[croco]

Lebron is a much improved player from last year, on both ends.

[Plastic Man]

Okay, he shut Kobe down in the 4th. That proves that their defense is equal. Good point. In fact, let's start a petition to re-nickname him to LeBron "The Kobe Stopper" James. God knows he hasn't achieved anything worthy of his current nickname, yet.

(I am kidding, of course, before someone jumps all over me)

[Basel57]

This debate will continue for years to come...and it's already getting really old, really quick...

Both great players. Leave it at that. Whoever wins MVP, kudos to them. If either one wins the NBA Championship, they're not going to care about the MVP award or who others consider the best player. You don't play to be considered the best by the ****ing media.

You play to win the game!

[SamTheMan67]

Originally Posted by Plastic Man

Okay, he shut Kobe down in the 4th. That proves that their defense is equal. Good point. In fact, let's start a petition to re-nickname him to LeBron "The Kobe Stopper" James. God knows he hasn't achieved anything worthy of his current nickname, yet.

(I am kidding, of course, before someone jumps all over me)

Reread my post.. i said albeit small sampling size, and didn't just use that example.. watch some cavs games this year against some of the better players in the league and their 4th quarter stats vs lebron defending them

[SamTheMan67]

I really do hope for a lakers vs. cavs finals just so the battle will be put to rest

[Basel57]

Originally Posted by SamTheMan67

I really do hope for a lakers vs. cavs finals just so the battle will be put to rest

I guarantee you that even if they did play in the Finals, it still wouldn't be put to rest. Because the way both teams are set up, they have a chance to meet in the Finals on more than occasion.

[SamTheMan67]

Lol that would be funny if they faced like 3 straight times in the finals. Oh well cheers to them even getting their first

[Plastic Man]

Originally Posted by Basel57

This debate will continue for years to come...and it's already getting really old, really quick...

Both great players. Leave it at that. Whoever wins MVP, kudos to them. If either one wins the NBA Championship, they're not going to care about the MVP award or who others consider the best player. You don't play to be considered the best by the ****ing media.

You play to win the game!

Exactly. This is the best way to put the debate to rest.

@SamTheMan67: Come on, man, I was kidding . I've watched more games recently and I have no problem to admit that LeBron has vastly improved his defense (and his "clutchness" too for that matter) and I'd probably see nothing wrong with him getting 2nd All-D team. However, I wouldn't quite call them "equal" on defense just yet. But, to each his own I guess.

At least this year we have 3, 4 or maybe even 5 MVP-worthy candidates... opposed to previous years.

peace

[SamTheMan67]

Originally Posted by Plastic Man

Exactly. This is the best way to put the debate to rest.

@SamTheMan67: Come on, man, I was kidding . I've watched more games recently and I have no problem to admit that LeBron has vastly improved his defense (and his "clutchness" too for that matter) and I'd probably see nothing wrong with him getting 2nd All-D team. However, I wouldn't quite call them "equal" on defense just yet. But, to each his own I guess.

At least this year we have 3, 4 or maybe even 5 MVP-worthy candidates... opposed to previous years.

peace

I just watched kobe when he had shaq and how elite of a defender he was, then the years following where he wasn't a crappy defender but he just couldn't exert enough to be the defender of old. The year where he scored 35ppg he was terribly overrated on defense. This year its picking up again, but its all about your rep and if the media praised lebron for being an amazing defender everyone would begin to watch and notice

[Brandname]

No reason to put either guy down. They're both separating themselves from the rest of the NBA more and more, especially this year.

As always of course, it's hard to stack their abilities as wing players up against the likes of a Tim Duncan or Chris Paul, so I dunno, they deserve to be in the conversation as well.

Regardless, each of the two players has advantages over the other in certain areas. For one thing, it's not really arguable that Kobe is a better shooter. Lebron is a better rebounder and (up until this thread I believed it was consensus) a better passer.

They're very close to being equal in many aspects, as well. Scoring (overall), defense (this is probably the first year they can be legitimately compared defensively, and they've both really stepped it up here this year), and late game heroics (I understand Kobe has an extra 8 years or so of history here, I'm referring to their current abilities only). Leadership is almost entirely subjective and who really knows the answer to that one.

But ultimately 23AJ, in working so hard to bring Lebron down, you're truly overlooking the fact that we're witnessing two players who will go down as all-time greats in the NBA playing at or near their prime (of course Lebron has a little ways to go before his prime, but he's playing at a high level nonetheless). They both have a chance at becoming top 10-15 players of all time or so, and at some point we're going to reminisce about the days we got to see them compete against each other.

I'd even venture to say that even you, 23AJ, might one day fondly think back to being able to watch these guys play at the same time.