There is a lot of debate these days as to who the best player in the NBA currently is. Most often the conversation boils down to 2 players- LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Let's take a look at how these basketball legends match up.
A quick look at their stats shows a clear edge to James as a rebounder and passer. James has out assisted Bryant every year he has been in the NBA, and has out rebounded him every year as well with the exception of his rookie season when they tied at 5.5 per game. James bigger, stronger frame gives him an advantage playing in traffic and scoring in the paint . James gets to the basket as easily and as often as any player I can remember watching. He has a higher career scoring average and is on pace to outscore Bryant for the 3rd year in a row. The knock on James has been his inability to make perimiter shots consistently, and shooting is where Bryant is perceived to have a big edge. This is where the numbers get a little surprising.
LeBron James' career shooting percentage of 47.3 is actually higher than Bryant's career 45.5. As a matter of fact James has had a higher FG % than Bryant every year with the exception, once again, of his rookie season when James shot only41.7%. Coincidentally that is the same % that Bryant shot as a rookie. James has been criticized for his poor 3 pt. shooting during his career, but Bryant's 34 % career mark is only a fraction better than James 33.2 %. James has improved his long range shooting greatly over the years, and with a few good seasons may just surpass Kobe in that department too. (he is currently out shooting Kobe from 3 point range 36% to 32%.) A look at this season's "clutch stats" ( 4th quarter or overtime with less than 5 minutes and neither team ahead by more than 5 points) shows that James has decided statistical advantages in FG% , 3PT % , rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.
As far as the stats go we can erase the myth of Bryant being a vastly better shooter or clutch player than LeBron. I hope the Kobe fans don't misunderstand me. If someone told me that I could have Bryant on my team tomorrow I would be happy to have him. He is one of the best players I have ever watched play the game, and if you would have asked me 3 years ago who the best player was I might have answered Kobe Bryant. He is a champion and a Hall Of Famer, but right now James is King.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
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There is no doubt that James is the better player today. I will go one step further and say that James at his best is better than Kobe at his best – at any point in time. LBJ is the player that I would choose to start my team with.
ReplyDeleteI know that some may say that the cache of rings that Kobe has trumps LBJ. I don’t buy it. Unless we are talking golf, tennis, track and field, or any other INDIVIDUAL sport, the team that one plays with is a huge component to the number or rings one wears.
But if we are to look into the playoff and championships earned, there are two compelling pieces of info that should be considered when you compare the two players. If you take a peek at the stats, you will see that LBJ’s scoring, rebounding and assist numbers are actually HIGHER in the playoffs than in the regular season. He is as prime-time as one could want. Kobe on the other hand has a lower scoring and rebounding average in the playoffs as compared to the regular season.
Furthermore, LBJ NEVER played with an all-time great. On the other hand, when Kobe won his first 3 rings, he wasn’t even the best player on his team – Shaq was. Evidence will show that O’neal was in the top three in MVP voting in those years; winning the MVP award in the first championship season.
Bottom line, LBJ’s OVERALL game has eclipsed anything we have seen in our generation. The multi-faceted ways he can score, the passing and rebounding, now add in the tenacious defense – what you have in LeBron the greatest player we have ever seen. This includes Kobe, Jordan…the lot of them. Yes, I included Jordan.
Adding it all up – including the fact that LBJ has lived up to the hype (ROY, MVP, All star MVP’s, scoring titles etc…) – LeBron is an incredible talent and it’s only a matter of time before he is wearing some additional jewelry. And if things continue as we have seen so far this season, the sizing of the rings could take place in June 2010 and they should have a wine and gold feel to the design!
Dr. O, I agree that James may be the most complete player of all time. He does everything well. Supporting cast is a factor in winning a title, and we will take a closer look at that soon.
ReplyDeleteAnd a post script to the "most complete" player comment that was made. The Cavaliers point guard and back-up point guard are sent to the bench in a matter of days with injuires. With no true PG on the team, LBJ now controls tha offense, they go 7 - 0 so far and LeBron is averaging over 10 assists per.
ReplyDeleteWho else could manage two or more positions in the flow of a game for an exteneded period of time and actually excel at the different positions? Excel to the point that there is NO drop off in production or results. And that some of the numbers actually GO UP...
How could you consider him anything other than the best?
WOW, you guys are bigger homers than I am. I will agree that right now today Lebron is the best player in the league. However, you cannot say he is more clutch or made just as many clutch shots as kobe has. I cant even believe you hinted at that on the front page! If I was starting a team today I would take Lebron, but if my life depended on me winning one game I would take Kobe. He just has that Jordan killer instict in him. The best example that I can give for this is this past olympics when they played on the same team. In the gold medal game vs Spain it was a tight game late and kobe had not done a lot, but with about 5 or 6 minutes left he decided they were not going to lose and either scored or assisted on (i believe) 20 or 22 straight points to put the game away. Now i am not saying that kobe is a more complete player, bcause i think lebron is the most complete player in the game this season with his improved jumper. I just hate it when people act like its not even close or that just bcause lebron made one game winner(in the one game they won in that series) in the playoffs last year everyone gives him credit for being clutch. I also think Cleveland is the best team in the East this year so i'm not just hating on Cleveland either.
ReplyDeletePowerpex, I thought I clearly gave Kobe his props as an all time great and champion. As far as clutch play I never said Kobe wasn't a clutch player, but the "clutch stats" that I printed are what they are, and right now they are in favor of James. I did not try to present the arguement that it wasn't even close as to who is better. For the first 5 years of LBJ's career I would have given the edge to Kobe as the NBA's best. Make no mistake about it, Kobe is on a very, very short list of players I would like to take my teams last shot in a big game. But the way James has won games for the Cavs this year at both ends of the court and has carried a team with a depleted back court I think he is playing better than anyone.
ReplyDeleteI agree totally that he is playing better than anyone this year, its really not even close. Kobe has had a lot of injuries this year but even if he didnt i still think the season bron is having would be better. I guess it depends on how a person defines clutch. I think of clutch as showing up in the biggest games, not the playoffs as a whole, but in a game 7 or a closeout game or if when your team is down 3-2. Also i think of game winning shots as clutch, i would think that kobe is way ahead on that list. Again, i am not hating on lebron, i love watching him play and i think he will be on that very short list of the nba's best as well if he's not on it already.
ReplyDeleteTo a point Dr. O made about judging players on winning championships, i also think that is a little overrated. Charles Barkley never won a title but he is one of the all-time greats!
My favorite all-time starting 5 to watch:
C- Hakeem (Shaq a close 2nd)
PF- Barkley
SF- Bird (pippen a close 2nd)
SG- Jordan (nobody a close 2nd)
PG- Magic or Isiah, either one i will take
The problem I have is how people often want to define “clutch” as simply making the Game Winning shot.
ReplyDeleteLet’s think about how narrow of an argument or discussion point that really is. So let’s say for example LBJ hits a shot to give the Cavaliers the lead with lets say 10 seconds left; and they win the game as their opponent misses the last shot. Is that defined as a game winner? In some circles, people would say “no” – simply because the ball from LeBron didn’t go through the hoop as time expired. Crazy.
A field goal kicker is often credited with kicking the game winner, even if after the ball sails through the uprights, there is still time left on the clock. For that matter, how many QB’s are credited with being “clutch” because they lead their team to a 4th quarter victory, even though they do NOT throw the game winning TD as time expires.
So you see, simply saying that a player is clutch because of the fact that he MUST make a shot as time expires is asinine. Furthermore, think about how few times a player or team is actually in the position to take the last shot with time expiring to win the game. This year the Cavaliers have lost only 11 games. Of those losses, only 3 times could they have won the game on the last shot. And in those instances, they had the ball with approximately, 2, 3 & 4 seconds remaining in those 3 losses. So again, the times that actually exist for a player to make the last shot is actually quite remote.
That being said, why wouldn’t one define “clutch” as LeBron stealing D-Wade’s pass 11 days ago, getting fouled and hitting 2 free throws with 3 seconds left to win it? Or his defense on Wade at the end to seal the deal? The block on Durant at the end of a close game to win it was clutch, was it not?
So again, the narrowness of “clutch” can be quite foolish. Moreover, having a player of LBJ’s ability gets the team in a position to WIN. Being a great shooter could be muted if the other tings you do (or don’t do) are not getting the team in a position to win. Think World B. Free.
Now this is not to imply that WB Free and Kobe are the same. What I am saying is that with ALL that LBJ does for the Cavaliers is WHY they are in the position to win games. I don’t think that simply having a “scorer” with a “killer instinct” on the team would be enough to get the “scorer” in a position to hit a clutch shot. Bottom line here is that Kobe and LeBron are both great players who CAN and HAVE won games at the end with spectacular plays and shots. But in the end, LBJ has made his teammates around him better. Kobe is a great player, but he has not made those around him better. – at least not to the extent that LeBron has. So that being said, LBJ IS the player you start a team with – and his “clutch” performances are certainty well documented.
Doc, I am starting to like you again!
ReplyDeleteLet me comment without the Cleveland Googles on...LBJ is the best player today, hand's down. His all-around game is unbelievable, but in today's game Kobe is the guy that I want taking the shot at the end of the game (and I don't like Kobe) I think Powerpex made the best point about the Olympics, Kobe just took over in the "clutch" with the game on the line in the 4th Q...Clearly LBJ started with a bad team, hence the #1 draft pick, so his numbers might be higher b/c he was/is asked to do more, however LBJ is no Jordan, who was the greatest of all time, MJ won without a dominant center (cartwright, purdue, longley)... The Cavs are a very good team, and they have surrounded LBJ with a roster that can win the Finals, as Shaq can match up with Howard, Garnett, Bynum, Duncan, etc.... and I would argue that Magic, who I believe has played all 5 positions and even center in the NBA Finals against the Celtics, could be in the arguement for "most complete player ever."
ReplyDeleteI don't have the luxary to watch every sec. of Cavs games, like other ppl on this board, but my unbias opinion is that I would take LBJ over anybody in the league, but I would want Kobe to take the last shot in game 7.
Ahhh, finally a voice of reason
ReplyDeleteCajun & Powerpex,
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that you reference the Olympics as a statement game for proof of Kobe’s desirous will to win.
Do me a favor, when you get a moment, Google “Cavaliers versus Pistons, Game 5 conference Finals, 2007”.
What you will read is not a typo. You will see that LBJ scored 25 POINTS IN A ROW AND 29 of the last 30 point for the Cavaliers in a double overtime victory in Auburn Hills. Do you understand?? 29 OF THE LAST THIRTY POINTS FOR THE CAVALIERS INCLUDING ALL OF THE POINTS FOR THE CAVALIERS IN BOTH OVERTIME PEROIDS – DO YOU UNDERSTAND??!!
There will be NO GREATER example of a player’s desire and killer instinct than what LeBron did in that game. NONE.
Olympics, pleeeeease; yeah, fill the roster with all-stars and roll a ball out there. How about the NBA conference finals with the likes of Damon Jones, Donyall Marshal, Sasha Pavlovic and Eric Snow and you lead your team to victory.
I’ll say it again, incase you missed it (because evidently you missed what happened in 2007) 29 OF THE LAST THIRTY POINTS FOR THE CAVALIERS INCLUDING ALL OF THE POINTS FOR THE CAVALIERS IN BOTH OVERTIME PEROIDS – DO YOU UNDERSTAND!! VICTORY.
Cajun,
ReplyDeleteOne other thing, it's "goggles", not "googles"
if you think the olympics are a 'just roll the ball out there and let them play' situation any longer then you completely discredit any thing you say.
ReplyDeleteThat night was definately one of the most amazing things i've seen a player do, but the sun even shines a dog's butt every now and then. How do you think andre miller scores 54 pts in a game!
No, I am not implying that you "roll the ball out there" and away they go; what I am saying is that when you collect the 'best of the best' on your squad, the effect that ONE player has on the outcome is somewhat balanced by the talent around him.
ReplyDeleteWhereas what "talent" LBJ has around him puts a MUCH higher burden on his ability to achieve.
But that aside, I must say that your requirements for "greatness" are pretty weak.
Kobe's gold medal game performance:
20 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 turnovers and 4 fouls. All this in a game the USA won by 11 pounts....? (D-Wade lead the team with 27)
THAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING YOU'VE EVER SEEN A PLAYER DO???
You talk about "discrediting" comments. If that's the best performance you've ever seen, then it's safe to conclude that you have NEVER seen LeBron play. And most certainly, you have never seen him play in the playoffs.
When you have a moment, tune in and enjoy.
Dr. Zero, The point that I was making about the Olympics was they were both on the same team, and it was Kobe leading the way in the 4th Q. Period!! Look it up...If you could read, Powerpex stated (and I'll quote him and even put quotation marks so you don't have to tell me that I plagiarized) "In the gold medal game vs Spain it was a tight game late and kobe had not done a lot, but with about 5 or 6 minutes left he decided they were not going to lose and either scored or assisted on (i believe) 20 or 22 straight points to put the game away." IDK about you, but I read "kobe had not done a lot" until the middle of the 4th Q. Once again nobody is saying LBJ is not great, as he is the BEST player in the NBA...But in my opinion, Kobe gets the last shot of the game, and when they both were on the same court on the same team, it was Kobe that took over the gold medal game.
ReplyDeleteBTW Thanks for the spell check...My hope is that you would put the same amount of time into the substance of your words as you do correcting other people's spelling and grammar mistakes.
I will state it again, I don't like Kobe, and I don't want to start rooting for him b/c of this blog... I am rooting for the Cavs this year (since the Hornets are hurt and not very good, and the addition of Shaq to the Cavs)...Plus Cleveland and New Orleans have a lot of "sports heartaches" in common...Even though ya'll won a lot in the pre-Super Bowl era, (If I'm not mistaken, I think ur Southern brother was about 30 at that time) that was still a long time ago (Are you going to correct me for using ya'll?)... So I am going to enjoy this weekend, b/c who would have thought that the Saints would ever be in the SB? I'm enjoying the underdog role and I hope the media is disappointed b/c Drew Brees is standing with the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the game. WHO DAT!!
ReplyDeleteI go back to the reference that was made earlier
ReplyDelete"...but if my life depended on me winning one game I would take Kobe. He just has that Jordan killer instict in him. The best example that I can give for this is this past olympics...and (he)either scored or assisted on (i believe) 20 or 22 straight points to put the game away"
Again, while that is/was impressive, how can it compare to 25 straight points, 29 out of the last 30 and scoring ALL of the points in two overtimes?
The Cavaliers did not beat the pistons by 11 (the margin that the USA won by); they won by two. EVERY shot and point was huge.
So I sumbit that if you watched both performances side by side (or right after each other) from the 4th quarter on, the totality of LeBron's numbers, the closeness of the game, and the fact that he did it on the Pistons home court (the game against spain was not in Barcelona, it waa in Beijing) - how can that NOT be the greatest individual effort in the closing minutes of a game (when comparing the two)?
Did you see LeBron's will to win, his killer instinct? 25 straight points qualifies. Scoring all the points in ovetime qualifies. Having Sasha Pavlovic as your starting guard instead of D-Wade qualifies.
Rewind LeBron's game against the pistons and enjoy.
Best of luck to the Saints while we are at it.
I meant Lebron's game vs Detroit was possibly the most amazing performance ive seen
ReplyDeletepowerpex,
ReplyDeleteI went back and read your comment, that "the sun even shines a dog's butt every now and then. How do you think andre miller scores 54 pts in a game!"
Let me understand; so LeBron's epic performance against the Pistons is comperable to "the sun shines on a dogs butt every now and then"..."
are you infering that what LBJ did is a once-in-a-blue-moon type effort???
If that's the case then LBJ must feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog day - every time he steps on to the court, something good/great/historic usually happens. Now we know last years MVP award was not the result of "the sun shinning on a dogs butt now and then"....
BTW, I hope you put down the crack pipe last night long enough to see what LBJ did; he scored 24 straight points in route to a 48 point effort. He also added 8 boards and 8 assists. Making him only the 3rd player in the HISTORY of the game (MJ and Bird) to have 10 career games with at least 40/8/8. (Oh, and he set a Cavaliers record for points in a half with 35).
Good-Great-Historic.
The sun shining on the dog's butt was meant as a joke, i am a very sarcastic person by the way. LBJ is hands down the best player in todays game and i am very interested to see if he continues to build on his skills for years to come or is this just one of those MVP seasons that great players have. either way it is going to be fun to watch thats for sure.
ReplyDeleteGo Saints, I'm still finding it hard to believe the Saints of all teams are fixing to play in the Super Bowl!