Imadogg wrote:Don't really wanna get involved in this stupid debate with so many stupid arguments being thrown around, it's useless since some people are or act too stupid to stay consistent in regards to their arguments and viewpoints.
Kobe wins with Shaq (the most dominant force in the league), it's "Kobe was just as important as Shaq".
Lebron (the most dominant force in the league) wins with Wade/Bosh, it's "Lebron has Wade/Bosh, he doesn't lead the team, blah blah". First of all, Bosh... thanks. 2nd, Lebron is playing the Shaq role here, Finals MVP, who cares if he had Wade, we don't take rings away from Kobe for being with Shaq like idiot Lakers haters do.
If you bring up Lebron having better assist/reb numbers, it's ast because he handles the ball always and dudes are just set up perfectly for 3s and they make them cuz they can, he doesn't make anyone better. For reb, well duh he's bigger so he should get more. No one brings up that Lebron's points are up there with Kobe's, but if they did, it would be because he handles the ball all the time. Lebron is more efficient because he is bigger and faster and takes better shots and Wade takes away pressure from him. Lol ok. And in the end, stats don't matter because Kobe makes teammates better and has killer instinct and 5 rings. But come back to me when I wanna talk about Kobe scoring 81 which Lebron can't dream of, cuz suddenly, stats matter.
Lebron is so passive, he didn't take over the game! Kobe would have shot over 3 guys and made it, instead of passing it to a wide open 3 shooter. Kobe has that intensity, that killer attitude. Lebron lost 2 finals being passive he sucks. Forget that Kobe shot the Lakers out of one with his horrible ballhogging and his killer instinct didn't do **** for the other.
Loled at Kobe/Shaq were equal in 2001/2002 playoffs, unless you count the finals, which shouldn't count because the West was the real finals. Yes, lets not count THE NBA FINALS.
So much more but I don't wanna go through every post again. Certain arguments can be debated for either side, but you look like a **** idiot if you have double standards and use one example for yourself and refuse that same example for the other side.
The Kobe vs Lebron debate is a compelling one for many reasons. There are layers upon layers that can be analyzed when comparing these two greats. However, if you strip away each one of these layers - stats, rings, eras, teammates, individual awards, consistency, etc etc - like the peels of an onion, and get down to the core of the matter, this is what I believe the argument comes down to:
1. LEBRON: Everything that makes Lebron great can be quantified on a stat sheet. We are in awe at the things he can do physically. His game is tangible in a sense. For example, you know he's great because you can see him run across the court faster than anyone else, even at 260 pounds. You can see defenders bounce off him when he puts his head down and attacks the paint. You can see him stay in front of players at multiple positions. His talent is external. It's visual. It can be measured in seconds, inches, in points, assists, rebounds, etc.
2. KOBE: what makes Kobe great can NOT be measured on a stat sheet. He attained greatness because of a burning passion from within. He was a gifted athlete, but was never the best at any of the common physical traits. Never the biggest. Never the strongest. Never the fastest. Never the most explosive. Average sized hands. There is just something so organic about his talent that connects to and inspires the everyday man. He's the prime example of what you can achieve with a laser focus and a work ethic that's unmatched. He will leave this game knowing he reached the highest level he could.
The discussion will never be without the stats, rings, etc. if that ever happened, we would quickly realize that what it really comes down to is which player we connect with more. Is it the man with Superman powers, flying across the court and making us imagine the limits of the human body? Or is it Batman, the underdog with a bottomless bag of tools and a cunning wit.
I think of Lebron as Ivan Drago, in the gym with the best training equipment and the worlds best scientists measuring his punching power and building him up like a machine by any means necessary. Kobe is like Rocky, lifting tree trunks in waist high snow, chopping wood with an axe, punching frozen meat as punching bags and running up the highest mountain within sight.
I just don't like how everything seemed to come easy to Lebron, from high school all the way to present. He had a sense of entitlement even way before he had ever done anything to deserve it. Kobe had to earn his stripes from day one. He was schooling pros while he was in high school and still couldn't even start for his team after he was drafted. That wouldn't happen today, but that was the reality back then. He had to earn it first, and even then he had to do it over and over again until they trusted him.
I'm the son of immigrants, so hard work and determination were burned into my psyche from a young age. That's what I respect and that's what I relate to. That's why Kobe is my guy and always will be over Lebron. He may not have the stats, but dammit he ran to the top of that mountain 5 times. it wasn't because he had blazing speed or a chiseled body that plowed through foes, it was because he just wanted it more than anyone else. I like to believe that I can take something from that and apply it to my own life. And that's all I have to say about that.
