Kobe is not Michael.

[Roy Hobbs]

Michael Jordan Finals appearances:

1991: 31.2 points, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 1.4 blocks, 55.8% shooting

1992: 35.8 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 steals, .33 blocks, 52.6% shooting

1993: 41.0 ppg*, 6.3 apg, 8.2 rpg, 1.7 steals, .66 blocks, 50.8% shooting

1996: 27.3 ppg, 3.8 apg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 steals, .5 blocks, 48.9% shooting

1997: 32.3 ppg, 6.0 apg, 7.0 rpg, 1.2 steals, .83 blocks, 42.7% shooting

1998: 33.5 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.0 rpg, 1.8 steals, .67 blocks, 42.7% shooting

* NBA record.

Kobe Bryant Finals appearances:

2000: 15.6 pts, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists
2001: 24.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists
2002: 26.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists
2004: 22.6 pts, 2.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists (lost series in 5)
2008: 27.0 pts, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists (down 0-2 vs. Boston)

That's right: MJ's *worst* performance in the Finals has been better than Kobe's *best*.  Also, MJ has six Finals games with 40+ points; Kobe has zero.

How is this even a debate?  The media and Lakers fans are idiots.

[MrsNumba17]

Note to Kobe:....


"no means no!"

[mjohnson]

Michael won MVP in a season, won the NBA finals and the MVP finals, and won the Olympic medal IN THE SAME YEAR..

If Kobe accomplish this awards in one year, he'll be tied with Jordan only with this award things. Kobe may have won 3-consecutive championship ring yet he ain't the Finals MVP like MJ was.

Kobe really won this season's MVP, and he would surely get an Olympic medal... but I would disagree about Kobe winning this 2008 Finals. 

Later, he would be named "The best player that never won MVP Finals"

[jay_jay54]

I don't feel Kobe is even close to comparing to MJ.He has peaked,don't think,he has enough "good"years left to challenge MJ.He is already early 30's...if he was going to be the next MJ or better,it would already be there.

[celticmaestro]

Michael Jordan Finals appearances:

1991: 31.2 points, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 1.4 blocks, 55.8% shooting

1992: 35.8 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 steals, .33 blocks, 52.6% shooting

1993: 41.0 ppg*, 6.3 apg, 8.2 rpg, 1.7 steals, .66 blocks, 50.8% shooting

1996: 27.3 ppg, 3.8 apg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 steals, .5 blocks, 48.9% shooting

1997: 32.3 ppg, 6.0 apg, 7.0 rpg, 1.2 steals, .83 blocks, 42.7% shooting

1998: 33.5 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.0 rpg, 1.8 steals, .67 blocks, 42.7% shooting

* NBA record.

Kobe Bryant Finals appearances:

2000: 15.6 pts, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists
2001: 24.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists
2002: 26.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists
2004: 22.6 pts, 2.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists (lost series in 5)
2008: 27.0 pts, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists (down 0-2 vs. Boston)

That's right: MJ's *worst* performance in the Finals has been better than Kobe's *best*.  Also, MJ has six Finals games with 40+ points; Kobe has zero.

How is this even a debate?  The media and Lakers fans are idiots.

tp for the stats and if i could give you another for that last line i would. awesome stuff, roy.

[Redz]

Just for some level of fairness on the scoring numbers, it should be noted that Jordan had no teammate nearly as capable of scoring as Kobe did with Shaq.

That said: Kobe is no Michael

[PointGaurd]

Shaq and Kobe were the only scorers on that team for the most part. 

Michael had Pippen.  and his role players.... so I would agree that Kobe had a more capable scorer in Shaq, the pt differential between Shaq and Pippen wasn't that big.  And the Bulls also had several other scoring options. BJ Armstrong, Kukoc etc.

[BballTim]

  I'm not a MJ fan (I think Bird and probably Magic were better) but I don't see how anyone who saw Jordan play in the finals could make the comparison.

[Sweet17]

I'm not a MJ fan (I think Bird and probably Magic were better) but I don't see how anyone who saw Jordan play in the finals could make the comparison.

Jordan really has a case for being the best ever. I realize guys like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell have had better statistics and success respectively.. I think if you watch game film of those guys - Jordan comes off as a far superior player. This is going to sound wrong from a C's fan but I don't think Bird and Magic were even CLOSE to be as good as Jordan. Jordan was a class above both of those guys.

Watch some 'classic' Cs games and you can see athleticaly Jordan is just in another universe compared to those two - yet he is just as skilled and even more competitive.

Pete

[CelticsWhat35]

Okay, we get it.  You don't like Kobe.  But the fact is, he's the best player on the floor, and there's no reason for us to be bumping our chests out.  All we've done is hold home court.

[Roy Hobbs]

Okay, we get it.  You don't like Kobe.  But the fact is, he's the best player on the floor, and there's no reason for us to be bumping our chests out.  All we've done is hold home court.

I'm reacting to the media hype.  I don't see Jordan letting his team lose five Finals games in a row, especially when his team was blessed with equal or better talent than that of its opponent.

Kobe is a great player (and a rotten person).  However, he's not even within reaching distance of M.J., and it truly baffles me that the media wants to anoint him.

[Bahku]

Truly, Kobe has not come close to achieving the accomplishments of MJ, nor does it look like he ever will. He's the best player in the NBA, pure and simple ... but that's where it begins and ends for me, as far as Kobe is concerned.

[soap07]

Michael Jordan Finals appearances:

1991: 31.2 points, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 1.4 blocks, 55.8% shooting

1992: 35.8 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 steals, .33 blocks, 52.6% shooting

1993: 41.0 ppg*, 6.3 apg, 8.2 rpg, 1.7 steals, .66 blocks, 50.8% shooting

1996: 27.3 ppg, 3.8 apg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 steals, .5 blocks, 48.9% shooting

1997: 32.3 ppg, 6.0 apg, 7.0 rpg, 1.2 steals, .83 blocks, 42.7% shooting

1998: 33.5 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.0 rpg, 1.8 steals, .67 blocks, 42.7% shooting

* NBA record.

Kobe Bryant Finals appearances:

2000: 15.6 pts, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists
2001: 24.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists
2002: 26.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists
2004: 22.6 pts, 2.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists (lost series in 5)
2008: 27.0 pts, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists (down 0-2 vs. Boston)

That's right: MJ's *worst* performance in the Finals has been better than Kobe's *best*.  Also, MJ has six Finals games with 40+ points; Kobe has zero.

How is this even a debate?  The media and Lakers fans are idiots.

Roy, with all due respect, while I agree that Kobe is not close to Michael, please post the ages upon which the Finals were reached for both players. Kobe was 22-23 years old during that first finals run. You expect him to have better numbers than MJ in the finals when MJ took until he was 27-28 to get to the Finals.

[soap07]

Truly, Kobe has not come close to achieving the accomplishments of MJ, nor does it look like he ever will. He's the best player in the NBA, pure and simple ... but that's where it begins and ends for me, as far as Kobe is concerned.


Lebron is better. Lebron is superior in almost every statistical measure - better rebounder, passer, more points on a better FG%.

[soap07]

Okay, we get it.  You don't like Kobe.  But the fact is, he's the best player on the floor, and there's no reason for us to be bumping our chests out.  All we've done is hold home court.

I'm reacting to the media hype.  I don't see Jordan letting his team lose five Finals games in a row, especially when his team was blessed with equal or better talent than that of its opponent.

Kobe is a great player (and a rotten person).  However, he's not even within reaching distance of M.J., and it truly baffles me that the media wants to anoint him.

What media hype? The only person who has put Kobe even in MJ's class, to my recollection, is Jemele Hill, who is only part of the media, if we are using the word "media" liberally. There has not been a clamoring of sportswriters or talking heads trying to put Kobe in MJ's class.