Lebron vs. Kobe

[BballTim]

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.

  There's no way Paul Pierce gets more calls than Kobe.

  In any case, if you check out their numbers on 82games, Kobe shoots 25% of his shots from the inside (75% jumpers) and gets fouled on 15.5% of his shots. Pierce takes 30% of his shots from the inside and also gets fouled on 15.5% of his shots. LeBron takes 38% of his shots from the inside and get fouled on 17.2% of his shots. Kobe seems to get the most of the calls for those 3 players statistically.

[TradeProposalDude]

LeBron gets to the rim and draws fouls, which Kobe does not do enough.

Kobe is a better shooter and arguably a more complete scorer, but talent alone does not anoint one player over another in this league.

It bugs the hell out of me to see LeBron draw phantom fouls everytime he commits to the rim and throws his hands up like he's been raped. But he's still the best penetrator in the league in my opinion, because his combination of speed, strength, athleticism, and explosiveness make for a matchup nightmare. And he can still shoot - albeit, inconsistently - but when his shot is going in from outside, he's as dangerous as anyone.

Kobe will either help you win or take your team out of games with his shot. Someone like Pierce doesn't need to shoot the ball particularly well if he's passing and rebounding efficiently, as well as playing good defense. This entire season is evidence of that. Kobe, on the other hand, seems to directly affect his team's success, and in these Finals games that was seemingly the case. More talented player one could argue, but he just doesn't have that "it" factor to propel him above the likes of LeBron. But one must be careful not to rely just on stats because there is more to stats than at face value.