Why Lebron James is better than Kobe Bryant
I really feel bad for Kobe (aw).
He’s not an original like Lebron is.
Kobe has spent his entire career trying to be like Michael Jordan. As we can all see, he’s no MJ.
*Here are a few areas where Kobe’s attempt to better MJ has failed:
First- It took Jordan only 4 years to understand that he could not do it by himself. Kobe is almost 30 and still, at times, seems to be playing his own game separate from his team mates.
Second- He doesn’t make players around him better. Sure others benefit from all the attention that Kobe gets, but how many player’s talent seems to flourish from being on the same court with Kobe?
*Because of Jordan, Scotty Pippen is one of the greatest 50 players in NBA history. Not to mention all of the extras that he had playing the best basketball of their freaky lives. Like; Paxton, Kerr, Perdue, Buechler, and Longley-just to name a few.
Because of good ole Mike, I don’t even have to say their first names. Otherwise, we wouldn’t even know who in the hell they were. If you can name ONE player that Kobe has made better, I’m listening.
Third- Kobe and MJ’s games are pretty much the same (Kobe has a slight edge in 3pt.shooting and ball handling). But, as much as Kobe’s game seems to mirror Jordan’s, they are totally opposite in the way they use it. Kobe, no matter how you play him, tries to do what he wants offensively even if it’s a bad shot.
Of course with his talent, he’s still good enough to make a lot of his ‘bad’ shots and it’ll make the ESPN highlights. But what that does is it disconnects him from the rest of his team and it also makes what they’re trying to do, a little more predictable. Jordan, on the other hand, adapted his game to fit however you were trying to play him.
*For example, if you stop the drive, he would kill you with a jumper. If you played him tight, he didn’t force up a Jumper, he would drive by you. He had developed his skills to exploit what ever you gave him (how many times have you seen MJ force anything?). Throw in his extras that made shots ‘or else’, and you see why he was the worse disease opposing teams had ever faced in NBA history.
*Kobe could have been better, and because of these 3 points, Lebron still can.
Peace,
Deven Khrucell
www.pistonscast.com
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Tags: Deven Khrucell, John W. Davis, Kobe, Kobe Bryant, Lebron, Lebron James
26 Responses
TADOne May 8th at 4:21 pm
Too easy. I think i’ve bagged enough on Kobe this week. I’ll take a pass on this one.
Ali Hassani May 8th at 6:32 pm
I disagree that Kobe always forces the jumper. I think he does do a good job of reading the defense and taking advantage of the little openings. He wouldn’t be able to score 40 on Shane Battier if he didn’t take easy shots here and there.
However I will give you that LeBron does a much better job of setting up his teammates, being an overall leader, and also setting the tone defensively. Kobe showed he can set the offensive tone, the Lakers wouldn’t have been able to score 40 points in the first against Boston if he didn’t. However not once I have seen him yelling out defensive commands or staring down people that let their defender by. The thing that makes a player a true superstar is that his teammates hate to think they have failed him. And if they feel that not defending the paint is fly with the leader, then they’re not going to defend the paint. However if every time you let your man by, someone such as KG gets in your face about it, you sure as hell aren’t going to do it again.
Deven aka (Pimp Scwalla) May 8th at 7:45 pm
Yeah reading is fundamental and Kobe does a good job of reading defenders. Sometimes he’ll read 1, 2, and hell, sometimes even 3 and he’ll still shoot it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78dop0e-x3U
If you take nearly 30 shots a game you tend to score quite a few points–Just ask Allen Iverson.
I know many people hate Lebron. I felt the same way about Jordan. But now that he’s gone, I miss watching him play. That why I bark on Lebron so much.
Don’t worry, one day he’ll be gone (after he gets about ten rings) and someone will take his spot. Let’s just pray the next person comes through Detroit.
Richard May 8th at 10:09 pm
kobe doesnt force jumper? all his crazy fade aways and step backs. he completely forces it
Darian May 9th at 1:27 am
LEBRON>KOBE
Ali Hassani May 9th at 12:45 pm
read again Richard, you really need to think for a second before you post things
I say he doesn’t always force up the jumper, that implies he does sometimes and he doesn’t other times. Besides is it really forcing it if he can make that shot 9 out of 10 times?
John W. Davis May 9th at 4:55 pm
I have to agree with Richard and all of Deven’s points. Kobe doesn’t step back and let the game come to him. Imagine if Kobe got 6-8 open jumpers from really pounding the ball into the post?
He would be the best player in the league. (@Ali: He makes tough shots but that’s not the point)
Something about Kobe is just not right. He is not patient enough to just be a part of the offense, He wants to be the offense!
Ali Hassani May 9th at 9:57 pm
Perhaps, but if you can make them, is that really considered that you’re forcing the issue? When Rasheed Wallace does that he’ll make maybe 1 out of 5. But Kobe will make at least 3 or 4 from that same 5 attempts. Look at the efficiency he’s able to score 40 off of just jumpers (which means he gets little help compared to LeBron from the free throw line).
I dunno, I guess the one thing we all agree on is that he could be the best player in history if he had a better mindset.
Deven aka (Pimp Scwalla) May 10th at 1:58 am
(A quote about a young Michael Jordan)
“He’s practically embarrassing the whole league–he’s that good”
- Chuck Daly
Does this remind you of someone else? 47points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists and shot over 50% from the field.
Oh, he also added a few new dance steps, a gliding fade-away leaner (I think he got that one from kobe), and of course the under hand scoop shot from 50-ft
I wouldn’t want to be Shane Battier in this next game. Kobe will respond!
Ali Hassani May 10th at 7:25 am
LeBron did decimate the hawks. The one thing I didn’t get was why didn’t they put Marvin Williams on LeBron? Williams is supposed to be their best defender and his injury was with his wrist so I don’t see how that would affect his mobility.
One-Take Davis May 10th at 8:37 am
@ Everyone… maybe the Pistons arent that bad… Maybe the Lebron and his Royal Court are just that good.
Ali Hassani May 10th at 8:44 am
that doesn’t explain the 38 win season though
John W. Davis May 10th at 1:06 pm
@ Ali Make that 39! We need all the wins we can get! LOL
Richard May 10th at 1:13 pm
Chill out Ali you dont have to get mad, and yes it is still a force if he makes 9/10. and the only time he doesnt force the jumper is when he is actually open so he pretty much always forces it. (you should think before you post dude)
Deven aka (Pimp Scwalla) May 10th at 1:17 pm
“I BLAME ALLEN IVERSON”
Ali Hassani May 10th at 4:56 pm
I disagree that you are forcing the issue if you can consistently make the shot.
Either way, the Pistons need to find their swagger. I think they should make this song their theme song - clean version of course.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NisCkxU544c&feature=PlayList&p=8F066A0F66026F69&index=0&playnext=1
Ali Hassani May 10th at 6:28 pm
By the way, came someone please explain to me why our point guard of the future has lost his aggressiveness and a guy named Aaron Brooks was drafted 26th overall is torching the Lakers?
Aaron Brooks has been brilliant this series, he’s scoring, he’s setting up others and he’s controlling the tempo. Perhaps Stuckey can take a page or two from his book
Brian Butteris May 10th at 6:54 pm
How many times have we seen Lebron on Top 10 Plays making spectactular passes. The only way Varejoa makes 10 Plays if Lebron made a sweet pass. We see Kobe all the time on Top 10 plays but he is just doing things by himself. Lebron makes everyone better. I cant compare Lebron to MJ cuz MJ’s prime was when i was too young.
Ryan May 10th at 8:25 pm
This has nothing to do with who’s the better player, but I thought this video was funny on LeBron traveling all the time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jvcfouEiSw
TADOne May 11th at 12:50 pm
Ali: I must admit, I didn’t know Aaron Brooks was even close to being as good as he is. Quite impressive.
As for the question about him and Stuckey, one thing comes to mind: coaching! I think it speaks volumes that Brooks has Rick Adelman coaching him and Stuckey has Curry. Nothing more, nothing less.
Ali Hassani May 11th at 1:53 pm
True but you forget Joe Dumars is a Hall of Fame guard himself. I wonder why he never really stepped in to show Stuckey the way or why he didn’t at least bring in Isaiah while he was jobless. Kinda a backstabbing move to your old friend to refuse to let him mentor your struggling point guard when he’s jobless and has “best ever” on his resume.
John W. Davis May 11th at 2:49 pm
@Ali Just because Joe D and Zeke Thomas played together doesnt make them friends.
@Tad. Darryl Morey knew Brooks was good thats why Skip to My Lou aka Slap a House was traded.
Quickeness in the NBA will get you anywhere you want to go because alot of defenders are just plain lazy. Even in the playoffs.
Ali Hassani May 11th at 3:02 pm
Do you know of anything specific between the two of them or are you saying its a possibility? This has been something that’s always stumped me, because Joe’s got plenty of resources between Laimbeer, Mahorn and Thomas (well not so much for head coach in Thomas’s case) and yet none of them work for the Pistons beyond broadcasting the games
John W. Davis May 11th at 3:25 pm
Ill ask Deven but its pretty obviously he doesnt want to use Bill Laimbeer, Mahorn or Thomas.
Don’t you agree?
I wish Bill Laimbeer was the Pistons coach but Joe D obviously doesnt want that.
TADOne May 11th at 4:46 pm
I’m quite sure Isiah was more or less banned from getting a job within the Pistons organization while Bill Davidson was still alive. That said, i’m pretty sure Dumars has had conversations with Stuckey and taught him a few things. I honestly believe that Rodney just hit a “wall” mentally and physically last season. I can imagine it would be pretty tough to lead a group of veteran players when he had players pouting (Rip, AI), giving lackadaisical effort (Sheed, Tay), a coach yanking around minutes and roles, and just listening to the constant negativity within the locker room. I’m thinking Stuckey will rebound next season.
Ali Hassani May 11th at 5:30 pm
I personally liked what I saw from Stuckey at the end of the season, in fact I thought he needed to shoot more so he could learn how to deal with tough defenses.
I’m probably going out on a limb here, but I attribute Rodney’s struggles to the veterans. Look at how aggressive he was coming off the bench, getting even 10 assists a game. And then he got off to that rocket start as a starter. However his performance coincidentally tailed off when Rip returned to the starting lineup. I think that all that fighting over the ball and the veterans complaints about Chauncey being gone was too hard on him and he blaimed himself for their struggles. If you noticed, during that 8 game losing streak he rarely touched the ball, often times he would dribble up court and then just give it to Iverson. I don’t know if one of the vets directly said something to him, or he overheard something they were complaining about or if he simply got the general gist that AI/Rip thought the only way they could win was to run the offense themselves, but clearly something was bothering him. If anything it must have been about him being the reason they traded Billups.
The reason why I think it was a locker room issue was because even in the conference finals last year, Rodney backed down to no one. Here’s a prime example of his aggressiveness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGp8HioDJGY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-SIRWIHUj8
However by the half way mark of this season he wouldn’t even consider getting past half court before giving it to Rip or Tay in the 4th quarters. Generally ya kinda want your point guard at least touching the ball when closing out games.
Could be a long shot, but I think there is a very high probably that his mental breakdown had a lot to do with the Billups trade.