All-Star Panel Picks Kobe Bryant No. 1 Over LeBron James

[Findog]

I don't buy his game, Fin. He's a lucky stiff, a good time Charley, a straw dog.

As a Mavs fan, I have to respect his game, although I can't stand him.

[Culburn369]

As a Mavs fan, I have to respect his game, although I can't stand him.

wtf is his game? Sure, he co-opted that ring, but, he's been in the winds ever since.

[Findog]

wtf is his game? Sure, he co-opted that ring, but, he's been in the winds ever since.

He was hurt for two years after the le. I think he's back to the level he played at in 2006. His outside shooting is better than he's given credit for, he's a very good defender, and he is relentless in driving to the basket. He'll probably shorten his career that way, but he made Dallas look silly.

[21_Blessings]

He was hurt for two years after the le. I think he's back to the level he played at in 2006. His outside shooting is better than he's given credit for, he's a very good defender, and he is relentless in driving to the basket. He'll probably shorten his career that way, but he made Dallas look silly.

He was playing like #3 last season...but not this year. Wade's been chucking all season. Not driving like he used too. On pace to smash his 3pa career high despite shooting horribly.

[Culburn369]

& he's baiting & cursing the refs repeatedly.

[Allanon]

LeBron 2008-2009 ECF > Kobe
The Cavs choking in the ECF hearkens back to Kobe's 2008 blowout loss to the Celtics.

Kobe 2009 Finals - present >>> LeBron

Winning the championship as a great player and team leader and then adding a post game over the summer pretty much killed the comparison.

And apologies to you Laker fellows but I think DWade is a legit Top 5 player... not as good as he was in 2009 so it's a toss up between him and Melo.

[21_Blessings]

LeBron 2008-2009 ECF > Kobe

The series he lost? 09 WCF Kobe took the Nuggets to some back water Colorado hotel and went to town.

[Culburn369]

The series he lost? 09 WCF Kobe took the Nuggets to some back water Colorado hotel and went to town.

But, Kobe required that little pissant Nugget to trip him first. Then, went to town.

[Allanon]

The series he lost? 09 WCF Kobe took the Nuggets to some back water Colorado hotel and went to town.

Nah, prior to the series LeBron lost to the Magic. LeBron had swept both the Pistons and the Hawks and looked like he was on his way to the Finals without breaking a sweat.

Not even making the Finals with a 66 win team automatically puts LeBron behind Kobe. People say that 66 win team was ty...I say that 66 win team choked against a Magic team the Lakers did dirty with 4-1.

Kobe adding a 4th championship is another point for Kobe.

Then Kobe coming back with a refined post game makes a Kobe/Lebron comparison laughable at this point since LeBron still can't play the post.

[redzero]

That's your infantile opinion that it isn't true.



It's self-evident when you watch them play. I have a hard time putting Chris Paul in the Top 5 players in the league when he gets locked down by Dahntay Jones and gets outplayed by Chauncey Billups. If you want to go back to 07-08, Dirk has gone just as far in the playoffs as Paul has, and he was just as magnificent as Paul was in that first-round series when New Orleans beat Dallas, but the 08 Hornets were a much better team than the 08 Mavs. And I have a hard time putting Dwight Howard ahead of Tim Duncan when he has no low-post game to speak of and has nowhere near the basketball IQ that Duncan has.

Oh, please. Paul is a much more effective offensive player than Dirk, and if you actually want to use a single playoff series to judge a player by, the 07 playoffs immediately come to mind.

Paul has led the league in assists and steals the last two seasons. He was second in offensive ratings and second in offensive win shares last season. Howard is a better defender, blocker, and rebounder than Dirk.

You need to stop living in the past. Dirk is not better than Paul or Howard, and Duncan isn't better than Paul (Dwight is debatable, I guess).

[Killakobe81]

I can see putting CP3 and Howard over Dirk and Duncan on a Top 50 trade value list based on the fact that they're so much younger, but today? I'd rather have Dirk/Duncan than CP3/Howard.

I agree ...
Lebron is great but NOT better than Kobe at LEAST NOT yet ...
Wade is great and in some ways closer to Kobe than Lebron ...
Duncan is STILL better than Howard ...

[redzero]

The series he lost? 09 WCF Kobe took the Nuggets to some back water Colorado hotel and went to town.

The reason Kobe beat the Magic:







It wasn't because he played better than LeBron did (he didn't).

[Findog]

Oh, please. Paul is a much more effective offensive player than Dirk, and if you actually want to use a single playoff series to judge a player by, the 07 playoffs immediately come to mind.

Why would you cherrypick Golden State 2 years ago? Should I cherrypick the most recent example of CP3 getting locked down by some guy named Dahntay Jones and getting thoroughly outplayed by Chauncey Billups?

Paul has led the league in assists and steals the last two seasons.

Duh, he's a PG.

Howard is a better defender, blocker, and rebounder than Dirk.

Not a better player though.

You need to stop living in the past. Dirk is not better than Paul or Howard, and Duncan isn't better than Paul (Dwight is debatable, I guess).

I'm not. Dirk/Duncan > Paul/Howard. In 2011, what you say will most likely be true, but not now.

[Killakobe81]

PPG:
LeBron: 28.2
Kobe: 28.8

RPG:
LeBron: 6.8
Kobe: 5.3

APG:
LeBron: 8.1
Kobe: 4.0

FG%:
LeBron: .518
Kobe: .489

PER:
LeBron: 31.0
Kobe: 25.8

Yeah, that low post game has helped in score a whopping .6 points more than LeBron on worse shooting percentages. And Kobe's not even in the top 20 in eFG%. I guess Kobe's better skill doesn't actually translate into him playing better.

OK, Hollinger ...so when the stats HAD Bynum over TIm duncan to start the season you bought that too?

[Findog]

Is that dumbass really putting up a picture of Andrew Bynum as one of the reasons LA beat Orlando? Bynum was ing horrible in the playoffs last year.

[Killakobe81]

Redzero must be on that "scarecrow" stuff ...Only place RIGHT now I take Lebron over Kobe is on my fantasy team ...2 years from now I will gladly agree with you right now Kobe is still the best ...

[redzero]

Why would you cherrypick Golden State 2 years ago? Should I cherrypick the most recent example of CP3 getting locked down by some guy named Dahntay Jones and getting thoroughly outplayed by Chauncey Billups?

Why would you even bring that up in the first place.

Duh, he's a PG.

Oh, I didn't realize being a point guard automatically makes one lead the league in assists in steals.

Not a better player though.

Sure, if one only takes offense into account.

I'm not. Dirk/Duncan > Paul/Howard. In 2011, what you say will most likely be true, but not now.

No, what I say is true right now.

OK, Hollinger ...so when the stats HAD Bynum over TIm duncan to start the season you bought that too?

I was responding to the claim that Kobe has been playing better than LeBron this season. Did Bynum have better stats than Timmy for the last 3 years, like LeBron has over Kobe?

Is that dumbass really putting up a picture of Andrew Bynum as one of the reasons LA beat Orlando? Bynum was ing horrible in the playoffs last year.

Bynum guarded Dwight like he was supposed to. Who did the Cavs have to stop Dwight? No one.

[4chan]

How dare all you gots talk down upon the only thing saving the Hornets from moving to Des Moines, Iowa.

[4chan]

>Dwight Howard #4
>been in the league 6 years
>still hasn't developed 1 post move

[redzero]

^

[Findog]

Gasol is the guy who should get credit for checking Howard so effectively, not Bynum. The fact that Howard's effectiveness on offense was mitigated by Pau Gasol tells you all you need to know. The key to beating Orlando is to stay home on their shooters and let Dwight Howard do whatever he wants against a single defender. You can't do that with Duncan, and you certainly couldn't do it against a guy like Hakeem in his prime. They would destroy you. Howard is not the kind of guy who can take advantage of one-on-one and score 40 points.

[redzero]

Gasol is the guy who should get credit for checking Howard so effectively, not Bynum. The fact that Howard's effectiveness on offense was mitigated by Pau Gasol tells you all you need to know. The key to beating Orlando is to stay home on their shooters and let Dwight Howard do whatever he wants against a single defender. You can't do that with Duncan, and you certainly couldn't do it against a guy like Hakeem in his prime. They would destroy you. Howard is not the kind of guy who can take advantage of one-on-one and score 40 points.

Gasol and Bynum helped contain Howard, and again, LeBron had neither big when he faced the Magic in the ECF.

[Findog]

Oh, I didn't realize being a point guard automatically makes one lead the league in assists in steals.

It's an inexact science comparing wing/guards like CP3 to bigs like Dirk. They have different responsibilities on the court. Why you would bring up the fact that CP3 gets way more assists than Dirk makes no sense to me. Of course he does.That's not evidence of why he might be a better player than Dirk. I think Dirk has more of an impact on a game than CP3. I think Kobe has more of an impact on a game than a guy like Howard or Duncan at this stage of his career.

[HarlemHeat37]

I'd take Lebron over Kobe without much hesitation, but I don't have a problem with somebody picking Kobe..the rest of that list is beyond horrible though, and continues to kill the theory that the opinions of former players and coaches means much IMO..actual arguments with facts and evidence>>>random opinions..

[redzero]

It's an inexact science comparing wing/guards like CP3 to bigs like Dirk. They have different responsibilities on the court. Why you would bring up the fact that CP3 gets way more assists than Dirk makes no sense to me. Of course he does.That's not evidence of why he might be a better player than Dirk. I think Dirk has more of an impact on a game than CP3. I think Kobe has more of an impact on a game than a guy like Howard or Duncan at this stage of his career.

Did I state that Paul having more assists than Dirk makes him better? No. Paul is the best at what he does, and from a statistical point of view, he clearly has more of an impact on the game than Dirk does.