RealGM

Carmelo Anthony is a greater personal defensive challenge for Kobe Bryant than LeBron James.

"For me, yeah," Bryant said in an interview with ESPN. "He's always been a player that I enjoyed guarding the most. He was the most difficult because of his size and his speed."

James is known for his powerful build, but Bryant cited the physicality Anthony brings.

"Melo does it all and he's as strong as a bull," Bryant said. "Going up against that bull, man, it's fun but it's extremely challenging."

Via Ira Winderman/Sun-Sentinel

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/22 ... han_LeBron


What do u guys have to say about that? I tend to agree somewhat but Lebron would be the hardest to defend in my opinion?

tougher to guard individually? I agree. it's harder for a team to defend lebron though imo.

If it were a one on one game maybe, MAYBE, melo but its a team game and lebron would be the tougher guard

ManualRam wrote:tougher to guard individually? I agree. it's harder for a team to defend lebron though imo.

This.

LeBron will make the correct decision 99.9% of the time, even when defended well.

paul pierce has also stated this when asked about bron an melo. Guess cause bron doesnt really try to score like melo. hes more of a get my teamates going than I'll get mine.

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Rudy gay said the samething about melo recently on nbatv

Nothing new. Kobe says this virtually every time he has to face Melo. Every player has one certain opponent that gives them trouble to play against and for Kobe it it Melo.

Doesn't really account for just guarding one on one, but still interesting:

Kobe vs. Lebron
http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... =jamesle01

Kobe vs. Carmelo
http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... =anthoca01

Melo has a big frame, he's really a PF on offense with a faceup game AND a post game.

I'd much rather gameplan against Melo than LeBron though. LeBron is just ridiculously good now.

Two things about what Kobe said.

1. Kobe and Melo are very good friends, as opposed to Kobe and LeBron. So, Kobe is kind of 'putting over' Melo with what he's saying. Making Melo look good at the expense of LeBron. He's done this before as regards Melo and LeBron. I'm not saying Kobe isn't telling the truth, but it's still probably worth knowing the dynamic between the three players (or at least Kobe/Melo and Kobe/LeBron)

2. Carmelo is HUGE in the hips and has an extremely powerful 'base' or 'core' because of his hip and leg strength and size. This is why Carmelo can back down almost anyone, including LeBron, Rudy Gay, etc.

Carmelo is less athletic than LeBron, and less built than LeBron in the upper body, but his huge lower base makes it almost impossible for most SF (and probably many PF) to stop him from backing them down.

You combine that with his excellent outside shooting, and it is very difficult to guard Melo.

Lebron's performance everytime he faces the lakers says otherwise

What Kobe means is that Carmelo is a complete offensive player in which he feels is more difficult assignment...

"personal defensive challenge"

Do some users here not comprehend plain English?

Kobe is saying Melo will use his bull like strength to back Kobe down. It has to do with Melo score first mentality and his post moves.

LeBron is the better player and I'm sure Kobe would say that after the game.

As a 1on 1 scorer I totally agree. Melo is probably the best ISO scorer in the NBA now that Kobe is older. Obviously LeBron is a much better basketball player though.

thats cause melo is a better post player, and he'll most likely score, whereas LeBron would either pass or shoot the ball instead of pushing the limit of his defender.

According to NBA players Melo is the toughest to guard in the NBA. Pierce, Gay, Battier, and Kobe all said he's the toughest to guard. It's due to his amazing footwork, range, power, post game, and first step. I wonder how MVP awards would look if only players voted for the MVP like it use to be. Kobe will probably have 5 of them and Melo would be the hands down MVP this season if he keeps his play up.

i wouldn't put too much stock in these words.

kobe's calculated.