This article is a product of Twitter.
Dmoses3, a UCSB student, tweeted@thenexus_sports 22 consecutive times about LeBron James’ dominance and NBA columnist Ravi Bhatia’s stupidity. Ravi had written that Blake Griffin could win a championship before James (amongst other things).Dmoses3 also suggested we hire his friend, Twitter user Teehay.
Intrigued by Dmoses3 recommending a friend rather than himself, Ravi challenged Teehay —actually a UCSB junior named Tyler Hayden — to a LeBron v. Kobe faceoff.
This is Tyler’s LeBron Column. Bhatia’s Kobe response will be in tomorrow’s edition of the Nexus. The full Twitter battle can be seen @DMoses3, @thenexus_sports and @Teehayy.
Tyler Hayden
LeBron is more talented, athletic and efficient than Kobe. It is no fluke that LBJ has led the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating in each of the last four seasons. He has better shot selection, vision and is the ultimate team player. The King attacks the rim more violently than anyone, forcing defenses to collapse while freeing up open looks for his teammates. He is the most gifted passer for his size — ever.
[media-credit name=”Ian Sander” align=”alignleft” width=”172″][/media-credit]His numbers speak for themselves, dwarfing Bryant’s across the board in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and FG percentage. He is the most athletic specimen the game has ever seen. At 6’ 8” and 270 pounds, he has the most unique blend of size, strength, speed, instincts and jaw-dropping athleticism to ever grace the court. His ability to play and guard 1 through 4 while demonstrating more consistent defensive intensity than Kobe also makes him much more versatile.
LeBron, at just 26 years of age, has played seven fewer seasons and roughly one-third the numbers of playoff games as Kobe. This is important to consider simply because he has had far less opportunities to make big shots, or shine in “clutch” situations as Kobe is so over-glorified for.
Moreover, using the NBA’s measure of clutch play — the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime with a margin of five points or fewer — LeBron has again proved to be far more efficient than the Black Mamba in each of the last four seasons. Believe it or not, when Kobe is on the floor in crunch time, his Lakers are actually outscored by their opponents.
In fact, LeBron has actually performed better than Kobe at the end of tight playoff games. Over the course of Kobe’s playoff career, he has connected on five of 20 attempts when having the opportunity to make a potential game-tying or go-ahead field goal in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime, (or 25 percent compared to the league average over the same time of 28 percent). Conversely, LBJ has made five of 12 of these same shots during his playoff career (41.7 percent).
When the two have met head to head, it is yet another landslide victory for King James. James-led teams are 9-5 when meeting with Kobe’s, while playing most of those games on teams with far inferior talent. Bryant has also benefited from playing for the most decorated coach in NBA history. During that infamous 2004-05 season, with Coach Phil Jackson on vacation and Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins as his sidekicks, Kobe led his team to a miserable 34-48 record and an 11th place finish in the Western Conference.
James, on a team with comparable talent in 2009, led Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and co. to 66 wins. Also intriguing, this season the Cavs, with a vast majority of their roster still intact, stumbled to a pathetic 19-63 record in their first year without King James — finishing dead last in the Eastern Conference.
Hate him or love him, LeBron is the most dominant player in the game today. Though Bryant does have five titles to his name, we are not measuring who is the most decorated, but rather who is the best. LeBron is the best, and frankly, has been for the last four years.
Daily Nexus reporter Tyler Hayden will be tweeting the night away after Ravi’s response.
Success is measured in championships. Your entire article is null and void. Kobe is the ‘best’ until James can actually win something.
That’s clearly false, Mike. If the number of championship trophies was the only factor worth considering, then by implication we’d have to waste our time talking about how “successful” Mark Madsen is for winning two titles with the Lakers. Obviously some merit must be granted to a player’s skill disregarding his number of championships. To deny that is unreasonable and stupid. Although the number of titles a great player has gives clear indication to that greatness, we don’t need to limit ourselves to this narrow kind of evaluation.
This article is off base at times, but has some good overall points. Lebron is an animal when he wants to be. However, while at Cleveland, he spent more time focusing on pre-game dance routines then his approach to the game. Also, he definitely mailed it in last year vs the Celtics, something that will follow him forever. Kobe is nearing the end of his career now while Lebron is entering his prime, so a current comparison doesn’t make sense. But, i think when it’s all said and done, Jordan will still reign as the G.O.A.T; Kobe as the closest… Read more »
Kobe won 3 rings being Shaq’s sidekick
Ridiculous statement. They both were integral, especially the last one. However, based on that logic, Lebron winning alongside Wade and Bosh on Wade’s team would be just as meaningless as Kobe’s 3?
Unfortunately Lebron had a chance to really go for it in Cleveland, but decided to take the easy road. And even if he wins it, no one will really give him that much credit.
That is retarded. If they win a ring how would he not get credit? Less talented players on a championship team don’t get as much credit because they can be replaced by someone else in the league and the team still wins. LeBron can’t be replaced, Wade can’t be replaced. LeBron’s talent, worth and contribution are the same if he’s losing on a team of nobodies or winning on a team of superstars. Michael Jordan & Scotty Pippin, Shaq & Kobe, Malone & Stockton, Bird & Parish, these guys earned the rings together. Jordan is amoung the best of all… Read more »
LeBron would get AS MUCH credit if the Heat win as Kobe did when the Lakers won those three ships back in the day.
He’s already proven he’s ok with not being the best he can e
He’s already proven he’s ok with not being the standout player on a championship contender*
@Mike
Success is measured in championships? So what you’re saying is that (by your logic) Luke Walton is more successful than Lebron James? That’s definitely not an accurate measure of success.
being a prominent player on a championship team is what determines a player’s worth.
Luke Walton is irrelevant.
LeBron James has played 8 seasons so let’s evaluate Kobe’s first 8 seasons… Kobe Bryant won 3 championships (in his first 8 seasons) During the playoffs of those 3 championship runs Kobe Bryant wasn’t even close to being the best player on his team. Shaq averaged 29.8 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 3 APG and 2.4 BPG. Shaq is one of the ten greatest players of all time and it is a crime to think Kobe was the main factor throughout the Laker’s 3-peat. Now let’s take a look at LeBron’s support… Here’s a list of the #2 scorer on LeBron’s team… Read more »
i’ll bash you on this blog right meow.
LeBron has ZERO rings.
Kobe has FIVE rings.
Is that the only argument i have? yes.
IT’S THE ONLY ARGUMENT I NEED.
It is possible LeBron will be better than Kobe one day.
But not today.
I hope the three hours spent looking up those stats were worth it.
Appreciate your sharing that treasured facts. I am going to reveal such data having friends and neighbors, and i think they are going to be met.