24>23?

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

LeBron James or Kobe Bryant? Kobe Bryant or LeBron James?

Who you got?

Any criteria really. You can use any arguement you like, balls to the wall. If you think Akron Hammer is > than Mamba because of nicknames then by all means vote that way. If you like Kobe's puppet more, then vote that way. If you think the rings are the most important thing then vote that way. Anything you want, just back it up. Spam is not your friend.

Me, well I'm a Kobe supporter. 4 championships, big shots, huge scoring nights. I got Kobe Bryant. Shaq who?



Let's do this.

 

[The Greenius]

Well, Kobe, and yes, I'm being a homer. But still, Lebron has been around for 7 years, and don't get me wrong he's still young, but he doesn't exactly finish all the time. Honestly, in some games he comes up big in the clutch, or he can't help out his team as much in the 4th. He has team talent, I mean this year, he got even more help, but he couldn't do it. Maybe it's the Cavs' fault, who knows? Meanwhile Kobe has been spoiled yes, but the Lakers always benefit. This guys is still breaking records and he's like 31, 32? He's got a lot of achievements, and don't get me wrong, Lebron will surpass him, some day...... So yeah, Kobe!

 

[People's Champ]

This is pretty easy. Kobe Bryant.

No one works harder than Kobe. Basketball is his life. Being the greatest is his goal. While all the attention goes to Lebron, Kobe is in position to win his 5th ring. He demands perfection of himself and damnit, there are plenty of nights where he just is. There is no better closer in the game. Kobe has the most game winning shots. And he makes them look easy. God I could go on and on. But Kobe all the way.

 

[Big Sexy]

I made this thread last year and supported LeBron. After his play in the East Semi Finals this year it made me question him somewhat but at this point I still say he's better then Kobe. The fact remains that the team Kobe currently has around him is better then LeBron's. Post Shaq and before getting Pau Gasol the Lakers led by Kobe struggled somewhat for a few years and the talent around him was no worse then the team that a young LeBron led to the NBA finals a few years ago.

The topic that comes up most in this debate is hitting clutch shots, but LeBron actually has been better then Kobe. Game Winning Shot Opportunity = 24 seconds or less left in the game, team with the ball is either tied or down by 1 to 2 points. Using this definition a study was conducted to see who was the best at making these types of shots. The study included the regular season and playoffs of the 03-04, 04-05, 05-06, 06-07, 07-08, and up to February 4th of the 08-09 season.

Lebron actually had the most game winning shots. He was 17-50 which is 34%. Kobe is 4th on the list with 14 makes out of 56 which is 25%. This study doesn't cover this year or the last couple months of last year but it shows LeBron definitely hits clutch shots.

 

[Cmpunk is wwe]

I have to go with lebron he is good at getting to the basket and soon he will be the best player in the nba.

 

[Megatron]

If I am down by 1 with 10 seconds to go, I want Kobe taking my shot. While percentages might say that LeBron is more clutch then Kobe, Kobe has certainly made more memorable and important shots in his lifetime. If I wanted to build a team for the next 10 or so years, however, I'm more then likely taking Lebron. He's now hit his prime, and he'll have a good amount of time spent on top. Kobe, while not old by any means, has really taken a beating since 2008 with extended seasons for 3 years in a row. So my answers are:

Right now: Kobe
Future: LeBron

Yeah, it's a cop out, but that's life.

 

[thepalaceprince]

KOBE. Lebron is an incredible basketball player he probably has the better all around game because of his defense and rebounding but kobe's offensive game is unmatched in todays nba he can hit evrey shot make every play he has a more developed offensive game then lebron and kobe's also the best closer in the game. Plus the biggest difference to me is their desire to win. Lebron wants to be a global icon and make a billion dollars kobe wants to win rings and try and run down jordan as the best ever. Kobe want it more then anyone and anyone who gets in his way gets 30 dropped on them

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

I made this thread last year and supported LeBron. After his play in the East Semi Finals this year it made me question him somewhat but at this point I still say he's better then Kobe. The fact remains that the team Kobe currently has around him is better then LeBron's. Post Shaq and before getting Pau Gasol the Lakers led by Kobe struggled somewhat for a few years and the talent around him was no worse then the team that a young LeBron led to the NBA finals a few years ago.

My appoligies, I didn't see it or I would have just bumped that one. I couldn't belive there wasn't a thread about this.


You bring up the teams Kobe had around him which is a good point but Kobe at the time was a bit immature, once he learned it wasn't all about him he started winning more. LeBron has been ahead of the curve with that one, the guy is about as unselfish as you can be scoring 30 points a game.

Another thing I want to point out is that the Eastern Confrence wasn't as powerful as the Western at the respective times of Kobe and LeBron's runs. When LeBron took his team to the finals he had to deal with teams that won 53 to 40 games in the East.

The topic that comes up most in this debate is hitting clutch shots, but LeBron actually has been better then Kobe. Game Winning Shot Opportunity = 24 seconds or less left in the game, team with the ball is either tied or down by 1 to 2 points. Using this definition a study was conducted to see who was the best at making these types of shots. The study included the regular season and playoffs of the 03-04, 04-05, 05-06, 06-07, 07-08, and up to February 4th of the 08-09 season.

Lebron actually had the most game winning shots. He was 17-50 which is 34%. Kobe is 4th on the list with 14 makes out of 56 which is 25%. This study doesn't cover this year or the last couple months of last year but it shows LeBron definitely hits clutch shots.

I didn't know about this study and I'll take your word for it, I actually thought I heard that Melo hit the most game winning shots somewhere, I don't remember though. But anyway I won't dispute the facts you laid out here, it has just always seemed to me that the shots Kobe hits seem bigger, for whatever reason. Maybe they seem bigger because the Western Confrence has been filled with good teams and a game winner over the feels bigger or the fact that Kobe has had more games in the playoffs. Either way it just has always felt like Kobe's shots are bigger.




One thing I do want to address though is the terms the best finisher in the game and the best closer in the game. Fuck you ESPN. They don't want to debate the subject so they give them both little nicknames. Just a little rant thats all.

 

[Big Sexy]

My appoligies, I didn't see it or I would have just bumped that one. I couldn't belive there wasn't a thread about this.

It was a year ago so a new thread was warranted.

Another thing I want to point out is that the Eastern Confrence wasn't as powerful as the Western at the respective times of Kobe and LeBron's runs. When LeBron took his team to the finals he had to deal with teams that won 53 to 40 games in the East.

The last few years the East has greatly improved and at the top I'd say they have been the better conference since Boston made the trades to get Garnett and Allen. The West overall is much deeper but I'll take the top three teams in the East over the top three in the West the last three years.

I didn't know about this study and I'll take your word for it, I actually thought I heard that Melo hit the most game winning shots somewhere, I don't remember though.

http://www.82games.com/gamewinningshots.htm

There's a link to the study. They did the same study earlier near the end of the 2006 season and in that study Carmelo was number one and LeBron was near the bottom of the list. However, much like his defense, LeBron's ability in the clutch greatly improved the next 2 to 3 seasons and in the second study he was at the top of the list in most game winning shots made. But Melo does still have one of the higher percentages and his percentage of those shots made is higher then Kobe and LeBron.