GREAT article: Kobe vs Lebron MVP debate

[cbrown32]

I agree with almost everything this guy says in this article...casual fans and the media continue to focus on the stats rather than who's winning the big games.

KOBE 4 MVP!!!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1512 ... the-garden

[Slava]

Big games are in the playoffs and for the regular season, I'd take consistency over 5 or so special games any day. Lebron is MVP and there's no point debating against it unless the Cavs go on a skid to end the season.

[kobesmyhomie]

Lebron's gonna win. I'm surprised they are still doing a vote count, it's pointless.

[semi-sentient]

There is no debate. LeBron is the MVP.

[Asianiac_24]

I think Kobe stands no chance against Lebron in the MVP race. Team Record? Cavs are #1. Stats? Lebron wins. Kobe really don't have anything over Lebron at this point this year in the race

[crazyeights]

I still don't believe in early voting.

I'm not saying it's fatal. But the 2-6 record against the other three teams bound for 60 wins is an eyesore on the résumé you can't ignore -- those eight games are the closest thing in the regular season to playoff games.

Personally, I don't care if Lebron wins it. But let's call it what it is. The NBA is very top-heavy right now. All season we've known the big 3 or 4 (sometimes 5) teams that are going to be factors in the playoffs. Barring more injuries, these are the ones that are going to be there when it counts.

Fact is Cleveland hasn't performed well against these teams...there's no excuse for that.

Lebron has averaged 30 ppg against teams like Chicago (4 games), Miami (4 games), Milwaukee (4 games), New York (4 games). That's 16 games...19.5% of the total season. Tough competition, it's a wonder they were the first to 60.

He averaged 19 against the Lakers. His lowest. He shat turds against the best teams, played some of the worst games of his life.

If that's our Most Valuable Player, then by all means, take it Lebron. It's all yours.

[wackokid05]

i wish all the mvp voters can see this!!!

[crazyeights]

The article isn't that well written, but he makes an interesting point about the performances by Kobe/Lebron at the Garden:

When Bynum went down it wasn’t difficult to hear the collective air spewing from the Lakers bubble. They could easily have pouted and pulled the 'woe is me … here we go again' attitude. But Kobe would have none of it. He went into Madison Square Garden the following game and painted a masterpiece for the ages, which was just what the Doctor (Buss) ordered.

To Laker players and fans their leader’s message was loud and clear...This is the Lakers year and no amount of misfortune would derail them in a quest for the ultimate goal. That LeBron attempted to outdo him later in the week was nothing more than meaningless bravado, which the media ate up hook line and sinker.

They completely ignored the extremely different contexts in which the games were played. They made no mention that Kobe’s game came at a defining time in the Laker season. It set the tone for how the Lakers would respond to the extreme adversity of life without their big man. It would help define their character… their collective will.

Conversely, the Cavs game at the Garden held no such intrigue. As an Eastern Conference team the Cavs play at the Garden with regularity and as such the game was just another regular season game for them. Win or lose, it would not define their character or determine their fate. The Laker team, on the other hand, needed a big-time pick-me-up at a precarious time in their season and Kobe delivered big time on a big stage...Not merely for show but with purpose.

[b shaw20]

Stop it already. LJ has been the best player on the best team, period.

Hell, one can argue that Gasol has been the most consistant Laker this year. Without Gas we just might have been in worse shape than without Kobe. Possibly,... just saying.

[cbrown32]

Let me remind you, the season is NOT over. The Lakers should win their remaining 4 games, and the Cavs play Boston the last game of the season. So if you want to already give Lebron the MVP based on "the best player on the best team" criteria, you better wait a week or so before you open your mouth. Lebron is the leading candidate because he has the best stats, and the entire world is sucking his d**k. Kobe is leading his team to meaningful wins (games against elite teams like LAL, BOS, and ORL, not scrub teams), while Lebron and the Cavs are losing to the elite teams, but Lebron gets his stats up in meaningless games against teams that ahve no chance of making the playoffs. Read the article carefully if you're going to respond to this, and actually think about it.

[Speedlot]

The writer is completely biased... w/e

Lebron has the thing won. Kobe might have a chance if his record is better than LBJ... that's about it. I say it's30-70 in favor of Lebron right now. Shrug

[Boognish]

Take off the homer glasses guys, Lebron is the MVP

That being said, I'd settle for Kobe winning a Finals MVP

[cbrown32]

I COMPLETELY agree, the author of this article is absolutely biased towards Kobe and the Lakers. BUT that doesn't mean he doesn't have good points.

"So ultimately in determining one’s worthiness for this years MVP, the question is simple. Do you base your selection on statistics or does the ability to win big games hold more weight. If your answer is the former than I suppose LeBron gets your vote.

However, if it is based on winning and the ability to lift your team up through extreme adversity, then your pick should clearly go to Kobe. So go ahead and proclaim LeBron the big winner, but for my money, at least until next year, I'll take Kobe as my pick for MVP."

This is a complete homer statement...as well as a true statement. Lebron is the MVP against the Milwaukee Bucks, but when you put him and his team up against the elite teams in the league, we've all seen what happens (LBJ ppg vs LAL - 19). If everyone, ESPN included, would take Lebrons d**k out of their ass and actually think about what an MVP entails, rather than spewing out stats, their opinions might change a little.

BTW IM MY GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IS FOR COMEDIC USE NOT ANGER SORRY IF I OFFEND ANYONE!! GO LAKESHOW

[magic1fan]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... index.html


here's another cool little article about lebron and kobe.

[realfung]

boring.

[MasterRyu]

I laugh at those who say things like "Lebron only puts big stats up in meaningless games". Big reality check! No game is meaningless. Cuz if we're taking the current situation into consideration, I would damn well bet that the Lakers are wishing that they had played harder in some of those "meaningless games" earlier in the season (you know against the Charlottes, the Sacromentos of the NBA), cuz it's killing them in the HCA race. Big games are for the playoffs. The regular season is about consistency. If anyone is hyping a big game to be more important than others, they're just sensationalizing it.

[crazyeights]

Some games mean more than others, I don't care if they are weighted the same in the standings.

Beating Cleveland at home means something. Sweeping Boston and Cleveland means something.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim means something.

[semi-sentient]

Stop it already. LJ has been the best player on the best team, period.

Hell, one can argue that Gasol has been the most consistant Laker this year. Without Gas we just might have been in worse shape than without Kobe. Possibly,... just saying.

While it might appear that way, I don't think there's much argument that we'd be worse without Gasol as opposed to Kobe. Consider that we lose most of our leads when Gasol + the remaining bench mob are in the game, so that suggests that we wouldn't fair too well without Kobe at all. Gasol and everyone else has it much easier when Kobe is on the court, whereas Kobe is going to do what he does regardless of who he is playing with. Kobe is still the most important player on this team, without question. He makes it all work.

[cbrown32]

boring.

bounce then. PEACE. I've seen your name a couple times in a few different posts...i've never seen you write anything thoughtful or meaningful. try playin ball a little before you start talkin

[cbrown32]

Some games mean more than others, I don't care if they are weighted the same in the standings.

Beating Cleveland at home means something. Sweeping Boston and Cleveland means something.

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