Lebron vs. Kobe

[the_Bird]

Give Kobe and LeBron an equivalent supporting cast and match them up, Kobe's going to score more, make more highlight-reel plays, and probably lose by 10 points.  Just watching them play, it does seem that Kobe's much deadlier from outside - but LeBron does lots and lots of other things like rebound and get his teammates good shots.

Kobe's a better scorer - one of the best ever.
LeBron's a better player.

[RickyD Fan]

I'm going to go with Pierce being better than both of them. He is the one who just got the ring....

[kenmaine]

Based on the playoffs we just saw, I would rather have Lebron, but Kobe is the more skilled, polished player.
About the only thing in Lebron's game that he could improve IMO is his shot selection. Too many outside shots.
Intangibles are not even close- give me Lebron.

[soap07]

Kobe's a better scorer - one of the best ever.

He wasn't a better scorer this year.

Based on the playoffs we just saw, I would rather have Lebron, but Kobe is the more skilled, polished player.

Why is Kobe the more skilled and polished player right now? This is the kind of blanket statement that I don't understand if it is not backed up by facts. If in fact, the facts back up the opposite.

About the only thing in Lebron's game that he could improve IMO is his shot selection. Too many outside shots.

While I agree with your sentiment, Kobe had, seemingly, an even bigger problem with this in the Finals. This could not have been a coincidence. The Celtics defense played a huge part in this.

[RickyD Fan]

After Pierce, I would definitely take LeBron.

I never understood this debate really. Shaq was the reason that the Lakers went to the finals 4 times and won 3 of them. The supporting cast was huge then too, but the focal point of the offense and the defense was Shaq. He is just a shell of that former player, so a lot of people forget.

My next thought on the subject is that Kobe has been marketed longer and harder than any of the other players in the league. LeBron is starting to come close, but I've been watching Kobe adds since LeBron was 12. I can gaurantee that if you saw 10 Gilbert Arenas advertisements a day we would be having this discussion about him and LeBron. Remember Gil was the scoring champ.

My knock on Kobe is his selfishness (which is evident when he scowls at someone who didn't make a shot). He thinks he is better than he is (the way he talks and foolish swagger). Lastly, I don't think he really likes basketball. You see guys out there like LeBron, Gil and our Big 3 who love playing the sport. Where Kobe only wants to play if he think he can win something out of it. I don't know... Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

[iowa plowboy]

If Kobe was officiated the same way the primadonna is this discussion wouldn't be taking place.  The only star call Kobe gets away with is traveling.  

The playing field in comparing these two isn't close to being level.  Then again, when the primadonna is one of the combatants, he plays under a halo.

I'd still agree with Roy.  Even though I think Kobe is the better player, I'd still take the primadonna.  Younger, physically at least as gifted, and bigger.

[wdleehi]

If Kobe was officiated the same way the primadonna is this discussion wouldn't be taking place.  The only star call Kobe gets away with is traveling.  

The playing field in comparing these two isn't close to being level.  Then again, when the primadonna is one of the combatants, he plays under a halo.

I'd still agree with Roy.  Even though I think Kobe is the better player, I'd still take the primadonna.  Younger, physically at least as gifted, and bigger.

Ask Utah if Kobe doesn't get the star calls. 


The reason lebron got more calls then Kobe did against the Celtics was he was more physical and more willing to try and attack.   Kobe was mush happier to settle for being an outside shooter all series long. 

[Mother]

Lebron has no midrange game.  He either shoots a three or drives through traffic.  He's excellent, but he would take his game to the next level if he practiced a pull-up jumper off the dribble.  Having said that, I still take Lebron over Kobe.  Lebron at least has the ability to make his teamates better.  Even though Kobe can take his team on his shoulders, he hasn't shown the ability to make others better, and that was clear in these playoffs where the Lakers didn't play as a team. 

[Roy Hobbs]

Lebron has no midrange game.  He either shoots a three or drives through traffic. 

I wouldn't go that far.  He doesn't have a great mid-range game, but it's decent.  He was 144-for-389 on mid-range jumpers this year.  That's roughly 37%, which makes him pretty much average from that distance. 

Kobe was 185-for-492 on mid-range jumpers, or 37.6%.  Again, pretty much average, and only very, very slightly better than Lebron.

[iowa plowboy]

If Kobe was officiated the same way the primadonna is this discussion wouldn't be taking place.  The only star call Kobe gets away with is traveling.  

The playing field in comparing these two isn't close to being level.  Then again, when the primadonna is one of the combatants, he plays under a halo.

I'd still agree with Roy.  Even though I think Kobe is the better player, I'd still take the primadonna.  Younger, physically at least as gifted, and bigger.

Ask Utah if Kobe doesn't get the star calls.
The reason lebron got more calls then Kobe did against the Celtics was he was more physical and more willing to try and attack.   Kobe was mush happier to settle for being an outside shooter all series long. 

I'm not comparing one game or one series.  The primadonna can be fouled by anybody on the court regardless of their location.  The next time he gets a traveling call will be his first.  Kobe is on the bottom of that star officiating folly food chain.  It's not close.  Then again, nobody is.  This season, the officials have turned up the primadonna coddling up another notch.
It's painful to watch his games.  It should be the greatest show on earth.

Mother has it about right.  The primadonna can drive through traffic unimpeded because anybody defending the paint will get a foul call.  So the Red Sea parts.  Look at the highlights played ad nauseum on ESPN.  The primadonna is a big strong guy.  But the same players who will take charges against bigger, stronger players get way out of his way to stay out of foul trouble.  The primadonna doesn't need a midrange game.  If officiating suddenly changed and he was officiated like regular players, he'd develop a midrange game.  He's that great a player.

[soap07]

Kobe is on the bottom of that star officiating folly food chain.  It's not close.

Show me proof of this. A guy who got to the line 10 times a game the three years prior to this season and 9 times this year....seems a little off to say Kobe doesn't get any star treatment. In fact, the statement is ludicrous.

[Roy Hobbs]

Free throws attempted per game:

2008: Lebron 10.3, Kobe 9.0
2007: Lebron 9.0, Kobe 10.0
2006: Lebron 10.3, Kobe 10.2
2005: Lebron 8.0, Kobe 10.1
2004: Lebron 5.8, Kobe 8.2

Career averages: Lebron 8.6, Kobe 7.7

Those career averages are skewed, because Kobe didn't get much run his first two years in the league.  Also, keep in mind that Lebron is a much more physical player. 

For instance, look at the percentage of inside shots.  25% of Kobe's shots are from inside.  38% of Lebron's are.  It's no surprise, then, that Lebron shot more foul shots this year.

Rather than Lebron clearly getting more star treatment, I'd suggest that the opposite is true.

[LB3533]

I think in time, very soon actually, Lebron will be just as good if not better than Kobe in the clutch.

At that point, no one will be able to say that Kobe is better than Lebron at anything...except maybe free throw shooting.

[Pawtucket Pat]

Another reason why I say LeBron is better than Kobe, and this sort of speaks to intangibles, but when the crowd was trying to get an "OVER-RATED" chant going against LeBron, I was praying that they would stop, because 1)LeBron is absolutely NOT overrated at all, and 2)He's just the kind of player who takes that as motivation and WILL make you pay for it.

When we chanted 'OVER-RATED' for Kobe, I was practically leading the way. He is overrated, and there's not a [dang] thing he can do about it. He just doesn't scare me the same way LeBron does.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think in time, very soon actually, Lebron will be just as good if not better than Kobe in the clutch.

At that point, no one will be able to say that Kobe is better than Lebron at anything...except maybe free throw shooting.

Lebron was better in the clutch this season, too.

Lebron outscored, outrebounded, out-passed, and outshot Kobe in "clutch" situations this season.  Lebron had more steals, more blocks, and fewer turnovers.  They shot nearly equal FT% in clutch situations.  Lebron game up huge against the Celtics in his final game; Kobe went out with a whimper.  By any measure, Lebron was better.

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