take the guy who can get it done equally as good during that time, and then steps his game up another 2 notches when it really matters. :thumb: Actually I think you may want to do a little research. Lebron was in the top 3 in the league in most points scored in the 4th quarter. We all know he had a horrendous shooting performance againt the Celtics but you also have to remember he single handedly beat the Pistons in the finals last year and as bad as he shot against Boston, he was still able to force the series to 7 games. No doubt Kobe is the best player in the league though. He's older and much more mature mentally than Lebron is at this point, but I also think Lebron is much more mature than Kobe was at this stage of his career. Kobe had the luxury of playing with one of the best in the league in Shaq in his prime which really helped him develop in to what he is today. We have to remember Lebron is still just 23 years old. He would be 2 years removed from college, a sophomore, right now.
May 30, 200818 yr Actually I think you may want to do a little research. Lebron was in the top 3 in the league in most points scored in the 4th quarter. We all know he had a horrendous shooting performance againt the Celtics but you also have to remember he single handedly beat the Pistons in the finals last year and as bad as he shot against Boston, he was still able to force the series to 7 games. No doubt Kobe is the best player in the league though. He's older and much more mature mentally than Lebron is at this point, but I also think Lebron is much more mature than Kobe was at this stage of his career. Kobe had the luxury of playing with one of the best in the league in Shaq in his prime which really helped him develop in to what he is today. We have to remember Lebron is still just 23 years old. He would be 2 years removed from college, a sophomore, right now. That's all I'm trying to say...:thumb:
May 30, 200818 yr No doubt Kobe is the best player in the league though. He's older and much more mature mentally than Lebron is at this point, but I also think Lebron is much more mature than Kobe was at this stage of his career. Easily. Lebron's passing and overall court vision is amazing for a player his age.
May 30, 200818 yr Let me try to explain this to you. Kobe Bryant has much better players around him. Defenses can't help as much on Kobe Bryant because the other players will kill you. Even on those shots from 4-5 feet out, they are contested and are very tough shots. He typically has to take really tough shots to try to win games. Lets not forget all the big plays he made last year in the playoffs against the Pistons. He beat them single-handedly basically. He led a very weak team to the NBA finals last year. I haven't forgot...he's the second best player in the league. I said that. He's not better than Kobe though, and reason #1 is that he can't finish games the way Kobe does. Period. Kobe has had that ability since very early in his career...and yes, believe it or not, the big shots Kobe makes are often contested too. That's a terrible excuse. A big-time clutch player does not consistenly miss layups and bunnies when he has a chance to win or tie games...I saw Lebron do that at least three times in these playoffs. In the last game against Boston he took a terrible shot from about 3 feet and threw it over the goal. I'll buy the weak supporting cast argument for why Lebron hasn't had the team and championship success. But, sorry, it doesn't fly for late game situations. Just my opinion...
May 30, 200818 yr Easily. Lebron's passing and overall court vision is amazing for a player his age. :thumb: Amazing is the right word, but it's also an understatement, IMO.
May 30, 200818 yr That's all I'm trying to say...:thumb: I would say that no doubt is the question. If I had to rank right now I would put Kobe just slightly ahead of Lebron, but it would be b/c of his defense. I think if those two switched teams for the year the Cavs would have lost to the Celts and the Lakers would be in the finals. Its that close.
May 30, 200818 yr I haven't forgot...he's the second best player in the league. I said that. He's not better than Kobe though, and reason #1 is that he can't finish games the way Kobe does. Period. Kobe has had that ability since very early in his career...and yes, believe it or not, the big shots Kobe makes are often contested too. That's a terrible excuse. A big-time clutch player does not consistenly miss layups and bunnies when he has a chance to win or tie games...I saw Lebron do that at least three times in these playoffs. In the last game against Boston he took a terrible shot from about 3 feet and threw it over the goal. I'll buy the weak supporting cast argument for why Lebron hasn't had the team and championship success. But, sorry, it doesn't fly for late game situations. Just my opinion... I'm w/ you here. I can't believe some of the shots he missed in this years playoffs. I think in a few years when he and Kobe play each other in the finals a couple of times it will be when Lebron is in the stage of his career where if he has the ball in the last 3 minutes of a close game you know its going in. Right now he's not there and Kobe is. By the way that series a couple years from now between Brooklyn and LA will be amazing.
May 30, 200818 yr I would say that no doubt is the question. If I had to rank right now I would put Kobe just slightly ahead of Lebron, but it would be b/c of his defense. I think if those two switched teams for the year the Cavs would have lost to the Celts and the Lakers would be in the finals. Its that close. Fair enough...but, there is no doubt for me. When I say "no doubt", it doesn't mean I think Kobe is head and shoulders above everyone. It just means simply, that I have no doubt that he is the best player in the league. Also, his ability in the clutch is just reason #1. I would also point to the fact that he's a better defender. And, he's the most skilled offensive player in the league. Not head and shoulders better, just enough for me not to have any doubt. But, I have to disagree on the last statement. I don't think the Lakers are in the finals if you switch Kobe and Lebron. That's obviously just a matter of opinion with no right answer, but I'm not convinced Lebron would have made the plays that Kobe did down the stretch of games one and five to pull out victories.
May 30, 200818 yr I'm w/ you here. I can't believe some of the shots he missed in this years playoffs. I think in a few years when he and Kobe play each other in the finals a couple of times it will be when Lebron is in the stage of his career where if he has the ball in the last 3 minutes of a close game you know its going in. Right now he's not there and Kobe is. By the way that series a couple years from now between Brooklyn and LA will be amazing. I definitely think Lebron has the potential to be just as good, if not better, than Kobe at some point. I also agree that the Cavs will likely have a stranglehold on the eastern conference if they ever get him a little help. Where I differ those is the "couple years from now" statement...I'm not confident he's going to have the help he needs that soon. I hope so though...I would really enjoy seeing Lebron and Kobe do battle in the NBA finals a la Bird vs. Magic.
May 30, 200818 yr I definitely think Lebron has the potential to be just as good, if not better, than Kobe at some point. I also agree that the Cavs will likely have a stranglehold on the eastern conference if they ever get him a little help. Where I differ those is the "couple years from now" statement...I'm not confident he's going to have the help he needs that soon. I hope so though...I would really enjoy seeing Lebron and Kobe do battle in the NBA finals a la Bird vs. Magic. Me too, but it is going to be with Lebron in a Knicks or Nets uniform. Many "sources" think this is pretty much a done deal... which means very little right now. However, there is no denying the relationship with Lebron and NY and with Jay-Z.
May 30, 200818 yr I haven't forgot...he's the second best player in the league. I said that. He's not better than Kobe though, and reason #1 is that he can't finish games the way Kobe does. Period. Kobe has had that ability since very early in his career...and yes, believe it or not, the big shots Kobe makes are often contested too. That's a terrible excuse. A big-time clutch player does not consistenly miss layups and bunnies when he has a chance to win or tie games...I saw Lebron do that at least three times in these playoffs. In the last game against Boston he took a terrible shot from about 3 feet and threw it over the goal. I'll buy the weak supporting cast argument for why Lebron hasn't had the team and championship success. But, sorry, it doesn't fly for late game situations. Just my opinion... If he had people around him who could hit open shots more consistently he would be much more effective in late game situations. Every time someone tries to double Kobe Bryant Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Derrick Fisher, etc will make you pay. A little better option than Szerbiack, Joe Smith, Benn Wallace, Big Z, etc.
May 30, 200818 yr Me too, but it is going to be with Lebron in a Knicks or Nets uniform. Many "sources" think this is pretty much a done deal... which means very little right now. However, there is no denying the relationship with Lebron and NY and with Jay-Z. Ahh...hence the Brooklyn reference. The Knicks and Nets aren't exactly in great shape roster-wise, but they could seemingly offer Lebron more help than Cleveland currently does. And, while that may very well be enough to claim the crown in the east, I'm not sure it will be enough to compete with what the Lakers will have for the next several years. Barring injury, this is likely the weakest team the Lakers will have for the next few seasons. Think about this lineup... Fisher, 6-1 Bryant, 6-6 Odom, 6-10 Gasol, 7-0 Bynum, 7-1 That's a nightmare. But, here's the thing that should be really scare to the rest of the NBA... Player, Age Derek Fisher, 33 Kobe Bryant, 29 Lamar Odom, 28 Pau Gasol, 27 Andrew Bynum, 20 Vladimir Radmanovic, 27 Jordan Farmar, 21 Sasha Vujacic, 24 Luke Walton, 28 Ronny Turiaf, 25 D.J. Mbenga, 27 Trevor Ariza, 22
May 30, 200818 yr I am not sure if he was just hobbled or exhausted, but Manu could not get anything going. This postseason, the Spurs have gone as Manu has gone.
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