Who is better? Hoping to bring back the legendary debate that we have had on this. Who do you think is better RIGHT NOW?
LeBron 31/7/6.5 29.3 efficiency rating McGrady 25.5/7/5 21.4 effciency rating LeBron plays every game, he doesn't get injured half as often, it's clear to me LeBron is better.
Well, what is your opinion on this one hen? I'm just trying to get some comparisons going. You said the other one wasnt a good comparison so I made this which I think is better.
RIGHT NOW...Lol, I'd say Kobe for sure. Clutch and all that. Hes leading his team right now but for the future its LeBron.
Kobe is having an unbelievable year. I guess being healthy has been the key for him. I would take Kobe over Lebron. The biggest difference is the defense. Lebron is weak in this area and Kobe is pretty good. Kobe is also able to take over games but Lebron isn't far off.
Lebron isnt able to take over games?? Lebron actually, I would say is the more skilled scorer. Kobe takes way too many shots a game and that's why his ppg is up. Lebron has a .484 fg% and is only a few ppg off of Kobe so I have reason to believe that if they if Lebron shot more he would be alongside Kobe for the scoring title.Lebron is the better rebounder and passer. Please don't bring championships into this debate as Kobe never led his team to the championship. Shaq did. Kobe is more clutch but Lebron is still very young and it is hard for him to develop the clutch factor at such a young age. I don't know who I would pick. Very hard decision.
I dont think that Lebron is ready to be compared to Kobe. Kobe has done so much more things on the court than Lebron has. He won the All Star dunk competition in his rookie year, he makes a hell of a lot of clutch shots, he got 81 points, he won 3 championships...Give lebron some time so he can get his accomplishments ready. But I will admit, Lebron has done so much to the NBA for only being in the league 3 years.
to me kobe and lebron are 1 and 2 as the leagues best players, but i think kobe is a good amount better though.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Delonte4Prez @ Feb 14 2006, 11:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>to me kobe and lebron are 1 and 2 as the leagues best players, but i think kobe is a good amount better though.</div>ah? Tim Duncan, KG?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Feb 15 2006, 08:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Lebron isnt able to take over games?? Lebron actually, I would say is the more skilled scorer. Kobe takes way too many shots a game and that's why his ppg is up. Lebron has a .484 fg% and is only a few ppg off of Kobe so I have reason to believe that if they if Lebron shot more he would be alongside Kobe for the scoring title.Lebron is the better rebounder and passer. Please don't bring championships into this debate as Kobe never led his team to the championship. Shaq did. Kobe is more clutch but Lebron is still very young and it is hard for him to develop the clutch factor at such a young age. I don't know who I would pick. Very hard decision.</div>LOL.Number one, lebron does take over games. He doesn't do it often though. Secondly god gave lebron physical gifts which he exploits. He's big enough and he can drive and take 10 footers. Lebron is a better rebounder. No <Censored>, he has 2 inches and weighs 40 pounds than kobe.Thirdly I won't explain to you but i'm telling you one thing, watch the lakers playoff games and tell me who lead that team. I'm not talking about the nba finals where shaq abused everyone. I'm talking about the playoffs. Please when you have seen them come back and explain to me why shaq was the only leader, they were both leaders.And blah blah give him time. Kobe at 21 was clutch, he didn't airball freethrows. He owned indiana and wasnt' scared to take big shots.I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you haven't seen or watched the lakers in their championship days. If you have and are still saying the same stuff then i really do not know what to say.
No doubt Kobe is a better player right now. As with T-Mac, Kobe is a more dangerous scorer than Bron. That doesn't mean more efficient, but more dangerous. Bron is a better passer, playmaker, and rebounder, but Kobe murders Bron on defense and in clutch moments. And like T-Mac, Kobe can carry a team by himself to the playoffs, LeBron cannot.And like the T-mac topic, Bron has 2-3 major weaknesses he needs to solve before he can be a better player than Kobe/Bron/AI.
1) To answer the topic, it's Kobe.2) LeBron's FG% reflects his total field goals, and a huge amount of them are dunks or layups.3) Kobe doesn't attack the basket as much this season because the spacing problems in the triangle disallow that. Plus, he has no teammates to spread the floor and remove his double-teams, so he settles for jumpers.4) LeBron has failed as a fourth-quarter hero. Sure, it's not fair to ask him of that after only three years, but look at Carmelo, who may be the second or third best 4th quarter player in the NBA right now. Also, when you're compared to MJ at 18 years old, you better believe people will ask you of similar things when you're 21.5) With one of the youngest rosters in the league, no second option, three starters who either would never start for another team or have never done so in their careers (Mihm, Parker, Kwame), and being in the Western Conference, the Lakers are still the 8th seed.6) The only two Lakers who can run the triangle correctly are Kobe Bryant...and Brian Cook. In other words, because Kobe is not the initiator (ball-handler in the triangle), and the offense is designed specially for him (the reverse tri), the closest teammate he has...is a non-scoring threat and a bench player when everyone is healthy. In addition, Cook is still a boy among men in the league.Considering the level of difficulty, the environment, and the overall abilities, Kobe is better than LeBron. Kobe's defense is better, his killer instinct is there, he's a much better <u>shooter</u> (and slasher if he had the lane to do so), and I wouldn't be so quick to criticize his passing, especially if you watched the last Laker game. When Kobe's teammates are scoring, which is rare, Bryant throws nasty passes that are accurate and very impressive, to say the least.In five years, I'm going to say the same exact thing.
^ I agree 100% with everything, except the last part. All Bron needs to do is become a better defender and more improved in clutch situations, and then IMO he will be the better player. Last year when the triangle was not in effect and Kobe was in Bron's shoes (as a playmaker, this year Lamar is that), Kobe had his worst season ever (42% shooting, over 4 TO's, etc...). Right now, Kobe is a better shooter, but no one in the League is a better driving scorer than Bron. He can finish better than pretty much everyone in the league when driving. His size and athleticism allow that, something Kobe will never have. LeBron is a much better passer. yes, Kobe can pass fancy liek bron can, but Bron has better court vision and his passing skills are better. Lebron is also a playmaker and can play 4 positions on the court if need be, which is an advantage.Again, until LeBron can become a good defender, perform in the clutch, and carry a team to victory and to the playoffs, Kobe wins hands down.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Feb 15 2006, 10:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>^ I agree 100% with everything, except the last part. All Bron needs to do is become a better defender and more improved in clutch situations, and then IMO he will be the better player. Last year when the triangle was not in effect and Kobe was in Bron's shoes (as a playmaker, this year Lamar is that), Kobe had his worst season ever (42% shooting, over 4 TO's, etc...).</div>Actually, Kobe and the Lakers were the 6th seed until Rudy left, and Kobe was having one helluva year. Once Hamblen came in, Kobe went down with an injury, the triangle was applied for the last 39 games, and the Lakers went 10-29 (14 or so games without Kobe, and around the same amount without Odom as well).<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Right now, Kobe is a better shooter, but no one in the League is a better driving scorer than Bron. He can finish better than pretty much everyone in the league when driving. His size and athleticism allow that, something Kobe will never have.</div>You gotta watch more Laker games. Kobe is unstoppable when given the baseline, and probably the best one-on-one player in the NBA since Jordan stepped foot on the court. Ask Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, and anyone else Kobe has pretty much embarrassed on the rim.I've yet to see any legit big man contest a LeBron James drive. I've seen many go after Kobe, and lose.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Lebron is also a playmaker and can play 4 positions on the court if need be, which is an advantage.</div>Bron is a three-spot player...he can't play the four (PF). Kobe can play three as well. People were calling Kobe a great playmaker when he had a legitimate teammate in Shaq, but now that he can't see his own passes converted (and because he's not the initiator in the offense), he has no reason to create for others.
[quote name='Real Deal' post='1902' date='Feb 15 2006, 11:21 PM']Actually, Kobe and the Lakers were the 6th seed until Rudy left, and Kobe was having one helluva year. Once Hamblen came in, Kobe went down with an injury, the triangle was applied for the last 39 games, and the Lakers went 10-29 (14 or so games without Kobe, and around the same amount without Odom as well).[/quote]Kobe having one helluva year? I don't consider 27PPG on career low FG %, career high in TO's (and I think may have lead league), and teammates lashing out against you one helluva year. Kobe is a great driving guard, but LeBron is more poweful, argueably more athletic, taller, and bulkier. He can ge tto the rim no matter what happens, and either draw a foul or whatever. Kobe can drive it very well also, but no SG/SF does it better than Bron. Just because you haven't sen any big man go after Bron doesn't mean they have. I have seen Bron play over 60-70 games, and many highlights, and if you notice big men and other players RARELY go up to block Bron when he is going for a dunk. With Kobe they always go after him, and they get raped. But Kobe's dunking on bigger players doesn't make him a better driving player. People thought Magic couldn't play center....and what happenned when Kareem was out in the finals? Bron is much larger than Magic in terms of muscle and athleticism, I think he could guard and play against a Dirk, KG, etc.. (T-Mac did in playoffs, so I am sure Bron can). Kobe was never a great playmaker. I can't believe you just referred to Shaq as a "legitamite" teammate. He was the most dominating force to ever play the game in the early 2000's. Then Kobe had great 3 point shooters like Fish, Horry, etc... Of course he could make plays for that team. But, when he was the playmaker for a team that was BETTER than last eyars Cavs, he had a terrible season by his standards. Bron on the other hand was the first player to get 27/7/7 since like Magic or Oscar, and that wa sonly his 2nd year. And when i say playmaker, I mean initiator/assist man/scorer. AI does it, T-Mac does it, Bron does it, Kobe just isn't as strong in this area.Again, Kobe is the better player by the landside, but there are areas in which Bron is better.
[quote name='Nitro1118' post='1916' date='Feb 15 2006, 10:38 PM']Kobe having one helluva year? I don't consider 27PPG on career low FG%, career high in TO's (and I think may have lead league), and teammates lashing out against you one helluva year.[/quote]I didn't say the entire year, I'm talking the first half of the season. The Lakers were all ISO the first half, and it favored Kobe. In the second half, Kobe went down with an injury, and his numbers got ugly with Lamar out for the remainder of the season (shoulders) and the triangle was put into play mid-season...all reasons why his year looked bad at the end.[quote name='Nitro1118' post='1916' date='Feb 15 2006, 10:38 PM']People thought Magic couldn't play center....and what happenned when Kareem was out in the finals? Bron is much larger than Magic in terms of muscle and athleticism, I think he could guard and play against a Dirk, KG, etc.. (T-Mac did in playoffs, so I am sure Bron can).[/quote]Ron Artest was playing the four with LeBron on him, and Artest abused him in the post. Artest is smaller. I'm talking Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Shaq, Yao Ming, Rasheed Wallace...guys that would destroy LeBron in the post.[quote name='Nitro1118' post='1916' date='Feb 15 2006, 10:38 PM']Kobe was never a great playmaker. I can't believe you just referred to Shaq as a "legitamite" teammate. He was the most dominating force to ever play the game in the early 2000's. Then Kobe had great 3 point shooters like Fish, Horry, etc... Of course he could make plays for that team. But, when he was the playmaker for a team that was BETTER than last eyars Cavs, he had a terrible season by his standards.[/quote]He had a terrible season? He won three rings. And don't bring up Shaq...in five seasons without Kobe, Shaq is ringless. Make it six after this year.[quote name='Nitro1118' post='1916' date='Feb 15 2006, 10:38 PM']Bron on the other hand was the first player to get 27/7/7 since like Magic or Oscar, and that wa sonly his 2nd year. And when i say playmaker, I mean initiator/assist man/scorer. AI does it, T-Mac does it, Bron does it, Kobe just isn't as strong in this area.[/quote]T-Mac does it? Give me a break, man. His highest assist number is 5.7, and Kobe had 6 APG last season with a sorry team. In fact, LeBron's 7 assists are with Big Z and Gooden. Kobe's were with Odom (who doesn't want to score) and...whoever.FYI - Kobe's bad playmaking has him at 8 assists at the half, with 21 points, as we speak.
Here's what it comes down to: LeBron misses easy baskets late in the game, including the one tonight against the Celtics in OT (for the game-winner, he drove and missed). When he's open, it's different...but when the game is on the line, and people want to go at him in the lane, he misses. Kobe alters his shot and makes these baskets, in the clutch or in the 2nd quarter, doesn't matter.Maybe those Jordan comparisons are forcing me to ask more of LeBron at such an early age. Jordan rocked everyone with 37 PPG before anyone thought he'd win 6 rings. People are already saying LeBron will be better.If he has anything over Kobe, it's definitely strength and size. Big deal...so does DaSagana Diop.
